Socially conscious U.S. bond indexes launched

The launch of the first indexes to apply environmental, social and governance performance factors to a U.S. fixed-income asset class were announced today. The indexes are the KLD 1-3 Year U.S. Corporate Bond Index, KLD 1-5 Year U.S. Corporate Bond Index and KLD 1-10 Year U.S. Corporate Bond Index. The KLD U.S. Corporate Bond Index series is the product of collaboration by KLD Research & Analytics Inc. of Boston, Ryan ALM Inc. of New York and Mergent Inc. of Charlotte, N.C. “These bond indexes provide an additional asset class for investors wanting to integrate KLD’s [environmental, social and governance] factors into their fixed- income portfolios,” Peter Ellsworth, business development manager for KLD Indexes, said in a statement. “Our clients have made it clear that environmental, social and governance issues are as important to fixed-income investors as they are to equity investors.”