Mexican Stock Exchange Launches Its Sustainability Index, the Third of Its Kind in the World

Index Allows Mexican Firms to Add Equity Value Though their Sustainability Initiatives; Puts Mexico into Global Sustainability Trends

MEXICO CITY, Dec. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released today by Marca Pais – Imagen de Mexico:

The Mexican Stock Exchange recently organized a press conference for the launch of its Sustainability Index, the third of its type in the world. Together with the Dow Jones Sustainability and FTSE 4Good Indexes, the Mexican Sustainability Index will allow member companies to realize an additional equity value as they implement sustainability practices across their organizations. Also, through the Sustainability Index, member firms will support Mexico's commitment to reduce the amount of greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent in 2020.

In an exclusive video interview with MexicoToday, the Mexican Stock Exchange's president Luiz Tellez Kuenzler shared, "The Sustainability Index puts the Mexican Stock Exchange at the level of the most important exchanges in the world. It is the first time we have had the sustainability process for Mexican companies implemented in the exchange, and puts Mexico in the forefront of the most important changes that are taking place in the financial sector." When asked about what's next following its launch, Tellez Kuenzler added, "We will have an ETF for the Index and those investors who are interested in investing in Mexican sustainability companies will be able to do that."

The Mexican Sustainability Index is currently comprised by 23 companies, including Alfa, America Movil, Arca Continental, Bio Pappel, Cemex, Coca-Cola FEMSA, Compartamos, Controladora Comercial Mexicana, Casas GEO, Desarrolladora Homex, Empresas ICA, OMA, Kimberly-Clark de Mexico, Aeropuertos del Sureste (ASUR), Mexichem, Organizacion Soriana, FEMSA, Industrias Penoles, Grupo Financiero Banorte, Grupo Herdez, Grupo Bimbo, Grupo Modelo, Grupo Mexico, TV Azteca, Vitro, and Wal-Mart Mexico.

In 2012, companies that have potential to being added to the Mexican Sustainability Index, include Alsea, Corporacion Moctezuma, Grupo Financiero Inbursa, Minera Frisco, and Grupo Televisa.

Member firms are evaluated by two fully-independent qualifying institutions, including EIRIS Empowerment Responsible Investment which is headquartered in London and has a deep background on the FTSE Sustainability Index. The second institution is the South Anahuac University, a Mexican educational leader which participated in the building of the Index. And as part of the qualification process, member firms comply with international standards set mainly by the United Nations, the World Bank, ISO14000, among others.

According to a MexicoToday exclusive video interview with Luisa Montes, director of Ecovalores who represents EIRIS, the research is based on three pillars: environmental, social, and corporate governance. For the environmental pillar, the analyzed company is subjected to different metrics that are applied according to the sector it belongs to. Then, the company is analyzed by the impact it generates to water, air, waste, biodiversity and climate change, and each of these impacts are weighted according to the sector the company belongs to. Lastly, the company is analyzed by its environmental policies, management systems, and reporting. For the social pillar, the company is analyzed by how it interacts with its stakeholders, mainly its employees on equal opportunities, health and safety, and security in their job environment. And for the corporate governance pillar, the analyzed company is asked if they have an ethics code and how they are implementing it. Additionally, the methodology includes finding out if the company's environmental, social, and ethical issues are assessed by their Board of Directors.

The Mexican Sustainability Index addresses the demands from progressive consumers and investors for companies to demonstrate an active role in the environment – including its production and commercial processes.

Marca Pais - Imagen de Mexico is an initiative to help promote a positive image of Mexico as a global business partner and an unrivaled tourist destination abroad.

SOURCE Marca Pais - Imagen de Mexico