Amman Stock Exchange joins United Nations initiative for sustainable and transparent capital markets and raises awareness for gender equality

10 March 2016

(10 March 2016, Amman, Jordan) The Amman Stock Exchange (ASE) expressed its commitment to promoting socially and environmentally responsible business and sustainable investment by joining the United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative as a Partner Exchange. ASE is the 49th stock exchange to partner with this initiative which works with capital market leaders and policymakers to create sustainable and transparent capital markets. “The Amman Stock Exchange is pleased to join the SSE initiative and we look forward to working in cooperation with the SSE experts and with our stakeholders in Jordan to improve sustainability practices within our listed companies and making greater impact on the investment community,” Mr. Nader Azar, CEO of the Amman Stock Exchange said. “The ASE fully supports and understands the benefits that socially and environmentally responsible business and sustainable investments provide,” he added. In addition to announcing their commitment, the ASE participated in the SSE’s annual “Ring the Bell for Gender Equality” awareness raising event last week. Along with more than 30 exchanges world-wide, the Amman Stock Exchange raised awareness in the Jordanian market by ringing the market opening bell in the name of gender equality. “Hosting this celebration comes in the belief of the importance of raising awareness of gender equality in the field of sustainable development and economic activity. This celebration also aims at raising awareness of the importance of promoting gender equality in the private sector as well as encouraging business leaders around the world to make serious steps to empower women in the work place and society.” “The percentage of women’s contribution to the work force of the ASE has risen from 15% since establishing the ASE in 1999, to more than 48% today.  Also, women hold more than 28% of the leadership positions in the executive management of the ASE,” Mr. Azar said. Find out more about the Ring the Bell for Gender Equality events, including a list of all exchanges that participated here. These annual awareness-raising bell-ringing ceremonies are co-organized by the Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) initiative, the UN Global Compact, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), UN Women, Women in ETFs and the World Federation of Exchanges (WFE). Amman Stock Exchange joins a total of 49 stock exchanges that have now committed to helping create sustainable and transparent capital markets by becoming an SSE Partner Exchange.

About the SSE

​The SSE initiative is a UN Partnership Programme organised by UNCTAD, the UN Global Compact, UNEP FI and the PRI. The SSE’s mission is to provide a global platform for exploring how exchanges, in collaboration with investors, companies (issuers), regulators, policymakers and relevant international organizations, can enhance performance on ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) issues and encourage sustainable investment, including the financing of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The SSE seeks to achieve this mission through an integrated programme of conducting evidence-based policy analysis, facilitating a network and forum for multi-stakeholder consensus-building, and providing technical assistance and advisory services.