JSE-listed African Equity Empowerment Investments (AEEI), a diversified investment holding and empowerment company, said yesterday it was awarded first place place in the Financial Services: Other section of the Sustainability Data Transparency Index (STDI) for environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting in South Africa by Integrated Reporting & Assurance Services (IRAS).
Iras has been in operation since January 2009 and is a highly impactful niche advisory and assurance services provider focusing primarily on the provision of independent third-party assurance over the sustainability content within integrated annual reports.
AEEI said, “The company can proudly applaud its reporting standards and documentation, as it competed for first place out of 266 JSE-listed reporting entities. Aeei scored a substantial 89.71 percent in the Financial Services: Other sector, which is no easy feat for any company.
“This is a significant accomplishment for AEEI, especially during the challenging global financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic environments,” it said.
AEEI won the award in 2015 and 2016 (Top in Sector) in Iras’s last series of awards.
In the JSE Top 100 Company ESG Data tables, AEEI ranked third overall, with an SDTI score of 89.71 percent, compared to the winner at 90.69 percent out of a total of 266 independent JSE-listed companies reviewed.
Valentine Dzvova, the chief executive at AEEI, said, “We are honoured to be receiving the award ... This confirms that our business model is on a firm holistic and sustainable growth path as we continue to add value to our shareholders.”
philippa.larkin@inl.co.za
BUSINESS REPORT