Ratings agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) on Monday announced the launch of a new investable index for investors seeking exposure to environmentally responsible investment strategies.
The S&P Global Eco Index provides diversified, liquid exposure to 30 of the largest publicly listed companies operating in ecology-related industries, including clean energy production, water utilities and infrastructure, timber, environmental services and waste management.
The index covers 12 countries at launch with an adjusted market capitalisation of $376,87-billion: Brazil, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Britain, Hong Kong, Japan, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and the United States.
“Investors the world over have come to understand that climate change and environmental responsibility are pressing issues that may present significant investment risks and opportunities,” said Konrad Reuss, S&P MD for South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa.
“By incorporating a diverse range of eco-friendly themes as well as adopting a global approach to a global challenge, the S&P Global Eco Index focuses on companies that have positioned themselves to address these challenges, and this will in turn help investors to focus their investment decisions where there are potential environment-related economic benefits,” he said.
To be eligible for inclusion in the index, companies must have a listing on a developed market exchange, a total market capitalisation of at least $1-billion and a three-month average daily trading value of more than $2-million.
Index constituents must also be a current member of one of the following: the S&P Global Clean Energy Index, S&P Global Timber and Forestry Index, S&P Global Water Index or the S&P/Citigroup Global Environmental Services Sector Index.
The S&P Eco Index is the eighth in the S&P Global Thematic Index Series, which provides exposure to budding investment themes that cut across traditional industry definitions and geographic boundaries.
Other indices in this series include the S&P Emerging Markets Infrastructure Index, S&P Global Alternative Energy Index and the S&P Global Nuclear Energy Index. — I-Net Bridge