NSE launches Nifty500 Ahimsa Index: a new benchmark for animal-welfare-aligned companies

NSE Indices Limited, the index services subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange, has announced the launch of the Nifty500 Ahimsa Index, a new thematic index that tracks companies from the Nifty 500 universe aligning with the principles of ‘Ahimsa,’ or non-violence.

The index is designed for investors seeking exposure to companies that follow business practices aligned with animal welfare considerations. It was developed in collaboration with the Ahimsagain Foundation under its Ahimsa Investment Movement, or AIM, framework, which uses an ethical screening process to identify eligible companies.

Under the AIM framework, companies are assessed based on their products, services and overall business practices, and classified into three categories: Green, Orange and Red. Only companies placed in the Green category are eligible for inclusion in the index, while those classified under Orange and Red are excluded, according to ANI.

NSE Indices said the launch reflects growing demand for thematic and responsible investment products that combine market exposure with specific sustainability and ethical considerations. ‘The index offers market participants a transparent, rules-based benchmark that integrates ethical considerations with broad-based equity market exposure,’ the company said.

The Nifty500 Ahimsa Index will comprise companies selected from the diversified Nifty 500 universe, allowing representation across sectors while applying the Ahimsa-based screening criteria. It has a base date of April 1, 2016, with a base value of 1,000, and its constituents will be reviewed and rebalanced semi-annually, with stock weights determined based on free-float market capitalisation.