Diversity & Inclusion – Trends and Investment Strategies

Diverse and inclusive workplaces are not only ethical but also good business. Investors are increasingly looking for companies which have good Diversity and Inclusion ratings to ensure they are investing in companies with diverse ideas. Our Diversity and Inclusion ratings give investors transparent and standardized metrics to analyze companies.

Increasing numbers of companies are reporting on their diverse and inclusive work practices.

Diversity and Inclusion metrics create our diversity and inclusion index. The Index offers an innovative benchmark for fund managers and investors wishing to commit capital to companies that actively invest in and promote environmental, social and governance values and principles in the running of their businesses.

Hear more about the D&I Index from Debra Walton, Chief Product and Content Officer.

Our D&I ratings take into account some of the more widely reported on metrics (including board gender diversity, day care services and management training provided) as well as less easily quantified measures like how inclusive companies are.

Each year we publish a list of the 100 most diverse and inclusive companies which represent our D&I Index. The index looks very different from this time last year with 52 new constituents, 12 of which are back in the index from our 2016 announcement.

The constituents compiled in this year’s index span geographies and industries with leaders in technology and pharmaceuticals to FMCG and business consulting. They are all committed to diversity and inclusion and understand the role it plays in running dynamic, progressive and high performing organizations.

We have received strong support from companies featuring in the D&I Index:

Our D&I Index is suited to investors who are looking to incorporate diversity & inclusion factors into their investment decisions. We have clients who have used our index as the basis for structured products. Analysts are increasingly using diversity and inclusion metrics in their investment decisions.

• “Recent studies have revealed that diversity & inclusion is correlated to value-creation & profitability.  As such, financial services have an obligation to inform investors of these opportunities.”

Will Jan, Vice President & Lead Analyst at Outsell

• “The topic of diversity has continued to dominate industry mindshare in 2018. Not only have firms been increasing their corporate disclosure with the intent of improving corporate governance and transparency, regulators have also been compelling change and 2019 will see the introduction of the second Shareholder Rights Directive in Europe to this end. Investors are keen to see much more data related to topics such as diversity to factor these into their ESG strategies, which have been gathering pace over the last 12 months.”

Virginie O’Shea, research director at Aite Group

• With growth in ESG investing coming from more and more quarters, it is crucial to have transparent benchmarks for all types of  portfolio managers (PMs) and investors, from long only to quantitative funds,  to ensure that they have a clear framework for the effective allocation of resources into companies with the most astute approaches to diversity.”

Brad Bailey, research director, capital markets at Celent

The increasing interest in Diversity and Inclusions shows the industry is evolving with many content sets being considered as part of an investment strategy.

To find out more about the index, visit financial-risk-solutions.thomsonreuters.info/diversity