Sustainability Indices: Benchmarks of Listed Companies’ Future Viability

When companies manage their business sustainably, not only the environment, the society and its employees benefit. Their performance in the capital markets is a winner too, and this observation is not just wishful thinking on the part of eco-activists or social interest groups. It is based on an evaluation of over 200 studies published in September 2014 by London, UK, asset manager Arabesque and the University of Oxford. Eighty percent of the studies evaluated demonstrated that systematic sustainability management exercises a positive influence on share prices. So potential investors would be well advised to take environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria into consideration when making investment decisions. The British metastudy has good news for companies too. Ninety per cent of the studies prove that sustainably managed companies can raise capital at significantly lower cost.

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Schmid started his career in 1992 as a consultant at Kiefer & Veittinger, a customer relationship management (CRM) company which was acquired by SAP in 1997. Later, he became Consulting Director at SAP Labs Mannheim and then took over responsibility for SAP CRM Consulting.  As Vice President, he managed the integration of SAP CRM Consulting into SAP Germany and continued to lead the CRM Consulting division. From 2004, Schmid held various senior management positions within SAP Consulting across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.  From 2009 on, Schmid headed up the Sustainability Operations team, driving SAP's own sustainability performance aiming to transform SAP into a role model for sustainability. In June 2014, Schmid assumed the role as Chief Sustainability Officer at SAP. Schmid holds a degree in industrial engineering from the University of Kaiserslautern, Germany.