ECP International, a leading independent provider of sustainability ratings and indexing solutions, and China Securities Index (CSI), a leader in the local Chinese index market, today launched the CSI ECPI China ESG 40 Equity Index.
The first of its kind to be announced, the index identifies the 40 highest ESG-rated companies amongst the Chinese SSE180 Corporate Governance Index. This landmark index will highlight the Chinese companies with the best Environment, Social and Governance factors allowing market participants to track the performance of China's sustainable companies.
By measuring Chinese companies with the ESG Rating Methodology, which is a certified (ISO 9001) approach, ECPI can assess the quality of the company's environmental and social policies as well as their corporate governance structure through a series of indicators of nonfinancial performance.
Paolo Sardi, CEO ECP International, said, "China is a rapidly growing and fascinating market; however, companies not respecting international standards and lacking transparency can expose investors to innumerable risks. The CSI ECPI China ESG 40 Equity Index is not only a valuable tool for investors looking for potential opportunities to invest in China, but will also encourage Chinese companies to raise their ESG benchmark. This new indices underscores ECPI's continued commitment to innovation, technology and the ability to offer our clients solutions which meet their ongoing needs."
Matt Christensen, Executive Director, European Sustainable Investment Forum, said, "In today's environment, sustainability disclosures are becoming an essential factor in investment decisions. There has been a continued growing demand for sustainable investment, and this groundbreaking index will provide information in a more comprehensive and meaningful way whilst also increasing transparency."