NYSE Euronext Joins the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative
New York, July 24, 2013 /3BL Media/ – NYSE Euronext, parent company of the New York Stock Exchange, today announced that it will join the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative to promote sustainable capital markets. As a global exchange group home to the world’s leading companies, NYSE Euronext’s commitment signals the significance of sustainability to the private sector globally.
In remarks delivered today at the New York Stock Exchange, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commended the company for its commitment to improve corporate behaviour and promote sustainable investment. The Secretary-General also rang the NYSE closing bell to commemorate the occasion.
“I thank NYSE Euronext for committing to the Sustainable Stock Exchanges initiative and I urge stock exchanges around the world to follow your lead,” said the UN Secretary-General.
He continued: “I join you here today because I believe in working for more prosperous and inclusive societies, thriving markets and economies and a greener planet. We cannot achieve these goals without the participation of all. We all need to be shareholders in a sustainable future.”
Established in 2009 by the UN Secretary-General, the SSE initiative explores how stock exchanges can work together with investors, regulators and companies to enhance corporate transparency – and ultimately performance – on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues, and encourage responsible long-term approaches to investment.
“As the only carbon neutral global exchange group, we are proud to join the SSE initiative and partner with the UN and our industry to support best practices in corporate governance and transparency related to corporate sustainability,” said Duncan L. Niederauer, CEO of NYSE Euronext. “We lead by example by running our business in an environmentally responsible manner, and by leveraging the unique power of our platform and our NYSE Euronext community, we empower learning and collaboration within the broader corporate sector.”
As corporate sustainability continues to gain momentum globally, the SSE provides a unique platform for stock exchanges to develop customized strategies to contribute to the sustainable development goals of UN Member States. To date, eight stock exchanges with more than 13,000 listed companies have signed the SSE Voluntary Commitment to promote sustainability issues.
NYSE Euronext has demonstrated a clear commitment to corporate sustainability. In 2012, NYSE Euronext achieved carbon-neutral status for the third year in a row, making it the only global exchange operator to do so. In the same year, the company was also named to CDP’s S&P 500 Carbon Performance Leadership Index and received a Green Power Leadership Award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For a number of years, the company has been included in several key sustainability indices, including CDP's S&P 500 Disclosure Leadership Index, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and FTSE4Good, and is a member of the EPA’s Green Power Partnership.
The SSE initiative is co-organized by the UN Global Compact, the UN Conference on Trade and Development, the UN-supported Principles for Responsible Investment and the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative – demonstrating the “one UN” model of collaboration to deliver on UN goals to advance sustainable development.
For more information on the Sustainable Stock Exchanges initiative, please visit www.SSEinitiative.org.
About the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Division on Investment and Enterprise
The Division is recognized as a global centre of excellence on issues related to investment and enterprise for sustainable development. Built on several decades of successful experience, its staff provide international expertise in research and policy analysis, inter-governmental consensus-building, and technical assistance to over 150 countries. Its flagship product is the annual UNCTAD World Investment Report and its main global stakeholder event is the biannual UNCTAD World Investment Forum. It is also host to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting. www.unctad.org/DIAE
About the Principles for Responsible Investment
The United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment Initiative (PRI) is a network of international investors working together to put the six Principles for Responsible Investment into practice. The Principles were devised by the investment community. They reflect the view that environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) issues can affect the performance of investment portfolios and therefore must be given appropriate consideration by investors if they are to fulfil their fiduciary (or equivalent) duty. The Principles provide a voluntary framework by which all investors can incorporate ESG issues into their decision-making and ownership practices and so better align their objectives with those of society at large. www.unpri.org
About the UN Global Compact
Launched in 2000, the United Nations Global Compact is both a policy platform and a practical framework for companies that are committed to sustainability and responsible business practices. As a multi-stakeholder leadership initiative, it seeks to align business operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption, and to catalyze actions in support of broader UN goals. With 7,500 corporate signatories in 140 countries, it is the world’s largest voluntary corporate sustainability initiative. www.unglobalcompact.org
About the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI)
Founded in 1992 in the context of the Earth Summit in Rio, the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is a platform that associates the United Nations and the financial sector globally. With over 200 members representing Banks, Insurers, and Investors from around the world, UNEP FI contributes the perspectives of financial institutions to the various UN and global activities on sustainable finance. UNEP FI’s mission is to bring about systemic change in finance to support a sustainable world, which is highlighted in its motto, ‘Changing finance, financing change’. www.unepfi.org
For more information, please contact: info@SSEinitiative.org
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD): Anthony Miller, Economic Affairs Officer, Division on Investment and Enterprise, +41 22 917 5802, Anthony.miller@unctad.org
Principles for Responsible Investment: Danielle Chesebrough, Manager of Investor Engagement, danielle.chesebrough@unpri.org
UN Global Compact: Kristen Coco, Public Affairs and Media Relations, +1 917-367-8566, cocok@un.org
Nick Nuttall, Director, UNEP Division of Communications & Public Information and UNEP Spokesperson Tel: +254 762 3292 / Mobile: +41 79 596 5737, nick.nuttall@unep.org
UNEP Finance Initiative (UNEP FI): John Dombkins, Communications and Public Information, +41 22 917 8134, john.dombkins@unep.org
