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More Companies in Emerging Markets Create Corporate Governance Websites English-speaking investors and stakeholders can investigate the environmental, social, and governance policies of an increasing pool of large cap-companies headquartered in 11 Central and Eastern European (CEE) Countries finds the tenth semi-annual Survey of Reporting on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) released by the Partners for Financial Stability (PFS) Program.

Annual reports and websites of the ten largest listed companies in Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia were examined by the PFS to find disclosure practices. The PFS also examined similar companies in the Ukraine, and in Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC) to create a peer group of emerging market companies.

PFS found that, following the trend of previous PFS surveys, there is growing online disclosure of ESG information offered in English, specifically in the social policy arena. However, more information on corporate environmental policies needs to be released in CEE companies' annual reports. Overall, the companies in BRIC had more English language websites and provided more disclosures than CEE companies. As of April 15, 2008, 26% of CEE companies offered online ESG reports in English while 42.5% of BRIC companies offered ESG reports online in English.

New Social Awareness Index Started Investors have a new tool to screen for socially responsible companies with the May 1 launch of Credit Suisse's Social Awareness Index. The list of companies was created using Innovest Strategic Value Advisors' Global Plus Screen applied to Credit Suisse HOLT database of international companies. The Innovest screen is based on the 10 principles of the United Nations Global Compact, which cover anti-corruption, environment, human rights, and labor standards.

Credit Suisse furthermore applied factors from its HOLT database to select companies for the index, including operational quality, cash flow valuation, and market sentiment.

Nine More Countries Added to MicroPlace Mexico, Peru, and South Africa have been added to the countries investors can invest in at MicroPlace. MicroPlace offers online microfinance investment opportunities for investors to help the working poor in twenty countries while generating financial returns. Investments with MicroPlace have generated 20,000 loans all over the world since it started in October 2007.

Brazil, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Paraguay, and Kazakhstan have also been added to countries MicroPlace invests with. Other countries served by MicroPlace include India, Azerbaijan, Bolivia, Cambodia, Ecuador, Georgia, Ghana, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Nicaragua, and Tanzania.

MicroPlace is a wholly-owned subsidiary of eBay (ticker: EBAY).

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