STOXX^® Willis Towers Watson USA 500 Climate Transition

The ISS STOXX World AC ESG Climbers Index selects securities from the STOXX World AC universe that consistently improve their ESG performance, with standardized ESG exclusion screens applied for ISS ESG Norms Based Screening assessment, a set of definitions for Controversial Weapons, Tobacco, Thermal Coal, Unconventional Oil & Gas, Civilian Firearms and Military Equipment. The objective is to select such companies that are on trajectory to become ESG leaders in the future, based on whether their ISS ESG Corporate Ratings Overall Numeric Scores have improved at least 5 times if they are assigned to Developed Markets and at least 3 times of improvement if they are assigned to Emerging Markets in the past 5 years, and are required to improve at least 3 times if they are assigned to Developed Markets and 2 times if they are assigned to Emerging Markets in order to remain as constituents. The methodology also removes securities whose issuers are poor ESG performers, where their ISS ESG Corporate Ratings Overall Numeric Score is lower than 1.75. Securities whose issuers do not receive ESG Rating as of the effective review are also excluded.

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

STOXX ESG Target TE Indices aim to provide a low tracking error to the benchmark index while ensuring an improved ESG score. The weighting of each constituent security is determined through an optimization process that is designed to ensure diversification and uses Axioma's Risk Model and Optimizer to construct the indices. Companies that are non-compliant based on the ISS ESG’ Norms-based research assessment or are involved in controversial weapons are not eligible for selection. Additional exclusion filters are applied, screening companies for involvement in tobacco production and distribution, thermal coal extraction and power generation, small arms manufacturing, military contracting, unconventional oil and gas exploration and production, high ESG risk, and ESG controversies.

This index applies screens in alignment with the ESMA guidelines on funds’ names using ESG or sustainability-related terms, which include controversial weapons, Tobacco, Coal (>1%), Oil fuels (>10%), Gaseous fuels (>50%/ Power generation), UNGC principles / OECD guidelines.

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