For all the recent talk of corporate sustainability, which companies are actually ready to transition to the low-carbon economy?
A new report by investment research firm CDP analyzed 16 consumer goods brands on how qualified they are to make changes in the face of climate change. It assessed emission reduction targets, water use and management, as well as investments in renewable energy.
Researchers note that as consumers look to adopt more environmentally conscious practices, big companies increasingly respond through the acquisition of small brands–but the core brand practices don’t change enough. CDP found that nearly 60% of the top 10 revenue-generating brands for each company failed to deliver low-carbon innovations to market in the last five year.
So which companies come in strong in addressing global warming? In the food and beverage sector, Danone–the largest B-corp in the world–topped the list. In the last year, the yogurt giant committed to renewable energy offsets for its own production facilities and balanced its water footprint by restoring water to streams, among other eco-friendly pursuits. Following Danone are Nestlé and AB InBev. Kraft Heinz, which just suffered a stock blow, came in last.
In the household and personal care category, Unilever ranked first. This past month, the consumer goods behemoth acquired the eco-friendly laundry brand Laundress for a reported $100 million. It was followed on the list by L’Oréal, Colgate-Palmolive, and Henkel.
Read the full list here.
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