Refinitiv, a London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) business, announced today the launch of the Refinitiv Satrix South Africa Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) index.

In collaboration with Satrix, a leading provider of index-tracking solutions in South Africa, the new index offers an innovative benchmark for investors wishing to commit capital to companies that actively invest and promote I&D values across their business operations. The index tracks the total return of select publicly traded equities with high I&D scores on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

Over a five-year period, the Refinitiv Satrix South Africa D&I index's annualised return earned 6.56 per cent outperforming the Refinitiv South Africa Total Return Index that recorded 4.65 percent during the same period. In 2020, the Refinitiv Satrix I&D index achieved a return of 3.46 percent in 2020 as compared to -1.96 percent by the Refinitiv South Africa Total Return Index over the same period. The historic data points illustrate the promising prospects of investing in diversity and inclusion across the African continent. 

Nadim Najjar, Managing Director, Middle East and Africa (MEA), Data and Analytics, London Stock Exchange Group, said: "As the private sector looks for active and meaningful participation in the mainstream economy, we are seeing more financial inclusion programs integrated with corporate business strategies across the continent. The index benchmarks the key Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) scores that are crucial for the long-term socio-economic growth."

"We are proud to launch the new index in collaboration with Refinitiv. The Satrix Inclusion and Diversity ETF is based on sound investment principles, and the fund is also aligned with Satrix's deep commitment to diversity and inclusion. A PwC 2020 report on executive directors indicated that women make up only 6% of CEOs of Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) listed companies. This is a clear example of why South Africa needs an inclusion and diversity ETF that will allow investors to invest in the change they want to see on the JSE," added Siyabulela Nomoyi, portfolio manager of the Satrix Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) index.

The financial sector holds the largest weight in the index with 34.1 percent, followed by basic materials (20.8 percent), Consumer Cyclicals (12.7 percent), Consumer Non-Cyclicals (12.5 percent), and technology (7.2 percent). The remaining sectors include real estate, energy, healthcare and industrials.