Johannesburg - Five South African companies have been
included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, Nedbank said on Tuesday.
Nedbank Group [JSE:NED], Investec [JSE:INL], Gold Fields
[JSE:GFI], Woolworths Holdings [JSE:WHL] and Sasol [JSE:SOL] were included on
the index for 2012.
"The sustainability assessment of each organisation
invited to participate on the index is extremely rigorous and intensive,"
said Brigitte Burnett, Nedbank's head of sustainability.
Companies included on the index had fulfilled required
sustainability criteria to a greater extent than most of their competitors.
They continued to prioritise maintaining and improving their
sustainability actions, she said.
"Nedbank places a priority on being a
sustainability-driven organisation," she said.
"Our continued inclusion, and improved performance, on
the index serves as confirmation of the effectiveness of this strategy."
The Dow Jones Sustainability Index tracks and compares the
performance of included companies against economic, environmental and social
sustainability criteria.
Investors are offered a clear view of organisations which
place these sustainability considerations at the heart of overall business
strategies.
Last week, Woolworths said it was honoured by the
recognition.
"We can now show that sustainability makes business
sense by saving, for example, energy, water and fuel," said spokesperson Justin
Smith.
"We have saved over R135m through sustainable
initiatives between 2008 and 2012.
"We've also learnt that together with
customers, suppliers and business partners, we can deliver greater
sustainability, to benefit both the environment and the people we support
through our business."
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