Morningstar Sustainalytics’ Post

🌱 ESG 🤝 DEI 🏳️🌈 LGBTQ+ Woke acronyms are killing your business! Sounds crazy, right? Yeah, we agree -- this is not the rhetoric of serious business leaders. Let's ignore the pundits who want to stir up your emotions for outrage clicks. Companies wouldn’t be investing in better governance, more diverse workforces, and increased corporate social responsibility if it wasn’t going to make them more money. But they are. Why? Because ESG and DEI *are* good for the bottom line. ESG investing is here, it's real and it’s growing exponentially, as evidenced by data from companies like MSCI, Bloomberg, and the S&P. The Return on Equality ESG Summit begins tomorrow, hosted by Nasdaq and sponsored by Ropes & Gray and MSCI. Learn more at outleadership.com #ESG #LGBTQ #LGBTQinclusiveESG #OLESGSummit

📈 The majority of ESG funds outperform the market 📈 That’s according to data from Morningstar and Standard & Poor’s. But it’s no surprise -- good governance, social progress, and environmental stewardship have always been good for business in the long term. Out Leadership is leading the fight to help business leaders drive even stronger profits with LGBTQ+-inclusive ESG strategies. Together, we can build a stronger, more prosperous financial future for all. The 2023 Return On Equality™ ESG Summit Is on October 4th. Register in the Out Leadership Member Portal. Hosted by Nasdaq. Sponsored by Ropes & Gray and MSCI. #ESG #LGBTQ #LGBTQinclusiveESG #OLESGSummit

🌈 A game-changer for ethical investing: Morningstar launch an LGBTQIA Leaders Index 🌈 This innovative index provides investors with exposure to 100 leading companies that excel in LGBTQ+ inclusive policies and practices across various regions and sectors. This is a powerful tool to align your investment strategy with your values. By investing in these companies you can play a pivotal role in promoting equality and inclusion, ensuring your money plays a part in creating a more inclusive world. 😎Significant milestone for promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion 🤓 Sets new standards for other businesses to aspire to. 🤩More visibility encourages a more accepting and supportive environment for the LGBTQ+ community globally. 🤗Drives positive changes by inspiring other companies to adopt similar inclusive policies. enhance their reputation and attract top talent. As more businesses strive to meet these standards, we can expect a ripple effect leading to broader acceptance and support for LGBTQ+ individuals in the workplace. Congratulations to Morningstar for this pioneering step please continue to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion in all spheres of life! 🌟 #LGBTQ #Inclusion #Diversity #InvestingForChange #SustainableInvesting #DEI #Morningstar

RainbowConnect.ca is an extension of bassa Social Innovations Inc. It is an #innovation created by our President/CEO, Scott Cameron who came out later in life, only to discover the challenges of navigating the #2slgbtqia+ space. When he relocated from Red Deer to Calgary, he needed to reestablish all the relationships, supports and services needed - like doctors, dentists, massage therapists, etc. For example, he wanted to know the gym he was visiting was #safe, #friendly, and #welcoming - but didn't know where to start. Relying on his #communitydevelopment background, he created RainbowConnect.ca as a shared space where 2SLGBTQIA+ friendly businesses and community organizations could let themselves be known within the community and to one another. He recognized that being #lgbtq+ friendly didn't have to be limited to LGBTQ+ owned businesses - many businesses have their own reasons to provide safe, friendly, and welcoming spaces for all. The team at bassa Social Innovations Inc. regularly works in communities to help build local capacity, resilience, and well-being. While our broader society is coming to terms with divergent perspectives and fear of change, we have confidence in community - where people can still speak with one another, build trust, and foster relationships. That is where we believe #change happens. We invite you to be part of building the society we desire, where everyone has the opportunity to feel #safe in #friendly and #welcoming local spaces. #proudyearround #loveislove #communitydevelopment #socialwellbeing #lgbtqcommunity

