Newsweek Green Rankings

Newsweek Green Rankings
Name	Newsweek Green Rankings
Presenter	Newsweek
Country	United States

Newsweek Green Rankings is an annual ranking of the United States' and Canada's largest publicly traded companies, published by Newsweek in partnership with Corporate Knights and HIP Investor. The rankings assess companies' environmental performance, taking into account factors such as greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and waste management, as evaluated by experts from Harvard University, Stanford University, and the University of California, Berkeley. Companies like Walmart, ExxonMobil, and General Electric have been featured in the rankings, which are often cited by Bloomberg, Forbes, and The New York Times.

Introduction

The Newsweek Green Rankings were first introduced in 2009, with the goal of providing a comprehensive assessment of companies' environmental sustainability, as advocated by Al Gore, Barack Obama, and United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. The rankings are based on a rigorous methodology, developed in consultation with experts from Yale University, Columbia University, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Companies are evaluated on their performance in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and eco-friendly supply chain management, as practiced by companies like Patagonia, The Body Shop, and Seventh Generation. The rankings are widely followed by investors, consumers, and policymakers, including those at the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the European Union.

Methodology

The Newsweek Green Rankings methodology involves a detailed analysis of companies' environmental performance, using data from sources such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Companies are evaluated on their performance in areas such as climate change mitigation, biodiversity conservation, and waste reduction, as measured by indicators such as carbon footprint, water usage, and recycling rates, similar to those used by The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The methodology is reviewed and updated annually, with input from experts from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of Oxford, and the National Academy of Sciences.

Rankings

The Newsweek Green Rankings feature a list of the top 500 companies in the United States and Canada, ranked according to their environmental performance, as compared to companies like Microsoft, Coca-Cola, and Procter & Gamble. The rankings are divided into several categories, including green energy, sustainable manufacturing, and environmental governance, as practiced by companies like Vestas, Siemens, and Unilever. Companies that perform well in the rankings are recognized for their achievements, and may be eligible for awards such as the Environmental Leader Award and the Sustainable Business Award, presented by organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

History

The Newsweek Green Rankings were first published in 2009, with the goal of providing a comprehensive assessment of companies' environmental sustainability, as envisioned by Rachel Carson, Jacques Cousteau, and Amory Lovins. The rankings have been published annually since then, with the methodology and criteria evolving over time to reflect changing environmental priorities and concerns, such as those addressed by the Kyoto Protocol, Copenhagen Accord, and the Paris Agreement. The rankings have been widely followed and influential, with companies such as Google, Amazon, and Facebook using them to inform their sustainability strategies, as advised by McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), and Deloitte.

Impact

The Newsweek Green Rankings have had a significant impact on the way companies approach environmental sustainability, as noted by The Economist, Financial Times, and Bloomberg Businessweek. The rankings have encouraged companies to prioritize environmental performance, and to invest in sustainable practices and technologies, such as those developed by Tesla, Inc., Volkswagen Group, and General Motors. The rankings have also influenced investor decisions, with many investors using the rankings to inform their investment choices, as reported by CNBC, Reuters, and The Wall Street Journal. Additionally, the rankings have been used by policymakers to inform environmental regulations and policies, such as those implemented by the European Commission, United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Criticisms

The Newsweek Green Rankings have faced some criticisms and challenges, including concerns about the methodology and criteria used to evaluate companies' environmental performance, as raised by Greenpeace, Sierra Club, and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Some critics have argued that the rankings are too focused on carbon emissions and do not adequately account for other environmental impacts, such as water pollution and biodiversity loss, as highlighted by The World Bank, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Others have raised concerns about the transparency and accountability of the rankings, and have called for greater disclosure of the data and methods used to evaluate companies' environmental performance, as advocated by Transparency International, Accountability, and the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).

Category:Environmental awards