August 23, 2019

FTSE4Good TIP Taiwan ESG Index selected for first ESG ETF listed on TWSE

  • FTSE4Good TIP Taiwan ESG Index licensed by Yuanta SITC
  • Taiwan’s first domestic benchmark developed using FTSE ESG Ratings and data model
  • Index captures 73 constituents from the underlying FTSE Taiwan Index universe

FTSE Russell, the global index, analytics and data provider, announces that Yuanta Securities Investment Trust Co. (Yuanta SITC) has licensed the FTSE4Good TIP Taiwan ESG Index for its latest Exchange Traded Fund (ETF), Yuanta FTSE4Good TIP Taiwan ESG ETF. The ETF, is the first ESG-focused ETF to be on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE).

The FTSE4Good TIP Taiwan ESG Index includes companies listed on the TWSE that meet globally recognised ESG inclusion standards used by the FTSE4Good Index Series. Launched in 2018 in partnership with Taiwan Index Plus Corp, the index is the first domestic Taiwan benchmark developed using FTSE ESG Ratings and data model. In 2019, Taiwan Bureau of Labor Funds (BLF) also selected the index for a five-year passive mandate with an initial total size of USD $1.4 billion, recognising the growing demand from Taiwanese investors to incorporate sustainable investment into their portfolios.

The index is constructed using the FTSE4Good Emerging Index with selection criteria covering ESG Ratings as well as financial performance criteria. The ESG Ratings are comprised of an overall Rating that breaks down into underlying ESG exposure measures and performance score based on over 300 individual indicator assessments. The index is designed for use in the creation of index tracking funds, derivatives and as performance benchmarks. The value of assets tracking ETFs benchmarked to FTSE Russell indexes globally increased 9% in the first half of 2019 to US $705 billion.

Evan Ong, Managing Director ETP Relationships, Asia, FTSE Russell, said:
“We are delighted that Yuanta SITC has selected the FTSE4Good TIP Taiwan ESG Index for its newly-listed exchange traded fund. Sustainability is an increasingly important component of investment decisions for domestic and international investors. We are pleased to deepen our relationship with Yuanta SITC, while supporting the growing market demand for sustainable investment and ESG products.”

Julian Liu, Chairman, Yuanta SITC said:
“According to the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (GSIA), by the end of 2018, the global sustainable investment amounted to more than 50 trillion US dollars, within which the growth rate of E (Environment), S (Social), G (Governance) integration into investment portfolios is the fastest. Yuanta SITC hopes to provide a unique product, both to support and highlight the companies that meet the globally recognized ESG standards in the domestic market, and to provide investors with further options in sustainable investment.”

Further information can be found online at the FTSE4Good Index Series page or via the index factsheet.

– Ends –

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