In 2005, RTL Group was taken into the FTSE4Good Index for the first time and has remained in it ever since. To guarantee the independence of company assessments, the FTSE works together with the Ethical Investment Research Service (EIRIS), an independent body that conducts research into companies' social, environmental and ethical activities. When assessing companies, EIRIS uses international, globally recognised rules of conduct.

Created by the independent financial index company FTSE Group, FTSE4Good is a financial index series that is designed to identify and facilitate investment in companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards. Companies in the FTSE4Good Index Series are doing more to manage their social, ethical and environmental impacts, and are better positioned to capitalise on the benefits of responsible business practice. Some companies that have been deleted from the FTSE4Good Index include Toshiba Tec and Western Union.