Standard Life Plc Joins Top 10% Of Companies In The World
Released on: October 24, 2011, 5:13 pm
Author:
Standard Life
Industry:
Financial
Standard Life plc is pleased to announce it has earned a place
in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for the first
time, joining the ranks of the top 10% of sustainable companies in
world.
This placement in the Index reflects a strong and steady increase in Standard
Life's sustainability credentials over the past few years.
Membership of the DJSI World Index is widely recognised as being an impartial and
definitive measure of sustainability. Membership shows a good performance across a
wide range of sustainability measures. However, Standard Life’s score was
particularly strong in the areas of stakeholder engagement, corporate citizenship
and philanthropy, brand management, labour practice and for its environmental
management system.
Last year Standard Life plc entered the Dow Jones
Sustainability European Index for the first time. Several new initiatives over the
last 12 months - to strengthen relationships with customers, further reduce Standard
Life's environmental impact and to invest in the community - have now earned it a
place among the best in the world, alongside companies such as Roche, BMW, Pearsons
and Swiss Re.
Graeme McEwan, Group Director of Communications at Standard Life, commented: "Sustainability is vital to Standard Life and something we take very seriously. So
we are proud of this achievement - we're one of only 16 companies in our sector,
from across the world, to have made it into the 2011 World Index.
"One of our most improved areas was around customer relationship management. In the
past year we have set up a website, Standard Life Listens, to provide a forum to exchange views and
help our customers learn more about Standard Life. Listening and responding to
customers is at the heart of our business strategy and our brand, so it’s great to
achieve an improved score in this area."
Having a trusted, differentiated and preferred brand is also vital to Standard Life.
It is a strategic business imperative and the way the brand is being managed has
also contributed to a strong sustainability score.
McEwan explained: "We support customers by regular analysis of their needs, the
choices they make and how our products are working for them. Through this insight we
are able to develop relevant and innovative products, and ensure we communicate
their benefits in a way that our customers easily understand. This is something we
are now doing across our group."
The work of the Standard Life Charitable Trust (SLCT) - an independent charity
established by Standard Life - also helped to increase Standard Life's
sustainability score. The vision of the trust is to benefit society by building
capability and supporting independence. It is focused on supporting people most in
need of developing skills to manage their finances. The Trust is currently working
on three key projects; with the Royal British Legion to develop and deliver a new
strategy that aims to improve financial capability within the Armed Forces; Shelter,
the housing and homelessness charity, to fund three telephone advisers who can offer
advice and support via Shelter’s helpline to anyone who is at risk of losing their
home and Grand Central Savings, a Scottish Charity that offers financial services to
people who are socially and financially excluded, by providing access to banking
facilities and offering advice and assistance to people who cannot access or benefit
from mainstream banking.
About Standard Life:
Standard Life is a leading long term savings and investments company headquartered
in Edinburgh and operating internationally. Established in 1825, Standard Life
provides life assurance, annuities, life insurance, savings products, investment
bonds, tax efficiencies, pension products such as a self-invested personal pension,
financial education and investment management to around 6 million customers
worldwide.
PR Contact:
Nicki Lundy
Standard Life
Ground Floor
Caledonian Exchange
19a Canning Street
Edinburgh
EH3 8EG
0131 245 2737
www.standardlife.co.uk
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