HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Hartford was named to the 2018 JUST 100 list by Forbes and JUST Capital. The list is a ranking of the top 100 publicly-traded, U.S. corporations that, according to Forbes, produce quality goods, treat customers well, minimize environmental impact, support the communities they operate in, commit to ethical and diverse leadership, and above all, treat workers well.
“At The Hartford, we are proud of our history of doing the right thing and engaging on issues when we can make a difference and influence change,” said The Hartford’s head of Corporate Sustainability Diane Cantello. “We continually set measurable goals to promote a diverse and inclusive workforce, reduce our impact on the environment and hold all aspects of our business to the highest ethical standards.”
The Hartford is included on this year’s list, outperforming many other companies on issues such as fair pay and employee benefits, customer treatment and privacy, beneficial products, environmental impact, community support as well as ethical leadership and long-term financial growth. JUST Capital evaluated companies selected from the Russell 1000 Index, which represents over 90 percent of the U.S. stock market value, and rankings are based on more than four years of market research including responses from 81,000 respondents across the U.S.
“Trust in our institutions is more important than ever right now. The JUST 100 recognizes companies that are doing right within society,” said Forbes Chief Content Officer Randall Lane. “The Rankings help companies gauge their progress on benchmarks that go far beyond quarterly earnings towards long-term value-creation for all stakeholders.”
As one of America's Most JUST Companies, The Hartford is also included in Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s JUST U.S. Large Cap Equity ETF (Ticker: JUST) – the first ever exchange-traded fund based on just business behavior, constructed from JUST Capital’s rankings.
“America’s Most JUST Companies consistently outperform their peers in job creation, wages, work-life balance, environmental impact, and return on equity,” said Martin Whittaker, CEO of JUST Capital. “Aligning corporate behavior with the priorities of the American people is good for communities and good for business.”
The Hartford’s sustainability strategy is built on measurable goals intended to both create long-term shareholder value and contribute positively to society at large, as outlined in the most recent Sustainability Highlight Report. Earlier this year, The Hartford was included in the FTSE4Good Index Series, a Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) series designed to measure the performance of companies demonstrating strong environmental, social and governance practices and was one of only 200 companies included in the inaugural portfolio of the Impact Shares YWCA Women’s Empowerment Exchange Traded Fund (NYSE: WOMN). WOMN tracks the Morningstar Women’s Empowerment Index, a rule-based index that selects leading companies in women’s empowerment across all sectors of the US economy, using the Gender Equality Score provided by Equileap, an organization aiming to accelerate progress toward gender equality.
About the Methodology
JUST Capital’s Rankings are the culmination of over four years of market research (encompassing over 81,000 respondents mapped to the U.S. Census population) on what the American people prioritize regarding corporate behavior today. JUST Capital conducted its 2018 survey, which included 9,000 respondents, in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago. The survey results found that Americans, when asked to identify what is most important for companies to prioritize, ranked the following in order of importance: Workers, Customers, Products, the Environment, Jobs, Communities, and finally, Leadership & Shareholders. JUST Capital then tracked and evaluated the performance of companies against these priorities and created the ranking model that drives America’s Most JUST Companies, including the JUST 100 absolute ranking and Industry Leader list. The selection of companies draws from the Russell 1000 Index, which represents over 90 percent of the U.S. stock market value.
About The Hartford
The Hartford is a leader in property and casualty insurance, group benefits and mutual funds. With more than 200 years of expertise, The Hartford is widely recognized for its service excellence, sustainability practices, trust and integrity. More information on the company and its financial performance is available at https://www.thehartford.com. Follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TheHartford_PR.
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG) operates through its subsidiaries under the brand name, The Hartford, and is headquartered in Hartford, Conn. For additional details, please read The Hartford’s legal notice.
About JUST Capital
JUST Capital, an independent, nonprofit organization, aligns business practices with the priorities of the American people to ensure capitalism works for all. Our research, rankings, indexes, and data-driven tools help people make more informed decisions about where to invest, work, and buy to direct capital toward companies advancing a more just future. For additional information, visit: www.JUSTCapital.com.
About Forbes Media
The defining voice of entrepreneurial capitalism, Forbes champions success by celebrating those who have made it, and those who aspire to make it. Forbes convenes and curates the most-influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world. The Forbes brand today reaches more than 120 million people worldwide through its trusted journalism, signature LIVE events, custom marketing programs and 40 licensed local editions in 70 countries. Forbes Media’s brand extensions include real estate, education and financial services license agreements. For more information, visit: www.forbes.com/forbes-media/.
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Some of the statements in this release may be considered forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We caution investors that these forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results may differ materially. Investors should consider the important risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ. These important risks and uncertainties include those discussed in our 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Forms 10-Q, and the other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We assume no obligation to update this release, which speaks as of the date issued.
From time to time, The Hartford may use its website to disseminate material company information. Financial and other important information regarding The Hartford is routinely accessible through and posted on our website at https://ir.thehartford.com. In addition, you may automatically receive email alerts and other information about The Hartford when you enroll your email address by visiting the “Email Alerts” section at https://ir.thehartford.com.
