# Cathay Financial Holdings Extends Streak on Dow Jones' Best-in-Class World Index, and Emerging Markets Index

- Link: https://www.thailand-business-news.com/pr-news/cathay-financial-holdings-extends-streak-on-dow-jones-best-in-class-world-index-and-emerging-markets-index
- Published: 2026-05-04T18:17:00+07:00
- Author: PR Newswire

Its ESG Score ranks in the top 2% of the global insurance industry, driving ESG 
leadership through Climate, Health and Empowerment.

TAIPEI, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Cathay Financial Holdings (Cathay FHC) has reinforced
its position as a global sustainability leader, securing inclusion in the Dow Jones
Best-in-Class Indices (DJBIC, formerly DJSI) World Index for the eighth consecutive
year and the Emerging Markets Index for the eleventh. Cathay FHC has been recognized
as a Top 5% Member in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2026. Notably, its 
ESG Score ranks in the top 2% of the global insurance industry, outperforming 98%
of its international peers and highlighting its ability to translate ESG execution
into a measurable competitive advantage.

The ranking highlights Cathay FHC’s strength across core governance and risk disciplines,
with full scores in areas including Transparency & Reporting, Risk & Crisis Management,
Policy Influence, Information Security, Sustainable Finance, Human Rights, Financial
Inclusion, Customer Relations and Privacy Protection. Strong performance in Climate
Strategy, Labor Practices, and Human Capital Management further signals a shift 
beyond compliance toward embedding sustainability into capital allocation and long-
term value creation.

Cathay FHC’s strategy is anchored in three pillars—Climate, Health, and Empowerment—
through which it is scaling its influence across the financial ecosystem. The company
has established a Corporate Sustainability Committee under the Board of Directors
as a functional committee to strengthen sustainable governance. The Committee oversees
the executive-level ESG Strategy Committee and its six task forces, which are responsible
for implementing sustainability initiatives.

On climate, the group is leveraging its balance sheet and investment capabilities
to accelerate the low-carbon transition, influencing companies responsible for more
than 200 million tons of annual carbon emissions to commit to net-zero targets, 
while advancing ESG disclosure standards across supply chains. Its subsidiaries,
including Cathay Life Insurance, Cathay United Bank, Cathay Century Insurance and
Cathay Securities were all named to the Taiwan Stock Exchange’s List of Institutional
Investors with Better Stewardship Disclosure 2025.

The company is expanding its presence in renewable energy and climate finance, further
strengthening its sustainability impact. Its banking and insurance arms were early
movers in financing and investing in solar and offshore wind projects, while actively
engaging with global initiatives such as RE100 and Climate Action 100+. Cathay Financial
Holdings has stepped up its engagement with major global climate forums, maintaining
a continuous presence at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP) since 2021. President
Chang-Ken Lee has also been invited for three consecutive years to the World Climate
Summit to present Asia-focused perspectives on climate finance.

In addition, in 2025, Cathay FHC further integrated biodiversity and natural capital
into its decision-making processes and announced its endorsement of the Belém Investor
Statement on Tropical Forests, demonstrating its support for global forest conservation
efforts.

Beyond climate, Cathay FHC is extending its impact through financial health initiatives.
Cathay Life Insurance has advanced its "Wellness" brand value since 2024, investing
over NT$200 million to build "Wellness" promotion mechanisms, while embedding incentive-
based wellness features across its health insurance portfolio to incorporate preventive
care into customers’ daily lives. Its annual "Every Step Counts" campaign has drawn
nearly one million participants, collectively logged over 272.7 billion steps and
contributed more than NT$28 million to charitable causes nationwide.

Serving more than 60% of Taiwan’s population, the group is deploying integrated 
insurance, banking and asset management capabilities to enhance financial resilience.
Its efforts span financial literacy, inclusive product design and anti-fraud infrastructure,
where a multi-layered defense framework has delivered tangible results in fraud 
prevention, reinforcing trust in the financial system. Cathay United Bank prevented
over 2,000 fraud cases in 2025, averting more than NT$1.7 billion in losses, according
to the latest statistics from Taiwan’s National Police Agency.

On empowerment, Cathay FHC is advancing both workforce and societal inclusion as
a driver of sustainable growth. Internally, it promotes a "Place for All" culture
focused on workplace inclusion, supported by progressive workforce policies that
address demographic and generational shifts. In 2025, its "Employee Engagement Survey"
reached new highs in overall satisfaction, while retention within one year after
parental leave approached 90%. The company was also recognized for the seventh time
as one of Asia’s Best Employers, underscoring sustained external validation of its
workplace strategy.

Externally, the group continues to invest in youth and women’s empowerment through
education, entrepreneurship, and sports development, expanding its long-term social
impact footprint.

Looking ahead, Cathay FHC is deepening its focus on low-carbon investment and financing,
product innovation, and international engagement. By aligning its financial capabilities
with global sustainability agendas, the company is positioning itself not only as
a participant, but as a catalyst in Asia’s transition toward a net-zero economy—
while strengthening its role as a benchmark institution in sustainable finance.

[⌊Cathay Financial Holdings extends its streak on the Dow Jones’ Best-in-Class World
Index, and Emerging Markets Index, recognized as a Top 5% Member in the S&P Global
Sustainability Yearbook 2026. Notably, its ESG Score ranks in the top 2% of the 
global insurance industry, advancing ESG leadership through its climate, health 
and empowerment strategy. (Resource: Cathay Financial Holdings)⌉⌊Cathay Financial
Holdings extends its streak on the Dow Jones’ Best-in-Class World Index, and Emerging
Markets Index, recognized as a Top 5% Member in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook
2026. Notably, its ESG Score ranks in the top 2% of the global insurance industry,
advancing ESG leadership through its climate, health and empowerment strategy. (
Resource: Cathay Financial Holdings)⌉[
Cathay Financial Holdings extends its streak
on the Dow Jones’ Best-in-Class World Index, and Emerging Markets Index, recognized
as a Top 5% Member in the S&P Global Sustainability Yearbook 2026. Notably, its 
ESG Score ranks in the top 2% of the global insurance industry, advancing ESG leadership
through its climate, health and empowerment strategy. (Resource: Cathay Financial
Holdings)

 

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