Identifying those businesses that are genuinly sustainable can often be a trial of endurance. To try and relieve some of the pain, Sustainable Business has recently released the 2008 SB20: the top twenty sustainable company stocks worldwide.
The aim is to showcase innovative companies which have either made considerable progress in making their management practices more sustainable or have grown significantly by providing green technology.
This year’s list has nearly half of its members coming from Europe, Asia and South America, demonstrating that leadership in sustainability can come from any quarter.
A second list of “core” companies has also been published. This highlights sustainable companies who have been listed in the SB20 for four years in a row and are thus considered models of excellence in their field.
Both lists are determined by a panel of judges drawn from the social and environmental investment sector. Selected businesses have to have passed stringent sustainability and financial criteria.
The interesting bit is that companies are selected according to progress made, rather than targets achieved or straightforward market capitalisation.
The lists are therefore an interesting mix which sees household names like IBM and Electrolux rubbing shoulders with less well known businesses like Chipotle Mexican Grill.
What do you think? Are lists of companies like this helpful in promoting sustainable business practices, or do they simply show which companies have the slickest PR departments?
I’d love to find out what you think. Post your comment below or start a debate on the Green Options Discussion Forum.
Posts related to sustainable business practices:
Xerox: Walking the Talk on Sustainable Business?
Good to Great: What does a ‘far, fast’ sustainable business leader look like?
Photo Credit: “Jungle Men” by biewoef on stockxchng.
With all of these huge businesses going ‘green’ it just waters the movement down. It is more marketing than substance. It will be BS until the local hardware store stocks solar panels and low-cost small-scale wind can be added to your in-town garage.
With all of these huge businesses going ‘green’ it just waters the movement down. It is more marketing than substance. It will be BS until the local hardware store stocks solar panels and low-cost small-scale wind can be added to your in-town garage.
@Rick — this kinda scratches the top off the issue exposing another about the size of a company. Does sustainability include setting a limit to company size, in terms of market cap or market percentage? Thanks Chris.
@Rick — this kinda scratches the top off the issue exposing another about the size of a company. Does sustainability include setting a limit to company size, in terms of market cap or market percentage? Thanks Chris.
This hits a tender nerve at Flipside Vision. We believe that people in all walks of life need a daily dose of eco-propaganda to prepare for our common future. For the past 3 years we have published the Calendar of Climate Change, which helps to provide such a tonic. In 2007, responding to corporate enquiries, we created a bespoke business edition. Now, weeding out the greenwashers is a daily problem for us. At the end of the day though, the end really does justify the means.
This hits a tender nerve at Flipside Vision. We believe that people in all walks of life need a daily dose of eco-propaganda to prepare for our common future. For the past 3 years we have published the Calendar of Climate Change, which helps to provide such a tonic. In 2007, responding to corporate enquiries, we created a bespoke business edition. Now, weeding out the greenwashers is a daily problem for us. At the end of the day though, the end really does justify the means.
There could be some mistake too… How are these companies fairing on Ethical Business Practices in their own country respectively as well as world over. Has this been looked or overlooked?
There could be some mistake too… How are these companies fairing on Ethical Business Practices in their own country respectively as well as world over. Has this been looked or overlooked?
@Diana: my heart goes out to you .. it must be frustrating for you at times! I wonder some form of mandatory basic certification would make your job any easier…
@Sanjay: The trouble is there’s very little national regulation anywhere in the world for companies to be measured against — it’s all voluntary and some (like SB20) are simply the opinion of the judges and nothing more.
@Diana: my heart goes out to you .. it must be frustrating for you at times! I wonder some form of mandatory basic certification would make your job any easier…
@Sanjay: The trouble is there’s very little national regulation anywhere in the world for companies to be measured against — it’s all voluntary and some (like SB20) are simply the opinion of the judges and nothing more.
It’s very frustrating to see so much spin on someone’s green credentials. Our business has always been sustainable and ethical wherever possible, and it’s a hard slog, and sometimes that means turning down work from unsuitable customers. Can you imagine anyone on the lists doing this?
It’s very frustrating to see so much spin on someone’s green credentials. Our business has always been sustainable and ethical wherever possible, and it’s a hard slog, and sometimes that means turning down work from unsuitable customers. Can you imagine anyone on the lists doing this?
I think it’s great that lists like this get published. But you always have to really examine the criteria to see if it works for you. Also, the companies in these lists may well be great from a sustainability perspective, but one needs the advice of a professional expert advisor to determine if they make sense financially.
I’ve been following ethical investing for about forty years and have a site that might interest some readers. It uniquely covers the latest global news and research on the subject. It’s at http://investingforthesoul.com/
Best wishes, Ron Robins
I think it’s great that lists like this get published. But you always have to really examine the criteria to see if it works for you. Also, the companies in these lists may well be great from a sustainability perspective, but one needs the advice of a professional expert advisor to determine if they make sense financially.
I’ve been following ethical investing for about forty years and have a site that might interest some readers. It uniquely covers the latest global news and research on the subject. It’s at http://investingforthesoul.com/
Best wishes, Ron Robins
@Sarah .. thank you very much for the comment and pingback. Here you’ve put very precisely the difference between those who try and change their behaviour, and those who try and find technical solutions.
@Ron .. this in one of the reasons this list is so interesting, because it is based upon the judges’ opinion more than anything else, with one of the few criteria being that the stock must be an asset in any portfolio. Great site as well .. thank you so much for sharing, and for the link back as well!
@Sarah .. thank you very much for the comment and pingback. Here you’ve put very precisely the difference between those who try and change their behaviour, and those who try and find technical solutions.
@Ron .. this in one of the reasons this list is so interesting, because it is based upon the judges’ opinion more than anything else, with one of the few criteria being that the stock must be an asset in any portfolio. Great site as well .. thank you so much for sharing, and for the link back as well!