Corporate Knights has released a report ranking the 100 most sustainable companies worldwide. France and Denmark are leading the charge in the EU.
According to the report, Schneider, a French electrical equipment company, has been named the most sustainable company globally. The Global 100 index, updated every year, evaluates firms based on sustainability and ethical practices.
When assessing companies, several key factors are examined. These include carbon emissions, water usage, and sustainable investments. The report also considers worker pay and gender equality, highlighting the importance of social responsibility in business.
The list features many French companies, alongside several from Denmark and Germany. Interestingly, Australia shines in the top five spots, with Sims, a waste management company, and Brambles, a furniture company, taking second and fourth places, respectively.
This year’s ranking evaluated an impressive 8,359 companies, each generating over $1 billion in revenues. The results showcase a growing trend: the Global 100 firms are investing heavily—58% of their capital expenditures—into green initiatives. This is significant compared to just 15% for other large corporations.
Corporate Knights reported that sustainable revenues among major global companies are growing twice as fast as traditional revenues. These sustainable efforts now account for over $5 trillion in annual revenue among the largest publicly traded firms.
However, the report also highlights challenges faced by the Global 100 in recent years. For instance, in the previous year, these companies saw lower investment returns compared to the MSCI ACWI index, which measures global stock performance. While the Global 100 had historically outperformed this benchmark since its inception in 2005, a few factors contributed to its recent struggles.
Firstly, rising interest rates made borrowing more expensive for these companies. Also, the Global 100 includes fewer firms from the US than the MSCI ACWI, which benefited from strong performances from major tech stocks. Finally, the Global 100 excludes weapons companies, many of which had strong returns in the past year.
Despite these hurdles, Corporate Knights’ CEO, Toby Heaps, expressed optimism for the Global 100 stocks in 2025, anticipating a rebound in their performance.
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green energy,Ethical trends,Sustainable business,Sustainable technology,diversity,Business
