December 18, 2000

 

FORD MOTOR CO. ADDS 1ST SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT OPTION TO ITS 401K PLAN
Domini Social Equity Fund Selected for Nation’s 9th-Largest Defined Contribution Plan

 

 

New York, NY – Domini Social Investments LLC (DSIL), the manager of the Domini Social Equity Fund (DSEF) (Ticker: DSEFX), announced today that the DSEF has been added as an investment option in Ford Motor Company’s (Ticker: F) 401k Plan. The Fund is now available to all Ford employees, both hourly and salaried. Ford’s 401k Plan is the 9th largest defined contribution plan in the country, according to Pension and Investments, with more than $20 billion in assets. The DSEF will be the first socially responsible investment option to be offered to Ford’s employees.

 

“We are excited to be providing a socially responsible investment option to Ford’s 86,000 employees, ” said Amy Domini, Founder and Managing Principal, Domini Social Investments. “Our presence in some of the largest 401k plans in the world is a further example of the tremendous growth of social investing. Individuals from all walks of society are now seeking to align their investments with their values. We are pleased to be able to meet this demand and to assist individuals meet both their financial goals and their broader goals for society and the environment.”

"Last fall, the UAW expressed interest in adding socially responsible investment options to the Ford Tax-Efficient Savings Plan for Hourly Employees (TESPHE). Ford reviewed several socially responsible funds and are pleased to offer the Domini Social Equity Fund in TESPHE, as well as the savings plan available to our salaried employees, the Savings and Stock Investment Plan," says Lee Mezza, Manager Direct Compensation and Benefits at Ford.

 

The Domini Social Equity Fund is the oldest socially and environmentally screened index fund in the world, and the largest socially responsible mutual fund in the country, with $1.7 billion in assets. The Fund’s recent asset growth has been fueled by an increased demand for socially responsible options in corporate 401k plans, with retirement plans representing approximately 30% of new assets over the past year. The Fund has been recently added to several of the nation’s largest 401k plans, and is available through some of the largest retirement plan distributors in the country, including American Express, Charles Schwab, Fidelity Investments, Manulife Financial and Putnam Investments.

 

The Domini Social Equity Fund is a no-load, large-capitalization domestic equity index fund that tracks the Domini 400 Social Index, a widely recognized benchmark for socially responsible investors. It is composed of the stocks of 400 companies that pass Domini’s broad-based social and environmental screens. The Index includes companies with positive records in community involvement, the environment, diversity and employee relations. It excludes companies that derive significant revenues from alcohol, tobacco, gambling, nuclear power and weapons contracting.

 

Average Annual Total Return (as of 6-30-00)
	1 Year	5 Year	Since Inception (6/3/91)
Domini Social Equity Fund	7.02%	24.31%	18.25%
S&P 500	7.24%	23.80%	18.21%

New York-based Domini Social Investments manages more than $2.0 billion in assets for individual and institutional investors who want to integrate social and environmental criteria into their investment decisions. In addition to the firm's flagship fund, the Domini Social Equity Fund, Domini also offers an intermediate term bond fund and an FDIC-insured community development money market account through its partnership with ShoreBank, the oldest and largest community development bank in the country.

 

 

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Total Return for the Domini Social Equity Fund is based on the Fund's net asset values and assumes all dividends and capital gains were reinvested. The chart above comprises actual mutual fund performance after all expenses. The Fund waived certain fees during the period and the Fund's average annual total returns would have been lower had these not been waived. The Domini Social Equity Fund and the Domini Social Bond Fund are subject to market risks and are not insured. Economic and market conditions change, and both will cause investment return, principal value, and yield to fluctuate. You may lose money. The Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 Index is an unmanaged index of common stocks. Investors cannot invest directly in the S&P 500 Index. Some of the Domini Social Bond Fund's community development investments may be lower rated or unrated and may subject the Fund to more credit risk than other types of debt instruments. Although the Fund is no-load, additional fees and expenses apply to a continued investment and are described in the prospectus. Neither Ford, nor any of its affiliates has received any compensation for use of its name herein. Please obtain a prospectus, containing more information on fees and expenses, by calling 1-800-762-6814 or visit our website at www.domini.com. Read it carefully before you invest or send money. DSIL Investment Services LLC, Distributor (DSILD). DSILD and ShoreBank are not affiliated. 09/00

 

 

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