Novozymes Maintains Sustainability Position

08/09/06 For the sixth year in a row Novozymes has taken the top position in the Dow Jones Sustainability Group Index in the biotech category – both in Europe and globally. The annual review by the DJSI family is based on an assessment of corporate economic, environmental and social performance, and examines issues such as corporate governance, employee development, climate change, supply chain standards and labour practices. The DJSI indexes are used by asset managers in 14 countries as reliable and objective benchmarks to manage sustainability portfolios. To be included in the DJSI World Index, a company is evaluated in terms of economic, environmental and social criteria against the top 10% of the biggest 2,500 companies in the Dow Jones World Index.

”It means a lot to us to top the index for the sixth year in a row," says Anna Lise Mortensen Grandjean , vice president for Sustainability Development and Stakeholder Communications. "Sustainable development plays a key role in our business strategy of delivering sustainable biological solutions, so it's gratifying that others too think that we're doing the right thing."

The results form the basis for ranking 317 companies in the global index (World) and 156 companies in the pan-European index (STOXX). Novozymes was compared this year to 23 other biotech companies. Of the group of 24 that were evaluated, only two other companies in addition to Novozymes were included in the global Dow Jones Sustainability Index this year. Novozymes was as the only company included in the paneuropean index.