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- The third phase of company reviews has started with the aim of modifying the RESPECT Index portfolio.
- In the fourth edition of the project, the WSE has increased the weight of corporate governance criteria in the company survey.
- The new portfolio of the socially responsible companies index calculated by the WSE will be published on 31 January 2012.
The goal of the RESPECT Index project, initiated by the Warsaw Stock Exchange in 2009, is to identify a group of companies which are managed according to the top corporate social responsibility standards and are very attractive to investors. The last phase of the fourth edition of the survey has now began, attracting growing interest of companies.
In November 2011, the WSE in co-operation with the Association of Listed Companies selected a group of companies which comply with the top standards of best practices and corporate governance, and invited them to complete the RESPECT Index questionnaire. Questionnaires are accepted from the companies until the end of November, their responses will be verified in December, and the new index portfolio will be published on 31 January 2012.
The questionnaire contains 35 questions which review the degree and scope of CSR compliance including corporate governance, HR policy, environmental impact, market and customer relations The issues covered by the questionnaire and the weights of the questions have been modified in the current edition of the RESPECT project. The importance of stakeholder communications, corporate governance and environmental impact has been increased. Among others, gender diversity has been introduced to the RESPECT survey in line with the recent modifications of the Best Practices of WSE Listed Companies where the WSE emphasised the presence of women on the authorities of companies.
WSE CEO Ludwik Sobolewski commented on the recent modifications of the RESPECT Index methodology: “The Warsaw Stock Exchange is increasing the weight of corporate governance criteria in the RESPECT Index survey with consistency and determination. Previously, corporate governance was associated with the protection of rights, prevention of irregularities, and maintenance of proper governance in the company. However, in our view, corporate governance instruments also help to improve the competitiveness of companies and strengthen their reputation and recognition and, consequently, they impact financial results. Hence, the decisions to verify corporate governance of companies to a greater extent and more strictly in the RESPECT Index project.”
