Media releases

Westpac again ranked lead bank globally in Dow Jones Sustainability Index

 

10 September 2015

Westpac Group today welcomed the announcement that it had retained its position as the most sustainable bank globally in the 2015 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) Review.

Westpac Group CEO Brian Hartzer said he was pleased the Group’s sustainable business practices had once again been recognised in such a significant global benchmark. 

“This recognition goes to show that our approach of embedding sustainability in everything we do – business processes, culture and strategy alike – is working for us,” Mr Hartzer said.

“It’s also a tribute to the incredible efforts of our 40,000 people who are committed to building a better future for the people who bank with us, work with us, invest in us, or are part of our wider community. It’s this kind of thinking that is helping Westpac become one of the world’s great service companies,” he said.

“We’ve performed well, but we know we can always do more to ensure we keep operating in the most sustainable way,” he said.

This year, Westpac achieved its highest ever DJSI score of 94%. Westpac was assessed as having the strongest performance of the global banking sector in the following categories: business risks and opportunities; climate strategy; financial stability and systemic risk; financial inclusion; labour practices and human rights; human capital development; stakeholder engagement; risk and crisis management; anti-crime policy; and codes of conduct, compliance, corruption and bribery.

Westpac has been recognised as a global leader for banks in the DJSI annually since 2002 and has achieved the global sector leadership position eight times (annually between 2002 and 2007, in 2011, 2014 and again this year).

The DJSI RobecoSAM assessment is the most widely accepted global evaluation of how companies manage and perform across social, economic and environmental dimensions and has become the reference point in sustainability investing. 

It assesses business management practices such as corporate governance, risk management, customer relations, brand management, human resources, corporate community investment, climate change mitigation and environmental performance.

For Further Information
Sharon Rockell
Group Media Relations, Westpac
M. 0420 598 994