OREANDA-NEWS. November 26, 2007. As a follow up of its 2006 results MMC Norilsk Nickel joined the leaders of social and environmental responsibility rating made up by an Independent Environmental Rating Agency and Greenpeace organization in Russia, reported the press-centre of MMC Norilsk Nickel.

Due to rapid progress in environmental efficiency and environmental reporting the Company’s shares were included to the investment portfolio of the environmental stock exchange index NERAX Eco-2.

According to MMC Norilsk Nickel Deputy General Director Jacques Rosenberg, this can be considered as the acknowledgement of the management’s efforts aimed at reducing negative industrial impacts over the environment.

“Such assessment by independent environmental organizations is not surprising for me. We have always kept to the policy of the utmost environmental transparency. Moreover, I believe the decision taken by the environmental agency is not so much about our today’s achievements as about our declared targets”, he said,  adding that MMC Norilsk Nickel annually spends around USD 300 mln. for environmental purposes.

NERAX Eco-2 includes 10 Russian companies leading in environmental transparency growth. Social and environmental reporting transparency is obligatory for entering the leading ten.
Placing the shares of the companies that are without prejudice the best at environmental efficiency of the operations and progress in reducing environmental impacts into “index baskets” allows monitoring general price trends in environmentally responsible businesses even when prices within the basket are changing in alternate directions.

As a rule, environmental stock exchange indices are used for decision making in securities acquisition by socially responsible investments (SRI) funds represented by the financial markets of the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia and Brazil. According to experts’ estimates, the global volume of SRI market in 2005 amounted to USD 2,8 trillions.