🌈✨ June is all about #PrideMonth, but at Sustainable Partners Ltd and Sustainable Talent LTD, celebrating diversity and inclusion isn't just a June thing—it’s a year-round commitment. 🏳️🌈💪 We've been engaging with our team to deepen our understanding and support for the LGBTQ+ community. Our Managing Director and Co-Founder, Oliver Thomas Hallows, shares his insights on why this matters every day of the year, not just in June. Why is Pride important to me? Pride is important to me as I am passionate about embracing each others differences. Diversity is what makes the world more interesting after all, how dull would it be if we were all the same? Pride does so much to raise awareness and then influences change. A lot of the time people don't mean to offend or discriminate they are just ignorant to those who aren't the same as them - education is key. In the Sustainable Group we always ensure we do our best to influence inclusivity and diversity within our customers. We recognise that for the renewables sector to be the best it can be it needs to embrace positive change. #Pride #DiversityAndInclusion #EverydayPride #EqualityForAll James King David Honey Mhari-Claire Doolan Chris Godwin Lauren Kelly Renee Crainey Mukesh Dhir John Stead Oliver Thomas Hallows Bridget Mcpartlin Gareth Corcoran

Celebrating Pride Month! The Morningstar Developed Markets LGBTQ+ Leaders Index was launched this month. Index construction begins from a large- and mid-cap index made up of 85% of investable developed markets globally, with ESG exclusions then applied. Index constituents must score at least 3 on Morningstar's ExecuPride Assessment Scale, a framework for evaluating LGBTQ+ inclusion through an assessment of executive commitment and direct evidence of diversity and inclusion policies, practices, and corporate support structures. The index is comprised of 100 constituents. First, the highest scoring companies from each of the 11 GICS sectors from North America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific are included. The next four highest scorers in each sector are then included, and the next highest scorers from any sector are included. Constituents are weighted by applying a score tilt factor to their market cap, giving higher scorers additional weighting. Workplace diversity brings clear benefits to corporations and their investors. With applause for this new index, we have added it to our coverage of diversity, equity, and inclusion equity funds and indexes. See our latest quarterly analysis of equality-focused investing at bit.ly/GLIQ. InvestmentNews Steve Randall Ron Bundy Morningstar Sustainalytics Robert Edwards, CFA #PrideMonth #LGBTQ #SustainableInvesting #DiversityEquityandInclusion

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 I applaud the Supreme Court's groundbreaking initiative in crafting a handbook to combat gender stereotypes within courtrooms. This remarkable step towards fostering inclusivity and equality in the eyes (and ears) of the law is truly commendable! 👏👩⚖️👨⚖️ But why stop there? Let's take this inspiring example to our workplaces. HR leaders, are you ready to make a lasting impact? Shouldn’t we develop similar handbooks to raise awareness about, and combat, stereotypes of all kinds - whether it's based on gender, sexual orientation, caste, community, religion, or economic status. It’s a really quick and easy way to take affirmative steps towards shaping a more equitable environment within our offices, and paving the way for a brighter and more inclusive future. Remember, small actions today can lead to monumental shifts tomorrow. Let's be the change we want to see! 💪 #diversity #inclusion #equity #belonging #gender #lgbtq+

In the insightful Sustainability Magazine piece by Steven Downes, a pivotal point is highlighted from the Open for Business report, backed by leading corporations including EY. The report underscores the significance of cultivating LGBTQ+-friendly workplace strategies and their direct correlation with business success. This encompasses enhanced financial performance, stronger brand reputation, tapping into LGBTQ+ consumer markets, and achieving superior diversity outcomes. The report also dispels myths, demonstrating that ESG efforts are progressive and strategic, not political. Amy Brachio from EY underscores the essential role businesses have in advancing LGBTQ+ equality, highlighting its importance as a business necessity. (More about the report: https://go.ey.com/45x5yZl) As we observe #PrideMonth, EY stands tall as we celebrate the diversity that powers our organization. Our commitment to #DEI, with a strong focus on LGBT+ inclusion, remains steadfast. We strive to foster a culture where every individual is valued for who they are, recognizing that our success—both in business and as a community—is deeply connected to our embrace of diversity and inclusion. #InclusionMatters #BusinessExcellence #ProudToBelong

Doing this work authentically will always support business profitability as staff and clients connect through trust. It does go beyond waving a flag and requires commitment (time & resources), effort and actual change.

Links between profit and increased financing for LGBTQ+ 🏳️🌈 🏳️⚧️ focused organisations has never been clearer. Read the #evidence and then take a good look at what your organisation could be doing better, but don’t because they don’t have enough resources… Whilst I’m a firm believer of doing the right thing and the inherent value of human beings being valued for who they are (free from #discrimination, #structuralbarriers and #harrassment) I recognise the need for a business lens to appeal to capitalists and people that don’t see themselves in the D&I categories that get the most focus… Ultimately, recognition of differences and looking at ways to make everyone feel included benefits everyone. But more on that in a later post! #diversityandinclusion #lgbtqinclusion #profits #investment