Surveys & awards

Investors are increasingly considering the environmental, social and ethical impacts of their investments. As a result, there is now greater emphasis on companies providing more information on their non financial performance.

Some examples of corporate responsibility indexes that we participate in are outlined here:

• The Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) track the financial performance of the leading sustainability driven companies. Of the largest 2,500 firms worldwide, only the top ten per cent, in terms of economic, environmental and social criteria, qualify for the DJSI World Index. The DJSI Europe and the DJSI Asia Pacific Indexes track performance of the best 20 per cent of the largest 600 companies in the European or Asia Pacific markets as listed on the Dow Jones Global Total Stock Market Index. Rio Tinto has been included in the DJSI series since 2002 and is included in the 2010 DJSI World, DJSI European and DJSI Asia Pacific indexes.

• The FTSE4Good Index has been designed to measure the performance of companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards, and to facilitate investment in those companies. We have been a constituent member of the FTSE4Good Index since becoming eligible for assessment in 2007.

• The Corporate Responsibility (CR) Index benchmarks the extent to which corporate strategy is integrated into business practice. It looks at community, environment, marketplace and workplace management practices and performance in a range of environmental and social impact areas material to the business. We have been included on the CR Index since its inception in 2001 and currently hold a Gold rating (>90 per cent) with the UK based not for profit Business in the Community (BitC) and its Australian/New Zealand based partner, the St James Ethics Centre. Download our BitC Feedback report.
• Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) is an independent, not for profit organisation which holds the largest database of corporate climate change information in the world. The Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI) includes Global 500, S&P 500 and FTSE 350 companies with the top ten percent of carbon disclosure scores and is used to create a family of high quality equity indices. These help investors gain exposure to companies that actively manage their greenhouse gas emissions and the risks and opportunities related to climate change.  In 2010 Rio Tinto retained its place on the Global 500 CDLI and the FTSE350 CDLI for the seventh consecutive year. We are the 2010 Materials sector leader on the FTSE350 CDLI with a score of 89 out of 100. View our submission to the Carbon Disclosure Project here.
• The Barron's list of the world's most respected companies includes Rio Tinto for the second time in 2011. The US based financial news organisation ranked Rio Tinto 54th (up from 70th in 2010) in a survey that sought the views of professional money managers on the 100 largest companies in the world (based on total stock market capitalisations on 31 December 2010). Among the factors that inspire respect, according to the survey, are a sound business strategy, strong management, ethical business practices and a competitive edge.
• Rio Tinto won the "Best Sustainability in Annual Reporting" category in the Strategic Planning Society 2010 Strategic Value in Corporate Reporting Awards.  FTSE100 and FTSE250 companies are assessed on the quality of strategy disclosure in the narrative of their corporate annual reporting.
• Rio Tinto won the "Risk management application of the year" award at the 2010 Risk management awards in recognition of those applications that provide tools or services to clients that can be shown to be outstandingly useful or innovative.
• Rio Tinto won the Water Stewardship Award at the 2011 Global Water Awards, part of the Global Water Summit in Berlin. This award is presented to the commercial or industrial organisation that has made the greatest contribution to the sustainable management of its water cycle.
• Rio Tinto's Annual Report won a Gold Award in the 2011 Australasian Reporting Awards. To receive this award, a report must demonstrate excellence in annual reporting, including full disclosure of key aspects of the core business and outstanding disclosure in major areas. Winning reports are considered to be a model for other organisations. Visit Rio Tinto's 2010 annual report website.