45 companies from Japan have joined the index at this review. This is the highest number of companies from a single country to enter the index at this review.
Worldwide, 899 companies now belong to the prestigious SRI index series.
Mark Makepeace, Chief Executive, FTSE Group said, -The FTSE4Good series is established as a barometer for CSR practice by companies all over the world. The methodology, which uniquely includes ongoing criteria evolution, ensures that the series always reflects current CSR standards. Because of this, it acts as a benchmark of CSR good practice for listed companies, as well as an investment tool for the growing number of organisations which offer socially responsible investment products.”
At the review meeting, the Policy Committee reviewed a progress report on the development of criteria for supply chain labour standards. More information on FTSE’s approach and an implementation timetable will be announced in due course.
Since the last review of the FTSE4Good series in March 2004, the Committee lifted its exclusion on companies which market infant formula and replaced it with measurable criteria. This means that more companies have become newly eligible for inclusion in the index series. The Committee decided that no one company yet fulfils all the criteria developed for this sector, but was encouraged by the positive response to date from a number of affected companies.