Thai listed firms remain the regional leader in their commitment to sustainable development with 24 Thai companies, the highest number in Asean, selected for the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) this year.
Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) president Pakorn Peetathawatchai said the bourse has continuously promoted sustainable development in the Thai capital market, taking into consideration the environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects for balanced growth in line with the bourse's vision "to make the capital market work for everyone".
Since 2018, more Thai listed companies have been invited to the international evaluation of their compliance to sustainability criteria.
The high number of Thai listed companies in the DJSI reflects their commitment to prioritising sustainability and balancing business and society and building confidence among investors, he said.
The 24 listed companies selected this year are from various industries such as telecommunications, namely Advanced info Service Plc (ADVANC) and True Corporation Plc (TRUE), banking, namely Kasikornbank Plc (KBANK) and Siam Commercial Bank Plc (SCB), and energy, namely PTT Plc (PTT), PTT Exploration and Production Plc (PTTEP), PTT Global Chemical Plc (PTTGC), Thai Oil Plc (TOP), Electricity Generating Plc (EGCO) and IRPC Plc (IRPC).
Among the 24, three of them -- Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Plc (BDMS), Berli Jucker Plc (BJC) and Delta Electronics (Thailand) Plc (DELTA) -- are newcomers, while 12 of them including ADVANC, DELTA, KBANK and PTT are named in the DJSI World Index, which covers world-class companies with potential in terms of scale and sustainability performance.
"Business operations that embrace sustainability not only benefit society and the environment but also act as mechanisms to manage risks and strengthen businesses. Today Thai listed companies are applying sustainability strategies to their operations, enabling the capabilities to cope with the crises," Mr Pakorn said in a statement.
He said Thai listed companies place more importance on identifying emerging risks, including climate risks and human rights risks in enterprises and supply chains which receive tremendous attention from the international community.
Regarding the growing trend of sustainable investment locally and globally, the participation in DJSI will boost the attractiveness of the Thai capital market and its credibility in the eyes of local and international investors, Mr Pakorn said.
In addition, Mr Pakorn said that Thai mutual funds also find stocks with sustainable growth interesting as there currently are up to 60 ESG funds in Thailand with a combined net asset value of 57.02 billion baht, or US$1.74 billion, up 96% from the beginning of this year.
The announcement of DJSI members will take effect on Nov 22.
The list is reviewed and updated in September each year.