RobecoSAM Publishes the Annual Sustainability Yearbook 2015: Six Companies Based in the UK Recognized as Industry Leaders

• A compass for investors looking to scout out companies across all industries that have a competitive edge based on corporate sustainability criteria
• AMEC PLC, British American Tobacco PLC, CNH Industrial NV, Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, Royal Mail PLC and United Utilities Group PLC set global sustainability standard and receive RobecoSAM Industry Leader status
• RobecoSAM celebrates its 20^th anniversary and proudly announces: “We are Sustainability Investing.”

January 19, 2015 /3BL Media/ - RobecoSAM, the investment specialist focused exclusively on Sustainability Investing, today announced the publication of The Sustainability Yearbook 2015. The Yearbook looks back at companies’ sustainability performance in 2014, includes the best 15% per industry and ranks them Gold, Silver or Bronze. The top performing company from each of the 59 industries analyzed is awarded RobecoSAM Industry Leader status.

In total RobecoSAM has awarded 69 RobecoSAM Gold Class medals, 54 RobecoSAM Silver Class medals and 112 RobecoSAM Bronze Class medals to the evaluated companies. Split by region, Europe holds the greatest number of companies included in the Yearbook as well as the most RobecoSAM Gold Class medal winners.

Impressive coverage in terms of market capitalization per region

Since 1999, RobecoSAM has been assessing the sustainability performance of the largest listed companies on a yearly basis. 830 companies from 42 different countries participated in the latest RobecoSAM Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) and reported on their performance in financially material ESG criteria. Over the years the participation rate has on average steadily grown by 7% annually. With a total of 1,995 assessed companies, this year’s CSA provides a record 87% coverage rate of the total global Yearbook universe market capitalization. In Europe the coverage rate was 92%, in North America 90%, in Asia Pacific 88%, and in the Emerging Markets 61%.

Michael Baldinger, CEO RobecoSAM, said: “I congratulate all the Yearbook members, especially the Industry Leaders and Gold medalists. These companies excel in financially material ESG factors. The Sustainability Yearbook is a compass for investors looking for companies across all industries with a competitive edge – based on corporate sustainability criteria. This year’s edition of the Yearbook is the culmination of two decades’ worth of rigorous investment research, focus and dedication. RobecoSAM has shaped the Sustainability Investing landscape over the past 20 years. That’s why we now state: We are Sustainability Investing.”

Daniel Wild, PhD, Head of Sustainability Investing Research & Development, Member of the RobecoSAM Executive Committee: ”RobecoSAM’s annual CSA focuses on examining financially material factors that impact a company’s core business value drivers. Factors such as a company’s tax strategy, ability to innovate, attract and retain talent or increase resource efficiency matter from an investor’s point of view because they impact a company’s competitive position and long-term financial performance. New aspects arise each day; this is why we constantly develop the CSA further.”

Six companies based in the United Kingdom recognized for excellence in sustainability

Out of the 50 companies in the Yearbook based in the United Kingdom, seven received RobecoSAM Gold Class medals for their sustainability performance. Six companies from the United Kingdom received recognition as RobecoSAM Industry Leaders:

10 interesting facts about the 2014 Corporate Sustainability Assessment

• Companies improved how they address sustainability issues by 0.4% over last year’s results
• Industry that made the biggest step forward: Commercial Services & Supplies (+9.73%)
• Industry with the highest participation rate: Household Products (53%)
• Region with the best Corporate Governance Performance: North America
• Region with the highest participation rate of companies actively participating in the CSA: Europe
• Most improved general criteria in the economic dimension: Supply Chain Management
• Most improved general criteria in the environmental dimension: Climate Strategy
• Most improved general criteria in the social dimension: Talent Attraction & Retention
• Number of data points collected in 2014: 1.4 million (+11%)
• Number of documents processed in 2014: 93,000 (+ 4%)

Thought Leadership articles in The Yearbook

Every year RobecoSAM picks out the most prominent sustainability topics and shares its expertise through white papers in the prelude to the Sustainability Yearbook. This year’s trending topics are:

• Reporting Redefined – Translating the Sustainability Story into Strategic Communication
• From Theory to Practice: Integrating Sustainability Into Financial Valuation  
• Corporate Tax Strategy – A Sustainability Risk for Investors

20 years RobecoSAM – We are Sustainability Investing.

2015 marks a special milestone in the history of RobecoSAM: The firm celebrates its 20^th anniversary. Over the past 20 years RobecoSAM has focused exclusively on, shaped, and pioneered the field of Sustainability Investing. RobecoSAM continuously explores financially material ESG factors and their integration and provides resource efficiency investment strategies in listed and non-listed equities. RobecoSAM’s history, conviction and DNA support the new claim: “We are Sustainability Investing.”

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For more information visit the RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook microsite: yearbook.robecosam.com

You will find:

• Video explaining The Sustainability Yearbook
• Industry Leaders 2015
• Industry Movers
• Industry Profiles: 59 Industries at a Glance
• Yearbook Construction Methodology Overview

For any additional inquiries, please contact:

RobecoSAM AG                                                

François Vetri                                                  

Head of Corporate Communications               

Josefstrasse 218                                               

8005 Zurich / Switzerland                              

T: +41 44 653 10 02                                        

E: com@robecosam.com                                

www.robecosam.com                                   

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About RobecoSAM

Founded in 1995, RobecoSAM is an investment specialist focused exclusively on Sustainability Investing. It offers asset management, indices, engagement, voting, impact analysis, sustainability assessments, and benchmarking services. Asset management capabilities cater to institutional asset owners and financial intermediaries and cover a range of ESG-integrated investments (in public and private equity), featuring a strong track record in resource efficiency theme strategies. Together with S&P Dow Jones Indices, RobecoSAM publishes the globally recognized Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI). Based on its Corporate Sustainability Assessment, an annual ESG analysis of 2,800 listed companies, RobecoSAM has compiled one of the world’s most comprehensive databases of financially material sustainability information.

RobecoSAM is a member of the global pure-play asset manager Robeco, which was established in 1929 and is the center of expertise for asset management within the ORIX Corporation. As a reflection of its own commitment to advocating sustainable investment practices, RobecoSAM is a signatory of the UNPRI and a member of Eurosif, ASrIA and Ceres. Approximately 130 professionals work for RobecoSAM, which is headquartered in Zurich. As of June 30, 2014, RobecoSAM had assets under management, advice and/or license in listed and private equity* of approximately USD 10.7 billion. Additionally, RobecoSAM’s Governance & Active Ownership team** had USD 85.1 billion of assets under engagement and USD 53 billion of assets under voting.

Important legal information: The details given on these pages do not constitute an offer. They are given for information purposes only. No liability is assumed for the correctness and accuracy of the details given. The securities identified and described may or may not be purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. It should not be assumed that an investment in these securities was or will be profitable. *RobecoSAM Private Equity is the marketing name of the combined private equity divisions of Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. (‘Robeco’) and its fully owned subsidiary, RobecoSAM AG (‘RobecoSAM’). Any funds or services offered by RobecoSAM Private Equity are managed and offered by Robeco, who may have delegated certain investment advisory functions to RobecoSAM. ** RobecoSAM’s Governance & Active Ownership team is a brand name of Robeco. Copyright © 2015 RobecoSAM – all rights reserved.