Nedbank Capital Launches South Africa's first Green Index

Media release 28 July 2011 Nedbank Capital Launches South Africa’s first Green Index Helping contribute towards the development of a green economy by Making Things Happen Nedbank Capital has launched South Africa’s first Green Index which serves as a benchmark for environmentally -conscious investors.  The Index has the potential to become the industry standard in measuring performance of companies with environmentally sustainable business practices. Nedbank’s commitment to environmental preservation is illustrated through this initiative which tracks the performance of companies selected on environmental criteria primarily including carbon and climate change risks and opportunities. The Nedbank Green Index is a strategic fit with Nedbank’s desire to be a leader in the sustainability space and a key contributor to the Green Economy. It will allow clients who share Nedbank’s aspirations in the Green space to demonstrate this in their investments. Jacoleen Simpson, senior transactor at Nedbank Capital says “We are proud to be able to launch South Africa’s first Green Index which demonstrates our commitment as a bank to deliver innovative products in the green space. Furthermore, our work on the Nedbank Green Index has shown that taking the environment into account in investing can also make sense from a financial perspective. Investing responsibly does not have to come at a cost in performance for the investor.” The index is rules-based with a clear, transparent methodology based on objective and independent data. The index will be verified by an independent calculation agent on an ongoing basis with daily values published on data service providers such as I-net, Bloomberg and Reuters. To ensure the objectivity of Nedbank’s Green Index, the Index is built on the Carbon Disclosure Project (“CDP”) database and the UN-register of Clean Development Mechanism (“CDM”) projects in South Africa. The CDP is an independent not-for-profit organisation, based in the United Kingdom, which holds the largest database of corporate climate change commitment and action in the world. The CDP has 551 institutional investors as signatories representing over $71 trillion in assets under management. CDM projects based in South Africa are also incorporated into the rules-based methodology as these represent demonstrable commitments from companies to reducing their carbon impact and growing the Green Economy. The Index combines these environmental credentials, with liquidity screening criteria, to create an investable index. Unlike other South African indices currently available, it uses environmental along with liquidity criteria to select constituents and weights these constituents according to environmental performance. This distinguishes it from the JSE’s SRI Index which selects constituents based on environmental, social and governance criteria and thereafter weights constituents based on their market capitalisation. The premise for the Index is that companies who are better positioned for a changing environment are better suited to sustain their future performance and should, over the long-run, outperform their peers. Back-testing of the Index has shown that the Index can outperform the market, as it has done for the past three years – by more than 20%. While the performance of the Nedbank Green Index in relation to the market may vary in the future, what this demonstrates is that investing based on environmental criteria does not have to cost investors in performance. In a single stroke, investors can confidently invest for their own futures and that of our planet. The Index will provide a platform for companies to show off their green credentials and hopefully the Index will encourage other companies to implement more environmentally-sustainable business practices. At present, the Index can be freely utilised as a benchmark for environmentally-conscious investors and it can be directly invested in by local and international institutional investors through segregated portfolios managed by NedGroup Securities. Nedbank is also in the process of gaining the necessary approvals to list an Exchange-Traded Fund over the Nedbank Green Index, which will provide easy, low-cost access for retail and institutional investors. The ETF will be the second to be launched in the BettaBeta ETF series. Simpson concludes, “By launching this Index, we hope to expand the investment landscape in South Africa for Green products and allow everyone to invest in the future, environmental as well as financial!” Contact Details: Nedbank Group Communications Sizwekazi Jekwa, Senior Communications Manager          sizwekazij@nedbank.co.za +27 11 294 1306 +27 82 883 4231

Photography competition - Show Us Your Africa! Acacia Africa Offers Front Cover Brochure Slot To One Lucky Adventurer...

Acacia Africa have a fantastic opportunity for budding travel
photographers as the winning image will be printed on 100,000 copies of
their next brochure, appearing in 20 countries worldwide. There is also
an overland tour up for grabs - the winner taking away a 6- day African
Insight overland expedition. Here's a link to the terms and conditions -
http://acacia-africa.com/Competitions.html

News release
23 June 2011

Acacia Africa Launch "Show Us Your Africa" Photography Competition

Africa is a photographer's paradise, and now travellers can put their
camera skills to good use, as Acacia Africa is offering one lucky snap
happy adventurer the chance to feature their ultimate shot on the front
cover of the forthcoming 2012 brochure.

The tour operator always goes to great lengths when it comes to be
choosing the most eye-catching image, and this year will be no
different, the short listed pictures working their way around the London
and Cape Town offices before the final vote is cast.

A highly prized opportunity, the winner will have their photo printed on
over 100,000 copies, Acacia Africa's brochure appearing in 20 countries,
worldwide. Aside from the obvious bragging rights, there's an even
bigger incentive to enter, as the star photographer will also take away
a free 6-day African Insight overland expedition worth £315pp (excluding
local payment and return flight) courtesy of the tour operator.

