The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) announced that the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI), one of the most highly regarded global sustainability indices, has included six more Thai listed companies, namely Banpu pcl (BANPU), Central Pattana pcl (CPN), IRPC pcl (IRPC), Minor International pcl (MINT), PTT Exploration and Production pcl (PTTEP), and Thai Union Frozen Products pcl (TUF), on top of the four existing Thai firms: PTT pcl (PTT), PTT Global Chemical pcl (PTTGC), Siam Cement pcl (SCC), and Thai Oil pcl (TOP), following the recent announcement of the annual DJSI review conducted by S&P Dow Jones Indices and RobecoSAM.
Of the ten listed firms, four companies, which are PTT, PTTEP, PTTGC and SCC, have been selected in the 2014 Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DSJI World), while BANPU, CPN, IRPC, MINT, PTT, PTTEP, PTTGC, SCC, TOP, and TUF have been chosen to be in the Dow Jones Sustainability Emerging Markets Index (DJSI Emerging Markets).
SET President Kesara Manchusree said it was great pleasure that the ten Thai listed companies had been selected for the DJSI, more than doubling the amount of Thai firms in 2013 when only four companies were selected in the indices. More importantly, there were four Thai firms in the DJSI World this year with PTTEP as a newcomer, together with the previous three companies in 2013 (PTT, PTTGC, SCC). For the DJSI Emerging Markets, BANPU, CPN, IRPC, MINT, PTTEP, TUF were newly added, along with the four in 2013 (PTT, PTTGC, SCC, TOP).
“Being components in the DJSI has reinforced attractiveness of the Thai stock market among both domestic and foreign investors, and boosted confidence that the companies have operated businesses with the best sustainability practices by considering environment, society, corporate governance and good performance, enabling their businesses to grow continuously and sustainably, ultimately providing good long-term returns for investors,” stated Kesara.
“The increase in the number of companies selected into the DJSI is a result of listed companies’ efforts and SET’s commitment to develop and enhance knowledge of evaluating sustainability. SET has played a major role to build the companies’ readiness to be a component of the DJSI via main activities, such as DJSI Exclusive Trainings, CEO Forums and DJSI Coaching Workshops to improve the companies’ potentiality to be selected into the DJSI. This is part of the SET’s key mission to develop the Thai capital market towards sustainability in the long run,” Kesara added.
The DJSI were the global indices to track the financial performance of leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide, and leading funds use the DJSI as a gauge for making prudent long-run investment decisions. The DJSI invites over 3,000 publicly traded companies to report annually on their sustainability practices. Selection to the DJSI is based on market capitalization and in-depth analysis of a company's economic, social and environmental aspects, with a focus on long-term development of corporate value. The DJSI review this year was effective from September 11, 2014. S&P Dow Jones Indices and RobecoSAM announce results of its annual review every September.