Chinese index ranking companies by social value commitment aims to help ethical investors
China Alliance of Social Value Investment says its Social Value 99 index outperformed traditional benchmark stock indices in a simulation
A Chinese non-profit organisation with founders including state-backed poverty alleviation group YouChange, the United Nations Social Impact Fund and Tsinghua University, is offering what it says is the first index to measure the social value competency of Chinese companies, in a boost for ethical investing.
China Alliance of Social Value Investment’s (Casvi) Social Value 99 index evaluates the social value of a company based on whether it has clearly defined, targeted social issues in its core business model, and whether it has effectively addressed them through innovative solutions, said Wang Yijing, Casvi’s director of strategic partnerships.
“Our criteria tells a company that you cannot make up the bad things you did with some good activities. The standard looks at all aspects of the business in a very comprehensive manner,” Wang said.
Social and ethical investing has taken off in many developed markets, for example in the US, where companies can register with the B-Corporation to obtain certification for providing value to employees, the local community and the environment.
But a lack of information about Chinese companies has made it difficult for many ethical investors to enter the country’s financial markets.