Sasol on global sustainability index

26 September 2008

Sasol has been listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, which places the South African petrochemical company among the leading 10% of the 2 500 largest global companies in terms of corporate sustainability and long-term business success.

Sasol chief executive Pat Davies said it was a great achievement for the company, which had previously only managed to get up to the top 15% in the oil and gas sector last year.

"Our renewed focus on people, exceptional performance, long-term sustainable growth and safety has been rewarded," he said in a statement this week.

"We are motivated by the positive impact that this inclusive approach to business can have on all our stakeholders."

Public acknowledgement

Inclusion on the index is a goal of leading corporations internationally, as it results in public acknowledgement of being an industry leader in economic, environmental and social areas. In addition, the index is closely watched by market participants around the world.

"We have seen a clear shift in the debate around sustainability issues and their important role for long-term corporate performance," said Dow Jones Indexes executive director and editor John Prestbo.

"Several large institutional asset owners have moved into sustainability mandates, influential investment consultants have built up teams to support their clients in this field, and a growing number of market participants are integrating long-term economic, environmental and social factors into their analysis."

Comprehensive assessment

Companies are assessed with regard to general as well as industry-specific sustainability criteria based on sustainability trends. The criteria cover economic, environmental and social issues with a clear focus on long-term shareholder value creation.

Examples include criteria on corporate governance, knowledge management, environmental performance and human rights policies. In total, the comprehensive assessment comprises around 50 different criteria in each industry.

SAinfo reporter