Thomson Reuters, a global source of news and information for professional markets, on Tuesday launched of its new Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Index.

The D&I Index ranks the top 100 publicly traded companies globally with the most diverse and inclusive workplaces. The index measures relative performance against multiple factors that define diverse and inclusive workplaces. The process consists of measuring company’s performance in 24 metrics across four key categories: Diversity, Inclusion, People Development and News and Controversies. The Index is then calculated by weighing each metric based on importance in the market and how each company compares with its peers. 

The D&I Index is available on Thomson Reuters Eikon, as are the underlying diversity and inclusion metrics, which can be used to gain insight and help financial professionals screen companies for long-term opportunities and risks in their investments. Index scores are calculated for each company for the Diversity, Inclusion, People Development and News Controversy pillars. Only companies with scores across all four pillars are assigned an overall score (the average of the pillar scores). The top 100 ranked companies with the best overall scores are selected for the Index. 

“We are in the midst of a historical shift in perspective that is affecting companies across the world and across industry boundaries. Diversity is becoming a performance issue, a growth engine,” said Debra Walton, chief product & content officer, Financial & Risk, Thomson Reuters. “Our research shows that companies that make investments and focus on ESG matters can have a stronger stock performance and better long-term profitability. For investors, looking beyond financial data is becoming more important. We are delighted to be able to provide our global clients with access to this important data and information through our Diversity and Inclusion Index and metrics, thereby helping to enable them to make better investment and socially responsible decisions.”

Will Jan, vice president & lead analyst at Outsell commented, “In an increasingly globalized business environment, diversity and inclusion is more critical than ever. Having access to such information to drive responsible decisions is a natural next step in the evolution of financial services.”

“Diversity and inclusion is a fundamental part of our heritage,” said Patsy Doerr, global head of corporate responsibility and inclusion at Thomson Reuters. “Not only is diversity and inclusion a strategic objective for Thomson Reuters internally, it also represents another step forward in our commitment to partner with clients to develop best practices in this space. Diversity and inclusion mean fostering a culture where diversity of thought, style, experience and approach is valued and nurtured so innovation can thrive. The business case is clear; in order to attract and retain top talent, this must be a top priority. This new D&I Index demonstrates our central values in action.”

Companies like Michelin, Novartis AG and Johnson & Johnson found themselves at the top five of the list with the index putting Roche Holding AG as the company with the highest score across the four pillars of assessment. You can view the complete list of winners here.