EDP elected world leader in the social dimension of sustainability

Tuesday 18, September 2018

The Group is in the top 2 of energy companies on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and was considered the best in the world in criteria such as environmental policy management.

EDP has once again been recognized as one of the best sustainability companies at the European and world levels. The company has been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index World for 11 consecutive years, holding consecutive leadership positions. This year, the company remains in the worldwide top 2 of integrated electric utilities and in the top 4 of all utilities.


The commitment made to sustainability has resulted in the obtaining of 85 points to integrate this index, which distinguishes leading companies in sustainability worldwide. EDP was 39 points above the industry average and attained the maximum score (100) in the areas of Social Investment, Environmental Policy and Management Systems, Stakeholder Involvement, Water Risk Management, among others. 


In the social dimension of sustainability, EDP has remained the best in the world, with emphasis on the Social Investment Programs and Activities developed by EDP Foundations and several Group companies in the communities where they operate. 


In the social and environmental dimension, EDP is also leader, result of the company's practices in people management, as well, in programs and activities of social investment developed by our foundations and also in social investment areas, environmental politics and management systems, stakeholders relation and water risk management.


In the economic dimension, the areas of Materiality and Interest Representation Activity also obtained the highest score, and in Risk and Crisis Management EDP attained the best classification (94).


The Dow Jones Sustainability Index was created in 1999 as the first nonfinancial performance benchmark for listed companies at the global level. Of the 3,504 companies invited to participate in the annual Dow Jones Sustainability Index World assessment, only 317 companies were selected, including 8 electric utilities. In this index, there are only two Portuguese companies. At the European level, only 149 were integrated into the Dow Jones Sustainability Europe Index. In this universe there are 4 electrical utilities. 


In addition to financial indicators, the index assesses aspects such as transparency, corporate management, investor relations, socio-environmental responsibility and management quality. The inclusion of EDP in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes is a recognition of the commitment made to Sustainable Development and translates into the reinforcement of Corporate Governance Model best practices, as well as a strategy for expanding renewable energies and the use of more efficient production technologies.