Sustainability is going full steam ahead, with new indexes dedicated to the sector. In November, NASDAQ launched its most recent index, the Nordic Sustainability Index, comprised of 50 Nordic companies. The portfolio’s evaluation will be performed by GES Investment Services, a provider of services related to sustainable investments, and will take environmental, social and governance aspects into account.

“We have noted a growing demand in the region”, said Magdalena Hartman, vice-president of NASDAQ Global Index OMX Group, which also calculates a similar index comprised of Swedish companies. Magnus Furugard, president of GES Investment Services, sees strong demand for the index. “Interest in sustainable investments has had a huge increase in recent years”, he said.

In late October, it was NYSE Euronext’s turn to present their new product: the Low Carbon 100 Europe Index. The index is designed to measure the performance of the top 100 European companies with low carbon dioxide emission levels. The index’s methodology is unique and was developed under collaboration with Paris Dauphine University, and also validated by an independent scientific committee.

When compared to the top 300 largest companies in Europe, the companies included in the Low Carbon 100 Europe Index registered an average of 42% less carbon emissions. Jean- François Theodore, executive vice-director of NYSE Euronext, highlighted the growing demand for this type of product during the launch. “This innovative initiative will give us the chance to offer investors a new commercial and environmental instrument”, said Theodore. Concurrently with the NYSE’s launch, BNP Paribas announced the creation of a new exchange traded fund (ETF), the Low Carbon 100 Easy.