Tesla removed from S&P 500 ESG Index, prompting Musk fury

FILE PHOTO: The logo of car manufacturer Tesla is seen at a dealership in London, Britain, May 14, 2021. REUTERS/Matthew Childs/File Photo/File Photo

(Reuters) -S&P Dow Jones Indices has removed electric carmaker Tesla Inc from its widely-followed S&P 500 ESG Index, citing issues, including racial discrimination claims and crashes linked to its autopilot vehicles, a move that prompted harsh tweets from Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday.

The back-and-forth underscores the widening debate about the metrics used to judge corporate performance on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, a growing area of investing.