Kesko is included in the Dow Jones sustainability index for the fifth time
In five successive years, Kesko has been included in the Dow Jones sustainability indexes DJSI World and DJSI STOXX. In the 2007 review, Kesko’s environmental work was rated the best in the sector. Kesko’s customer relationship management and investment in occupational health and safety were rated high.
The Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI World), established in 1999, is the first international index to measure sustainable development. In 2001, the Dow Jones index family enlarged when the DJSI STOXX Index was established to measure the performance of European listed companies.
“Kesko’s repeated inclusion in the global and European indexes can be considered as a significant recognition of our long-term and systematic work for corporate responsibility,” says Ulla Rehell, Assistant Vice President, Corporate Responsibility.
This year 318 companies from 23 countries were accepted for the global Dow Jones index, and 156 companies from 12 countries for the European index. The companies have been classified in "Supersectors", 18 in all, and in smaller subsectors (such as food and drug retailers), of which there are 50 in the European index and 57 in the world index.
The assessment was carried out by an independent party, SAM Group of Switzerland. As in previous years, the review covered all areas of corporate responsibility: environmental affairs and the economic and social responsibility of the company. This year's review of the sectors highlighted the retail sector’s role in the promotion of consumers’ healthy eating habits and lifestyles, as well as companies’ own investments in occupational health and safety. Privacy protection and the confidentiality of customer information were also emphasized.
A total of 2,511 companies were invited to the review. Seven companies representing the retailing sector were included in the European index and 18 in the world index. In addition to Kesko, four Finnish companies were included in the world index and six in the European index.
Further information:
Jukka Pokki, Investor Relations Manager, tel. +358 1053 22645
Ulla Rehell, Assistant Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, tel. +358 1053 22464
www.sustainability-indexes.com
Kesko (www.kesko.fi) is a Finnish retail specialist whose stores offer quality to the daily lives of consumers through valued products and services at competitive prices. Kesko has about 2,000 stores engaged in chain operations in the Nordic and Baltic countries, and Russia.
