Sustainability Index from S&P BSE may be launched by FY18

Kolkata: Though the two environmental sustainability indices remained stuck for over six years, a new sustainability index in India is likely to be introduced by S&P BSE Indices by this year aimed at capturing holistic sustainability parameters.

"We are already working toward introducing a new sustainability index that will try to capture holistic sustainability parameters. We are working with our partners and hope it could be out by this year," S&P BSE Indices business head Koel Ghosh said here today.

S&P BSE Indices is managed by Asia Index pvt Ltd.

Ghosh said that they were waiting for data from RobecoSAM, known as pioneer in sustainability database and worked closely for Dow Jones Sustainability Index introduced in 1999.

"They are currently capturing sustainability data fron BSE 100 companies and once that is out we will put those from quantitative analysis to rule base to derive an index," Ghosh said.

The two old sustainability indices are Greenex and Carbonex that was created in 2012 but till data no product had been designed based on them.

"There is no demand in the market," is the response I get," Ghosh told PTI.

So far there are some 60 indices available of which only a handful generate revenue.

Meanwhile, she said, gradually passive investments are gaining popularity through index-based products.

Though Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) globally is worth USD 3345 billion with 6605 ETF products, Indian ETF assets under management is USD three billion with 66 products.