With this launch, BME and the SIX reinforce their ESG index family, as part of their commitment to sustainability. To be eligible for inclusion in the index, whose composition will be reviewed annually in June, a company must be part of the Madrid Stock Exchange General Index (IGBM), have between 25% and 75% women on its Board of Directors and between 15% and 85% in senior management positions.
This percentage is somewhat lower than that set by the recommendations of the Spanish stock market supervisor’s (CNMV) Code of Good Governance, as this index also aims to include companies that do not reach 30% female presence on the Board of Directors, but which are on the right track in their promotion of gender equality. The first composition of the index is made up of 30 listed companies.
Marion Leslie, Head Financial Information, member of the SIX Executive Board and Board of Directors of BME, highlights: “The launch of the IBEX Gender Equality marks two historic milestones today: it is the first index of its kind for the Spanish market, and it is also the first co-created index that we are launching since BME and SIX became one company in 2020.”
"With this launch we want to offer a clear indicator with transparent criteria to measure the state of gender equality in Spanish companies, something that is of enormous social and economic relevance. We think that this index will contribute to this goal, which is the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 5, and to which we are firmly committed," explains Carmen López, Head of Indices at BME.
In March this year, SIX announced the launch of the SPI Gender Equality Index, which includes the most advanced Swiss listed companies in terms of gender equality. It is part of the SIX ESG Indices family. Since 2008, BME has also been offering the FTSE4Good IBEX index, which features Spanish companies with best practices in corporate social responsibility. Both SIX and BME participate in the Ring the Bell for Gender Equality event, which every March, seeks to raise awareness of the importance of real and effective equality between men and women.
You can access the IBEX index family via this link.