Words by Smiley Team
Based on an assessment of over 8,000 companies, Corporate Knights’ Global 100 ranking reveals which businesses have been making the most effort to become ethically and environmentally sustainable. Using a set of 24 indicators the media and research company selected 46 corporations based in Europe, 33 in the US, 18 in Asia, two in South America, and one in Africa. Here are the top ten companies to make the ranking.
Operating a railway network across Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States, CN is determined in its pursuit of sustainability across the board. From gender equality among its workers to reducing its carbon footprint, the company is highly conscious of its social and environmental impact.
Another corporation offering services to the US and Canada, public utility company American Water also prioritises social and environmental sustainability. They have reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 32 per cent, nearing their target of 40 per cent by 2025, and from their staff, over half of promotions and transfers went to minority, female and veteran or disabled workers.
Based in Finland, Metso Outotec provides technology and services to mining, aggregates, recycling and metal refining industries. Their sustainability strategy aims at limiting global warming to under 1.5°C and they strive to improve their ‘handprint’, the positive impact they have on the planet and people; while reducing their footprint, their toll on the environment.
Luxury goods multinational Kering SA, based in France, claims on its website: “Sustainability has always been at the heart of Kering’s strategy. Far more than an ethical necessity, it is a driver of innovation and value creation for the Group, its Houses, and its stakeholders.” It pursues this mission through its three pillars: care, collaborate and create.
Specialised in flavouring products such as spices and seasoning mixtures, the American multinational, McCormick & Company Inc, is also at the forefront of sustainability. Their Purpose-led Performance Report sets out plans to source their ingredients 100 per cent sustainably by 2025.
Yet another company based in Canada, Stantec Inc is a community-focused design and consulting service provider. They design built environments around social and environmental goals, helping people’s health, happiness and environmental impact.
Finland-based companies feature twice on the list, the better-performing being oil refining and marketing company Neste Oyj. Working with fossil fuels, it’s an unexpected choice, but through sustainable road travel, aviation and plastics, they hope to put the world on the road to being climate neutral.
One of the world’s oldest continuously operating banks, Banco do Brasil SA is one of the top drivers of corporate sustainability. By encouraging investors to put their money into socially and environmentally-beneficial initiatives, they hope to create ‘green growth’.
Danish multinational power company Ørsted A/S went from being the most energy-intensive power company to the most sustainable one in 10 years. To achieve this they divested from fossil fuels to provide wind power, solar energy and storage, and renewable hydrogen to countries and companies globally.
At the top of the list, France-based company Schneider Electric SE puts technology at the service of efficiency and sustainability. Their aim is to address the energy gap so that every person has access to green energy, creating a fairer, lower-carbon world for all.
