The Use of Corporate Sustainability Indices : A Case Study on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index

Corporations are under growing pressure from socially responsible investors to consider the environmental and social impacts of their operations. To help highlight corporations that have taken steps to address these issues, a number of sustainability indices have been developed. While there is a growing body of literature that focuses on sustainability indices, little is known on how they are used in practice. The purpose of this project was to explore the use of sustainability indices in corporations. In this project, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America (DJSINA) was used in a case study. The project consisted of three key phases: a content analysis of corporate sustainability reports in North America, a survey with Canadian experts on the DJSINA, and a review of the DJSI website. The project highlights the similarities and differences in the use of the DJSI by Canadian and American corporations. As the first study focusing on the use of the DJSINA, the results will be of interest to practitioners and academics in socially responsible investment and corporate sustainability.