Heath Ashcroft, Marketing Director of Acacia Africa, comments, "Africa
tends to attract a genuinely adventurous bunch of travellers, so we're
expecting some pretty wild entries. And with numerous adrenaline fueled
locations on offer, we're not ruling out more extreme photography!"

Entrants will need to submit a high-resolution (minimum 300 DPI)
portrait photograph that captures the essence of Africa, and at the same
time attracts people to pick up the brochure. Images should be sent to
competition@acacia-africa.com. The full list of Terms & Conditions is
available to view on the Acacia Africa website.

-ends-

Acacia Africa: 020 7706 4700; info@acacia-africa.com; www.acacia-
africa.com. ATOL No. 6499 and ABTA No. W4093 PROTECTED. Follow Acacia
Africa on Facebook® & Twitter®. For all press enquiries please contact
tion London on 020 8180 1614 or email media@tionlondon.co.uk.

Editors' Notes: By submitting your image for entry, and if your image is
selected to feature on the front our new brochure, you give Acacia
Africa the rights to the images, to use and reformat the photograph in
any way. The winner will be notified by email. Closing date for entries
01 August 2011. The prize, African Insight (NAI6) must be taken before
01 July 2012. Prize excludes local payment(s) and return flight. Normal
booking terms and conditions apply. Subject to availability.

Siobhán Kindness
creative partner
020 8180 1614/020 8180 1585 (VoIP)
Skype: tionpr
YM: tionlondon

www.tionlondon.co.uk
'only words can take you there'

WHALE WATCHING onboard ADVANTAGE CHARTER

Dear All

 

We are blessed with SUCH awesome ocean conditions at the moment….PLEASE don't let the clouds on windfinder put you off, the clients are having a great time with us, they come back SO satisfied, this will ensure so many return visitors to our town….the sightings is amazing – I wish I had a HUGE SHIP that I can just take you ALL out there so that you can also experience this, as it is amazing, and many returning from the ocean very emotional about what they saw….

 

We have found over many years now , that after a whale trip on ADVANTAGE we have the same family coming back 2/3 times before the end of the season in as people go home and tell their family what they have experienced.

 

The WHALES remain one of our biggest draw cards this time of the year. As the ocean conditions is today , tomorrow and the next day we can even take little toddlers.

 

We expect winds and rough seas only again by late Sunday night and next Monday, so please encourage your clients to come with us. It will be a guarantee on a return customers for yourselves and us!

 

HIPPO BOAT CRUISE - ……….what can I say – ALWAYS a WINNER!!!!!!

 

Stay in touch, we are here to assist!

 

Bestest Regards

Riette and Joey and the ever willing and enthusiastic Advantage Crew

 

 

ADVANTAGE TOURS IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT THEY ARE ALSO NOW THE LEGAL boat-based-whale-watching PERMIT HOLDER IN DURBAN as well as in ST LUCIA - DURBAN details below

 

BEST REGARDS
Riëtte Bennett for
St.Lucia Tours & Charters t/a Advantage Cruiser CC
e-mail for St Lucia :  advantage@zululink.co.za

e-mail for Durban: whalewatchingdurban@gmail.com

 

web :    www.advantagetours.co.za - NEW UPDATED VERSION  - EXCITING - PLEASE CHECK IT OUT!!!!

SEE OUR FACEBOOK SITES - ADVANTAGE TOURS SOUTH AFRICA 

Tel   : +27 ( 035 ) 5901259

Fax  : +27 ( 035 ) 5901053

Cell for St Lucia : 083 487 2762

Cell for Durban : 082 329 9890

Box 151, St Lucia,South Africa 3936
1 McKenzie Street,  St Lucia 3936, ** corner of St Lucia Supermarket  ,the very first building and  the very first information office as you enter the town of St Lucia after crossing the bridge , at the traffic circle find parking immediately on the right (next to PEP stores) **

our GPS co-ordinates are :: S28 22. 335 E32 24. 773   ....St Lucia Village South Africa - ST LUCIA  - PLACE OF WONDER!

Click here to view Advantage's New Video on YouTube!

 

CONTACT US FOR THE FOLLOWING :

 

WHALE WATCHING ( the legal permit holder currently in St Lucia and Durban ), HIPPO & CROC BOAT CRUISES ( aboard the luxurious ADVANTAGE CRUISER ), DEEPSEA BIG GAME FISHING, iMFOLOZi /HLUHLUWE GAME RESERVE TRIPS, CAPE VIDAL SNORKEL SAFARIS, TURTLE TOURS, OCEAN ADVENTURE for DOLPHINS and other MARINE MAMMALS , HORSE RIDING , KAYAKING , with experienced skipper/guides Danie, Bien and Berno and lady skipper/guides Riëtte Bennett and Natasha.