ECPI and Arthur D. Little Global Carbon Equity Index

Developed in partnership with global management consultancy Arthur D. Little, the new Index will be part of ECPI’s thematic index family and will allow investors to gain equity exposure to those mid-large cap companies best equipped to tackle a world of rising carbon emissions and tougher climate legislation.

Utilising both ECPI’s wealth of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) research and index development experience and Arthur D. Little’s corporate sustainability and carbon management expertise, the partners scoured publicly disclosed information on corporate carbon emissions.

The following carbon-intensive sectors were selected on the basis of the public availability of carbon emission data:

• Utilities
• Basic Materials
• Industrial
• Consumer (Cyclical and Non-cyclical)
• Energy
• Technology

All public companies operating in these sectors were then screened according to intra-sector carbon intensity, overall ESG rating and a separate, customised ECPI Carbon Rating.

ECPI Carbon Rating

The ECPI Carbon Rating has been developed by ECPI and Arthur D. Little to assess the quality of companies’ carbon management strategy. The Carbon Rating determines the strength of companies’ strategy for dealing with the future physical, reputational, market and more importantly the regulatory risks of climate legislation. Mitigating these risks will yield greater financial returns, which the Index reflects.

A back tested analysis of the ECPI Global Carbon Equity Index’s performance shows that it outperformed the general market as represented by MSCI World Index by 68.78% between 2006 to EOY 2009.

Paolo Sardi, CEO of ECPI Luxembourg, said: “The ECPI Global Carbon Equity Index has proven to outperform the market in both bull and bear markets, even through one of the worst recessions in history. Regular outperformance will not only provide investors with financial security but help dispel the myth that sustainable investment issues are only a concern for investors in strong, non-turbulent market conditions.

“As one of the world’s leading providers of ESG investment solutions, we have provided investors a tool to steer clear of risks and exploit opportunities in this challenging investment landscape.”

Davide Vassallo, Director of Arthur D. Little’s Global Sustainability team, added: “The companies included in ECPI’s new carbon index have clearly demonstrated that they understand the importance of factoring the cost of carbon and climate change into their core business.

“The index highlights the variety of approaches companies can take to managing their carbon emissions. The forty brands listed represent the full spectrum of solutions, from practical to innovative, that span operational processes, supply chain and business strategy. These businesses are going far beyond compliance to address their clients’ future needs.”