Global 100 index lists 2015’s most sustainable companies in the world

A look at some of the world’s top sustainable businesses according to Corporate Knights 2015 Global 100 index.

In today’s increasingly environmentally aware world, businesses need to do all they can to ensure they minimise their impact on the globe. It’s with this aim in mind that Corporate Knights collates data to determine which firms are making careful use of resources, to make the most of their capital and ensure employees are achieving all they can.

Corporate Knights uses publicly disclosed information from global companies, ranging from mid- to mega-sized companies that have a market cap above $2 billion dollars, to evaluate 12 key performance indicators (KPIs) for calculating their rankings. The results are then released every year at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

This year, there’s been increased risk for those organisations with low carbon productivity (one of the 12 KPIs companies are scored on) due to such global events as the China-US climate change agreement, rising awareness and interest in the concept of ‘unburnable carbon’, and global momentum behind carbon pricing.

Leading companies around the world strive to make it onto this list, not only for the prestige, but because those that fail to get on track with sustainability will be left behind in the fast-paced business world.

“Companies that understand this and become part of the solution will have a bright future,” said Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever in Toronto last year. “Those that don’t will be dinosaurs – outdated, outmoded and out-of-business.”

So without any more ado, here are the top five sustainable businesses of 2015.

Biogen

Top of the list, the most sustainable business of 2015 is the global biotechnology company, Biogen – with an overall sustainability rating of 73.5 per cent. Having come second in 2014, the firm knew they needed to step up their game if they wanted to nab first place.

“What we need to do is take a look at where we are and see how can we do sus­tainability better than that five years from now, and five years after that,” said George Scangos, Biogen’s chief executive officer (CEO), in an interview.

“We’re on track to do that,” he added.

Allergan

Hot on the heels of Biogen is the pharmaceutical giant, Allergan, who managed to achieve a sustainability rating of 72.8 per cent. The company is most famous for being the maker of Botox, which is used by celebrities worldwide for the treatment of wrinkles. However, its research also helps people with eye disorders, as well as producing dermatological medicines.

Adidas

The German sports and fitness firm, Adidas, nabs the final podium place. This multinational company is the well-known for creating sportswear and as sponsors of vast numbers of clubs, individuals and national teams in the sporting industry. Helping them climb the rankings was the fact that Adidas managed to achieve a perfect score for the ratio of revenue to carbon emissions.

Keppel Land

Keppel Land, the Singaporean real estate management and development firm is fourth. This subsidiary is part of the much larger Keppel Corporation that specialises in the marine, property and infrastructure businesses.

Kesko

Finnish retailing conglomerate Kesko comes in fifth. With subsidiaries in most Scandinavian countries, as well as Russia, this chain of superstores has a long reach and provides almost any type of goods to its consumers.

The full results of the 2015 Global 100 index can be found here.