Corporate Social Responsibility

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2.08.2007 - 01:50pm ET

CSR News from:	Innovest Strategic Value Advisors, Inc.
News Categories:	Ratings & Awards
	Environment

New Innovest Report Reveals Value at Risk from Toxic Chemicals in Company Products

(CSRwire) Electronics, cosmetics, and pesticide manufacturers are among the many companies that could face loss of market share and access to major markets due to "toxic lockouts" according to a new report just issued by Innovest Strategic Value Advisors, Inc. The International investment research firm examines this double-sided issue as well as other risks in four industry sectors (Household and Personal Care Products, Multi-Line Retail, Healthcare Equipment and Supplies and Household Durables) in their most recent analysis just released today.

Innovest’s report, Cross-Cutting Effects of Chemical Liability from Products, offers a pioneering analysis comparing companies’ chemical management policies. "This is an issue for the value investor" said Senior Analyst Heather Langsner. "Those concerned with the long-term viability of the brand and future competitive value of these and other large cap firms will need this information to understand potential challenges to companies retaining and maintaining market share for their products."

The following is a list of the companies highlighted in this report. All research and ratings reports are available for purchase for $195 each. The Diversified Chemicals Sector Report is available for $10,000. The sector report including IVA reports, as well as access to senior analysts is $15,000. For additional reports and purchasing information, please visit csrwire.com/reports/independent.

Companies Mentioned in Report – Research and Ratings Reports Available
Chemical Companies	Electronics	Personal Care	Healthcare	Multi-Line Retail	Household Durables
DuPont	Apple	Procter & Gamble	Medtronic	Wal-Mart Stores, Inc	Philips Electronics KON
Potash	Sony	L'Oreal	Baxter International Inc	Target Corp	Matsushita Electric Industrial Company
Agrium	Intel	Reckitt Benckiser PLC	Boston Scientific Corp	EBay	Sony Corp
Syngenta		Colgate-Palmolive Company	Stryker Corp	Wal-Mart e MEX SA De CV	Nintendo Company Limited
Dow		Kimberly-Clark Corp	Zimmer Holdings Inc	Sears Holdings Corp	Sharp Corp.
		Henkel AG	Becton, Dickinson & Company	Costco Wholesale Corp.	Fortune Brands Inc
		Avon Products Inc	Luxottica	Marks & Spencer Group PLC	Garmin Limited
		Beiersdorf AG	Synthes Inc	Kohls Corp.	LG Electronics Inc
		Kao Corp.	Saint Jude Medical Inc	Metro AG	Newell Rubbermaid Inc
					Whirlpool Corp.
					Harman International Industries Inc
					Casio Computer Company Limited
					Black & Decker Corp.

On the upside, growing consumer and market interest in "safer chemicals" is spurring the development of new markets for higher value added and differentiated products. Companies such as Herman Miller, Steelcase, and Marks and Spencer are differentiating themselves in the marketplace with safer products. Chemical companies like DuPont are also entering the green chemistry space, winning recognition for new products even as they face continuing liability and market exclusion risks for their older product lines.

Innovest cites new laws and regulations in California and Europe as driving market transformation. The report also comments that Wal-Mart “will fundamentally alter the marketplace this year by announcing a chemicals screening policy for all its suppliers.” This and other private sector environmentally preferable purchasing programs are likely to create economies of scale that bring down the costs of safer alternative products.

Innovest’s report was commissioned by investment managers representing $22 billion in shareholder assets, who are collaborating as the Investor Environmental Health Network (IEHN) to encourage companies to adopt safer chemicals policies. Ten shareholder resolutions were filed in the 2006 proxy season and 13 have been filed for the 2007 season.

Copies of the report can be found here. For further information listen to an interview with Ms. Langsner on the “online media” page at www.iehn.org.

For more information please contact:

Peter Wilkes
Innovest
212.421.2000 x216

Doug Fulton
CSRwire
802.251.0110 x1107

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