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Daiwa Securities to Begin Sales of the UBS Global Equity 40 Investment Trust Fund focusing on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) 
 
23 October 2003
Press Release
Daiwa Securities Co. Ltd.
 

Daiwa Securities began sales of the UBS Global Equity 40 investment trust fund today.  This fund focuses on the degree of implementation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) by large blue-chip companies in majordeveloped nations around the world and selects about 40 companies whose stock prices can be expected to increase over the medium- to long-term.

The Daiwa Securities Group undertakes "brand management" in order to build the trust of all its stakeholders.  Based on this brand management, the Group promotes activities intended to lead to the development of a sustainable society, taking into consideration the impact of its own activities in the economic, social, and environmental spheres.¹

As a part of those activities, the Daiwa Securities Group uses the unique characteristics of the securities business, the Group's core business, to provide opportunities to investors in Japan to engage in socially responsible investment (SRI) by investing in shares from the perspective of CSR.

The UBS Global Equity 40 that Daiwa Securities began selling today is the company's second SRI fund, following the Global Eco Growth Fund (popularly known as "Mrs. Green")², an "eco-fund."  The UBS Global Equity 40 takes into consideration not only companies' environmental performance when selecting stocks, but also evaluates the companies' consideration of social aspects, including stockholders, employees, consumers, and local communities.

Main Features of the UBS Global Equity 40³

• The fund is operated by UBS Global Asset Management (Japan) Ltd. Investments are made in stocks of large blue-chip companies in major developed nations around the world.
• When selecting investments, emphasis is placed on the difference between market price and investment value, taking into consideration stock prices and financial strength including growth potential, product competitiveness, and profit rates over the medium- to long-term.  Investments are made in about 40 companies whose stock prices can be expected to increase.
• Reference is made to the structure of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World), and investments are selected taking into consideration the degree of implementation of corporate social responsibility.⁴

1.	For further information concerning the actions of the Daiwa Securities Group regarding the development of a sustainable society, refer to the Sustainability Report 2003 available at: http://www.ir.daiwa.co.jp/index_aboutus8.asp
2.	"Mrs. Green" was established in June 2001 and is managed by Daiwa SB Investments Ltd.
3.	Further information is available in the UBS Global Equity 40 prospectus (Japanese only).
4.	DJSI World is a representative SRI stock index. It currently comprises 317 companies from around the world. Daiwa Securities Group Inc. has been one of the constituent companies for five consecutive years since 1999.

Daiwa Securities Group Inc: http://www.ir.daiwa.co.jp/pdf/pr031023.html