This morning (29.11), the bell to open trading on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) was heard at Tel Aviv’ Hanger 11 at the Maala International Conference for promting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
The event was opened in the presence of the Minister for Strategic Affairs, Gilad Erdan, who said: “Within the Palestinian Authority too, Israeli organizations can play a central role in creating business opportunities, in the penetration of advanced technologies and in environmental challenges, and this could lead to sustainable peace in the region. The basis for true peace is not a scrap of paper; peace will be achieved by people and professional business people might perhaps be the channel for this”.
During the conference, two SRI bond indices were launched for the first time on TASE: the “Tel Bond-CPI-Linked Maala” Index and the “Tel Bond-Shekel Maala” Index.
Momo Mahadav, CEO of the Maala organization, said: “The Maala indices are a win-win opportunity: not only does the company get an excellent return for its investment, but it is also contributing to CSR alongside the largest companies in the Israeli economy”.
Ittai Ben-Zeev, CEO of TASE, announced: “In a first, TASE is today launching 2 indices (a CPI-linked index and a shekel index) for the bonds of companies demonstrating CSR. These indices join the existing Maala Equity Index to create a family of CSR indices at TASE. With the launch of these indices, TASE is strengthening the important link between the capital market and the community. The new indices will expand the variety of products that TASE can offer investors and they are expected to attract interest also from international investors, especially in markets where there is a high awareness of the SRI investments sector”.
Among the leading players from the Israel economy who attended the event were: Micky Adiv, chairperson of Maala; Ittai Ben-Zeev, CEO of TASE; Shelly Landsmann, CEO of Microsoft Israel; Anat Gabriel, CEO of Unilever Israel; Ofer Bloch, CEO of Israel Electric Corporation; Jonathan Pantanowitz, CEO of 3M Israel; Avner Maimon, CEO of Oil Refineries; Esther Eldan, CEO of Delek; Avner Hadar, CEO of Kessem-Excellence; Avinoam Sapir, CEO of Teva Israel; Michal Dan-Harel, CEO of Manpower; Nissim Peretz, CEO of Netivei Yisrael; and Ophir Guttman, CEO of Procter & Gamble Israel.
