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FTSE Group is also strengthening its relationship with global children's charity UNICEF through local initiatives with the Japan Committee for UNICEF. FTSE has worked with UNICEF from 1997, contributing licensing revenue from the FTSE4Good series to be used for a range of UNICEF projects. The new FTSE4Good Japan index will also generate income that FTSE will contribute to the Japan Committee for UNICEF’s projects.
The Japanese CSR specialists, Good Bankers, screens companies from within the Japan large and mid cap segments of the FTSE Global Equity Index Series, against the FTSE4Good criteria. Companies meeting the criteria will then be added to the FTSE4Good Japan Index. Currently, 166 Japanese businesses meet the criteria and are included in the index.
To ensure as many companies as possible can meet the criteria and be included in the index, FTSE Group operates an engagement programme, through which it works directly with companies to support and assist them to meet the criteria requirements.
The FTSE4Good Japan index has been created in response to strong market demand for a domestic SRI index, and FTSE expects investment products, based on the index, to be available soon.
Mark Makepeace, Chief Executive, FTSE Group said, “FTSE Group is committed to supporting institutions to meet standards of corporate social responsibility worldwide. There has been great effort from Japanese business to meet the FTSE4Good criteria, which has led to the creation of a new domestic Japan index within the series.”
Ken Hayami, Secretary General for the Japan Committee for UNICEF said, “With the introduction of FTSE4Good Japan, FTSE is advancing the debate on socially responsible investment within the Japanese business community and encouraging good corporate practice. We all know that the community already plays a positive role in dealing with global environment and human rights related problems. To make the world fit for children, who are the future of our world, we still need to address scores of other issues like basic education, nutrition, health and the protection of children from exploitation and violence. UNICEF encourages Japanese business to play its part, alongside government and NGOs in building a world fit for all children to live in.”
More information about FTSE4Good Japan, including companies included in the index, and details of FTSE’s engagement programme at www.ftse.com/ftse4good.
