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Editorial message
2011 promises to be a year filled with opportunities for those focused on sustainability. In the next 12 months, we plan on providing you with analysis, information and thought leadership that will keep you ahead of the curve. We will provide new opportunities to access our analysts live or by subscribing to alerts and reports.
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Inside Sustainalytics
What's new in Sustainalytics Global Platform
The layout of the Company ESG Summary and the first pages of the Company Report have been revised to have a stronger focus on key sector-specific ESG issues. These reports will have a new analytical section that will assess company performance on the basis of these key ESG issues. The revised company report will also include a new section with suggested engagement topics. The numerical company scores will not be affected by these changes. These new reports will gradually become available in the client interface as of March 2011.
These improvements will set the stage for further platform innovations scheduled for 2011. Such changes will include the introduction of analyst ratings. The analyst ratings will complement the existing numerical company scores and provide a more subjective outlook on company performance from the analysts' perspective.
We are also pleased to announce the introduction of sector overviews. These overviews will analyze key ESG trends and best practices within a number of high profile peer groups.
Further details on platform revisions and sector overviews will follow in the next few weeks.
For more information, please contact us.
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Sustainalytics' Perspective
Review of Responsible Investing in The Netherlands
For the fourth consecutive year, the Dutch Association of Investors for Sustainable Development (Vereniging van Beleggers voor Duurzame Ontwikkeling, the VBDO) has published its Benchmark Responsible Investment by Pension Funds in the Netherlands. Sustainalytics contributed to this report with inspiring examples of responsible investment practices in different investment classes. The report is accessible via this link.
Sustainalytics' ESG and Materiality Outlook for Natural Resources Sectors
On January 28, Sustainalytics will publicly release its review of ESG factors and competitiveness in the natural resources sectors at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The report offers proof that strong ESG practices improve competitiveness in the forestry, mining and oil and gas sectors. Sustainalytics' Managing Director, Diederik Timmer will be representing Sustainalytics in Davos. Visit here to learn more.
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Analyst Perspective
Ruggies' Human Rights Report
As recently as a decade ago, many companies argued that human rights issues were the purview of the state and fell under the domain of government. Fortunately that view is changing thanks in part to the UN Special Report on Business and Human Rights, John Ruggie's 2008 report which defined his now famous protect, respect and remedy policy framework. This framework clarifies the responsibilities that states and businesses have with regard to human rights. It provides detailed information on a company's responsibility to implement a due diligence approach which is simply the most effective way to avoid any human rights risks. Ruggie is currently working on a report that will provide operational guidelines to implement his framework. These guidelines will support companies and investors in implementing comprehensive and effective human rights risk management. Ruggie's report does not merely provide guidelines to investors for their own policies, it also provides them with a range of engagement topics for problematic companies associated with human rights incidents. Furthermore the report contains recommendations to countries on how to integrate human rights into any type of business-related legislation. It suggests that governments adopt extra-territorial legislation that will allow them to hold a company accountable for human rights violations that are committed in other countries. Sustainalytics has provided input to Ruggie's latest report and will update our clients in detail on the practical use of the new guidelines and the likely changes in state legislation and/or practices.
Click here to read Sustainalytics' input to Ruggie's latest report.
Daan Schoemaker, Analyst dschoemaker@sustainalytics.com |
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Meet Sustainalytics in your region
Axel Wilhelm, Managing Director, Frankfurt SpoBiS 7-8 February, 2011 Dusseldorf, Germany Axel Wilhelm, Managing Director, Frankfurt alfi Sustainable and Responsible Investment Conference 17 February, 2011 Luxembourg-Kirchberg, Luxembourg Hans-Ulrich Beck, Global Director, Research The Belsif Sessions - SRI in Emerging Markets 23 February, 2011 Brussels, Belgium Elia Tarrega, Managing Director, Spain Jornada Retos Financieros de la Economia Social 23-24 February, 2011 Malaga, Spain Diederik Timmer, Managing Director, Europe Fund Manager Selection London 2011 29-30 March, 2011 London, England
Simon McMahon, Director, Advisory Services
Imagine Canada SectorCast Series
30 March, 2011 12 noon EST
Online
For more information about these events, please click here.
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SRI World News
Sustainalytics Screens Global 100
This year Sustainalytics was tapped to provide analysis for Corporate Knights' Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations. Using data from its global platform, Sustainalytics performed a controversy screen on an initial group of 300 companies under consideration for the list.
The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations will be announced on January 28.
OECD Guidelines:
Big Company Rules
OECD's government-developed Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are currently being updated.
What are the OECD MNE Guidelines?
The Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are a set of official recommendations on what constitutes responsible business practice in the realms of economic, social and environmental behaviour. They were first developed in 1976 and revised in 2000 under the aegis of the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Walmart Steps Up Sustainability Efforts
This month Walmart pledged to reformulate thousands of everyday packaged food items by 2015. The company has committed to reducing sodium by 25 per cent and added sugars by 10 per cent and will remove all remaining industrially produced trans fats. The company also plans to work with suppliers to reduce or eliminate the price premium on key better for you items. "No family should have to choose between food that is healthier for them and food they can afford," said Bill Simon, president and CEO of Walmart U.S. While Wal-Mart is making positive progress in some areas, its performance on labour rights remains very problematic as detailed in Sustainalytics' Global Compact Complicance Service.
Philips at the Forefront of Sustainable Lighting
Philips outperforms in comparison with its peers on sustainable lighting solutions, according to analysis released in December 2010 by Simon Webber, a fund manager at Schroder International Selection Fund Global Climate Change Equity. The fund focuses on investment in stocks that are poised to benefit from efforts to adapt to or limit the impact of climate change.
According to a survey by HSBC of 15,000 individuals in 15 countries, climate change is the third biggest concern for consumers, after the economy and violence. Government programs and regulatory changes have driven companies to invest in new technologies that cut down energy consumption and reduce pollution. Webber sees an enormous opportunity for certain types of companies and investors who can identify the beneficiaries of the green drive. Lighting giant Philips would be popular, Webber predicts.
Lighting now consumes 19 per cent of electricity consumption worldwide. So an energy-saving lighting technology, such as light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, is likely to develop into a huge market. Philips believes LED use will approach 80 to 90 per cent of the lighting market in the next decade.
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About Sustainalytics
Sustainalytics is a global leader in sustainability research and analysis for investors and financial institutions, specialized in analyzing environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria for companies, institutions and countries. We provide a global perspective, underpinned by nearly 20 years of local experience and expertise in the responsible investment and traditional socially responsible investment markets. Internationally, the firm operates as Sustainalytics and as Jantzi-Sustainalytics in North America. The firm is headquartered in Amsterdam with local offices in Boston, Frankfurt, Madrid and Toronto. |
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Contact us
In a continuous effort to improve the overall quality of our newsletter, we would appreciate any feedback, ideas and/or suggestions from our readers. Share your views with us by sending an email to communications@sustainalytics.com
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