STOXX^® Willis Towers Watson USA 500 Climate Transition

The STOXX Paris-Aligned Benchmark Indices are based on liquid securities from a selection of STOXX Benchmark Indices. The indices are constructed to follow the EU Paris-aligned Benchmark (EU PAB) requirements outlined in the Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2020/1818 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1011 of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards minimum standards for EU Paris-aligned Benchmarks.

Companies identified as non-compliant based on norms-based Screening assessment, or are involved in Controversial Weapons, as identified by ISS ESG are not eligible for selection. Tobacco Producers, as identified by ISS ESG, are also not eligible. Securities that generate revenues above a certain threshold from coal, oil and gas exploration or processing activities are excluded. Additionally, securities that derive higher than 10% of their revenues from thermal coal-based power generation, or higher than 50% from power generation with carbon intensity of lifecycle emissions higher than 100gCO2e/kWh are not considered for selection. Furthermore, STOXX will exclude companies that ISS ESG assesses to have significant obstruction in the following UN SDGs: SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 Climate Action, SDG 14 Life Below Water and SDG 15 Life On Land.

The weighing process follows an optimization process to keep the tracking error less than on equal to 1.5% compared to the parent indes while meeting the minimum requirements detailed in the regulation. The STOXX Paris-Aligned Benchmark Indices aim to reduce their greenhouse gas intensity by at least 50% when compared to their underlying benchmarks. They are also designed to meet the year on year 7% decarbonization target.

High climate impact sector weights of the STOXX Paris-Aligned Benchmark Indices are not underweighted relative to the underlying benchmark. The indices also overweigh securities with Science Based Targets, as verified by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi).

Index Guides, Benchmark statement, and other reports are available under the Data tab.

The STOXX ESG Broad Market Indices track the performance of a selection of STOXX indices after a set of compliance, involvement and ESG performance screens are applied.

Companies that are non-compliant based on the ISS ESG's Norms-based screening or are involved in Controversial Weapons are not eligible for selection. Additional exclusion filters are applied, screening companies for involvement in Tobacco Production, Small Arms, Military Contracting, ESG Controversies, coal, oil, gas and energy production, aligned with the EU Paris Aligned Benchmarks (PAB) exclusions. The remaining securities are ranked in descending order of their ISS ESG scores within each of the 11 ICB Industry groups. The STOXX ESG Broad Market Indices select the top-ranking securities in each of the ICB Industries until the number of selected securities reaches 80% of the number of securities in the underlying index.

Index Guides, Benchmark statement, and other reports are available under the Data tab.