JUST 100 Index Outperforms Russell 1000 by 13.7% Since Launch

As of Dec. 30, 2022, the JUST 100 Index (JUONE) that tracks the top 100 ranked companies on the issues that Americans consider most important outperformed the Russell 1000 by 13.3% since inception in November 2016. The survey on which the rankings are based finds wide agreement on the principles of stakeholder capitalism across the demographic and political spectrums.

Based on the issues considered most important to Americans in JUST Capital’s annual surveys, the top 10 JUST companies in the index this year are Bank of America, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Accenture, Truist, Verizon, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Apple, Intel, and JPMorgan Chase. Click here for the complete list.

The JUST 100 Index has outperformed the Russell 1000 by 13.3% since its inception in November 2016, results similar to the six-year Engaged Company Stock Index mock EFT produced by McBassi Inc. for the Enterprise Engagement Alliance, which outperformed the S&P 500 by more than 37% over six years.

The stocks in the JUST ETF (exchange-traded fund) managed by Goldman Sachs are selected based on the issues ranked highest among an annual survey of about 3,000 Americans across all demographic and political spectrums. Click here the complete rankings, with detailed breakdowns for each stakeholder metric.

According to the JUST announcement, “over the last seven years, worker issues have consistently commanded the highest priority among the 20 stakeholder-related issues we measure, and this year is no different…Four of the five worker Issues – including paying a fair, living wage, supporting workforce training, protecting worker health and safety, and providing benefits and work-life balance – are among the top six priorities of the public, and the collective prioritization of all five worker issues comprise 44% of a company’s score this year.”

The survey finds broad support for companies that invest in their people and act ethically. Beyond that, there is no indication in the survey that Americans want companies to get involved in political or social issues other than to act responsibly.

“Despite the ongoing political polarization in the US, Americans are united when it comes to just business behavior. Among every demographic group – liberal, conservative, high-income, low-income, men, women, young generations, older generations, and white, Black, and Hispanic Americans – the worker stakeholders are the top priority. And for each of these demographic groups, the most important issue is it pays workers fairly and offers a living wage that covers the cost of basic needs at the local level, which comprises a significant 21.2% of companies’ scores in this year’s rankings. As more industries implement layoffs and fears of a 2023 recession loom, it’s also important to note that the second most important issue that powered significant shifts in the rankings model is creating jobs in the US and providing employment opportunities for communities that need them.

According to the report, the JUST 100 companies not only outperform their competitors in turns of higher profits and return on equity but contribute more to the economy in terms of jobs created, pay levels, professional development, paid parental leave, fewer workplace incidents, less pollution, and more respect for privacy.

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