Sustainability Ratings

Sustainability ratings try to assess a company's economic, environmental and social values and performance. How well a company manages to balance these three dimensions yields valuable information on its ability to benefit from opportunities and manage risks in the mid- to long-term. Awareness for rising environmental and social needs can help identify scope for new products, while bolstering reputation and reducing the potential impact of stiffer legislation and standards. Sustainable companies are also more attractive for employees, which facilitates retaining crucial know-how and fostering innovation.

Such information is particularly valuable for long-term investors. It is being used, for example, by genuine sustainability funds whose composition is based on the "best-of-class" principle: instead of focusing on certain industries or screening some of them out, sustainability funds strive to select the best, i.e. the most sustainable, companies within each industry for inclusion.

For more company-specific information regarding sustainability, please refer to Swiss Re's Annual Corporate Responsibility Report.

	Rating Agency	Swiss Re's sustainability rating	Link to agency's website
	Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes	2011/2012 Super Sector Leader (Insurance), Member of DJSI World & DJSI Europe	www.sustainability-indexes.com
	oekom research	Investment status: Prime C+ on a scale from A+ to D-	www.oekom-research.com