ZURICH and NEW YORK, May 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- RobecoSAM, the investment specialist focused exclusively on Sustainability Investing, and S&P Dow Jones Indices, one of the world's largest providers of financial market indices, today announced the launch of the Dow Jones Sustainability Diversified Indices Family (DJSI Diversified Family). The new offering provides investors with a family of indices designed to have risk/return characteristics similar to standard global equity benchmarks, but with significantly greater representation to more sustainable companies.

A practical mainstream option
The DJSI Diversified Family is designed for investors who measure their performance against a standard benchmark, but also value the integration of sustainability criteria. Sustainable companies from the S&P Global LargeMidCap Index or regional subindices are selected while seeking to ensure that the resulting index has a low tracking error by avoiding any regional, size or industry bias.

Guido Giese, PhD, Head of Indices, RobecoSAM: "We launched the Diversified Family in response to increasing demand we have seen in the market for a sustainability index that gives investors the opportunity to gain exposure to sustainability without taking on too much risk relative to their standard benchmark. It is an optimal solution for passive investors looking to integrate sustainability into their portfolios while remaining close to the benchmark in terms of asset allocation."

Alka Banerjee, Managing Director of Global Equity Indices at S&P Dow Jones Indices: "The DJSI Diversified Indices measure the performance of the world's sustainability leaders while ensuring geographic diversification and reducing tracking error to traditional global benchmarks.  We are excited to again work with RobecoSAM in launching new sustainability indices."

Sustainability against the standard
The DJSI Diversified Family follows the same construction approach used in standard benchmark index families. It covers 26 developed market and 20 emerging market countries and replicates the regional and sector allocation of the S&P Global LargeMidCap Index while taking sustainability performance into account. Companies' sustainability profiles are evaluated using RobecoSAM's proprietary Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) methodology.

New indices complement established DJSI family
The DJSI Diversified Family leverages the same research capabilities used to construct the existing DJSI. In addition, the DJSI Diversified Family uses specific rules to ensure country, sector and size diversification. Due to the fact that sustainability score distributions differ depending on company size, the DJSI Diversified Family makes use of a size-adjusted relative score (rather than an absolute Total Sustainability Score as is used for the DJSI).

More information on the DJSI Diversified Family can be found on:
- the Sustainability Indices Website: http://www.sustainability-indices.com/index.jsp  
- the S&P Dow Jones Indices Website: http://www.djindexes.com/sustainability/

Overview of DJSI Diversified index family (effective as per 30 May 2013):

• Dow Jones Sustainability World Diversified Index
• Dow Jones Sustainability World Developed Diversified Index
• Dow Jones Sustainability Emerging Markets Diversified Index
• Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Diversified Index
• Dow Jones Sustainability North America Diversified Index
• Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Diversified
• Dow Jones Sustainability Emerging Markets Plus Diversified Index
• Dow Jones Sustainability World Developed ex Korea Diversified Index

About RobecoSAM
RobecoSAM is an investment specialist focused exclusively on Sustainability Investing. Its offerings comprise asset management, indices, private equity, engagement, impact analysis and sustainability assessments as well as benchmarking services. Asset management capabilities include a range of ESG-integrated investment and theme strategies (in listed and private equity) catering to institutional asset owners and financial intermediaries across the globe. 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 more than 2,000 listed companies, RobecoSAM has compiled one of the world's most comprehensive sustainability databases. RobecoSAM's proprietary research and sustainability insight, gained through its direct contact with companies, are fully integrated into its investment solutions.

RobecoSAM is a member of the global pure-play asset manager Robeco, which was established in 1929 and offers a broad range of investment products and services. Robeco also has a long tradition of practicing and advocating Sustainability Investing principles. RobecoSAM was founded in 1995 out of the conviction that a commitment to corporate sustainability enhances a company's capacity to prosper, ultimately creating competitive advantages and stakeholder value. 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. Headquartered in Zurich, RobecoSAM employs over 100 professionals. As of December 31, 2012, RobecoSAM's assets under management, advice and license amounted to a total of USD 11.4 billion. www.robecosam.com

About S&P Dow Jones Indices
S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, a part of McGraw Hill Financial, is the world's largest, global resource for index-based concepts, data and research. Home to iconic financial market indicators, such as the S&P 500® and the Dow Jones Industrial Average®, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC has over 115 years of experience constructing innovative and transparent solutions that fulfill the needs of investors. More assets are invested in products based upon our indices than any other provider in the world. With over 830,000 indices covering a wide range of asset classes across the globe, S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC defines the way investors measure and trade the markets. To learn more about our company, please visit www.spdji.com.  

Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC, a part of McGraw Hill Financial. Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC ("Dow Jones").  These trademarks have been licensed to S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC. It is not possible to invest directly in an index. S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC, Dow Jones, S&P and their respective affiliates (collectively "S&P Dow Jones Indices") do not sponsor, endorse, sell, or promote any investment fund or other investment vehicle that is offered by third parties and that seeks to provide an investment return based on the performance of any index. This document does not constitute an offer of services in jurisdictions where S&P Dow Jones Indices does not have the necessary licenses. S&P Dow Jones Indices receives compensation in connection with licensing its indices to third parties.

The Dow Jones Sustainability Indices are a joint product of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and/or its affiliates and RobecoSAM AG ("RobecoSAM"). S&P® is a registered trademark of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC ("S&P"), Dow Jones® is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC ("Dow Jones") and RobecoSAM® is a registered trademark of Robeco Groep N.V.. The trademarks have been licensed to S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and its affiliates. Inclusion of a company within a Dow Jones Sustainability Index is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold such company, nor is it investment advice.  S&P Dow Jones, Dow Jones, S&P, RobecoSAM and their respective affiliates (collectively "SPDJI parties") do not sponsor, endorse, sell, or promote any investment fund or other investment vehicle that is offered by third parties and that seeks to provide an investment return based on the performance of any index. This document does not constitute an offer of services in jurisdictions where the SPDJI Parties do not have the necessary licenses. The SPDJI Parties may receive compensation in connection with licensing its indices to third parties.

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.

SOURCE S&P Dow Jones Indices