SRI INDEX IGNORES SIGNIFICANT VIOLATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS

A joint letter from several environmental non-governmental organisations to the JSE Limited challenging the integrity of the Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) Index, alleging that it includes companies that are serial offenders of environmental laws.

• Environmental NGOs argue that the JSE's SRI Index lacks integrity because several listed companies are "serious and serial offenders under environmental legislation," suggesting that the Index's verification systems are inadequate or its criteria fail to prioritize legal compliance.
• The document identifies multiple companies on the SRI Index with significant environmental violations, including Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium Limited, which was found to have 54 non-compliances in 2007 and continued to cause "serious harm" to the environment and public health as of 2009-10.
• Exxaro Resources, described as an "SRI best performer," is cited for operating multiple collieries—Arnot, Grootpan, Glisa South, and Mooifontein—without required integrated water use licences, which is a criminal offence under the National Water Act, 1998.
• Other listed companies with reported violations include Arcelor Mittal South Africa (unauthorised waste disposal and air pollution), Pretoria Portland Cement Company Limited (dust emission issues), DRD Gold Mining (National Water Act non-compliance), Gold Fields Limited (operating without a water use licence at Welkom mine), Mondi Ltd and plc (air and waste permit violations), Sappi (illegal waste disposal sites), and SASOL (hazardous substance spillage).
• The signatories call on the JSE to revise its SRI Index criteria to explicitly require legal compliance for all facilities and to mandate that companies disclose non-compliance with environmental legislation.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (2010). SRI INDEX IGNORES SIGNIFICANT VIOLATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Joint-letter-to-JSE-SRI-Dec-2010.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. SRI INDEX IGNORES SIGNIFICANT VIOLATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS. 2010. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Joint-letter-to-JSE-SRI-Dec-2010.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=SRI INDEX IGNORES SIGNIFICANT VIOLATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS |date=7 December 2010 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Joint-letter-to-JSE-SRI-Dec-2010.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{centreforenvironmentalrights2010sri, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{SRI INDEX IGNORES SIGNIFICANT VIOLATIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS}}, publisher = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, year = {2010}, month = dec, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Joint-letter-to-JSE-SRI-Dec-2010.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }