DP World has topped the S&P/Hawkamah Pan Arab ESG Index for the third year running, a statement said.

The index is the first of its kind in the Arab world and ranks the transparency and disclosure of regional listed companies based on environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) metrics.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, chairman of DP World, said: “We are delighted that DP World has won this accolade for the third successive year which underlines our performance and corporate governance standards. The index is a barometer for sustainable companies and those who score highly on it are viewed favourably by investors. They see it as evidence of a commitment over the long term to the environment, social responsibility and governance of their business. A hat trick of wins is rare and we believe the award recognises the reputation of DP World as a world leader in trade and its sector.”

The participants are derived from the top 150 Pan Arab companies, by total market capitalisation, listed on stock markets of Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and the UAE. The index is reconstituted once a year in December and the names of the top 10 companies are announced.

The index gathers information in the public domain, mainly from annual reports and accounts, to assess the leading company. Each is analysed on nearly 200 issues including carbon emissions, water and energy consumption, employee health and safety, community investment, corporate governance, financial reporting, auditing, board independence and executive remuneration, with the top 50 best performing companies included.  - TradeArabia News Service