Nike

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Trust Across America names 2011 Top 10 Most Trustworthy Public Companies

Earlier this month Trust Across America named the Top 10 Most Trustworthy Public Companies for 2011. This is the second annual study done, which analyzes almost 2,500 public companies – this year’s winner is Smithfield Foods.

The study analyzes more than 200 data points in regard to five key indicators of trustworthy business behavior: financial stability and strength, accounting conservativeness, corporate integrity, transparency and sustainability – which form the acronym, FACTS™. Companies who are analyzed do not participate in the process. The founders of this framework maintain this is the most holistic and comprehensive trust ‘health checkup’ for public companies.

The Top 10 companies for 2011 are:

  1. Smithfield Foods
  2. Xcel Energy
  3. Nike, Inc.
  4. Dole Food Company
  5. Advanced Micro Devices
  6. Allergan
  7. Temple-Inland
  8. Herman Miller
  9. Texas Instruments
  10. Lexmark International

Texas Instruments and Lexmark International have been in the Top 10 for two years in a row. Executive Director Barbara Kimmel had this to say about this year’s study: “There is lots of work to be done for those companies choosing to make trust a high priority. No company is perfect, nor did any receive a score of “100.” In fact, even the top ranked companies did not break 90. But we were pleased to see the average score rise this year from 2010.”

To read the full article please click here. Do you agree with this year’s Top 10 list? Do you think there are companies missing that should have made the Top 10? Discuss!

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What are you most excited about for the new year?

An article ran on GreenBiz.com on Monday that asked executives from companies that have been featured in the news this year what they’re most excited about for 2011, with regard to opportunities and challenges for sustainability for their respective companies. Among them were Shaw Industries, PepsiCo, Sodexo, Eaton, Ernst & Young, Microsoft, Panasonic, Nike, Clorox, Starbucks, Aveda and Siemens.

To read the full article with everyone’s responses to this question, please click here.

We’re interested in what you have to say. What are your biggest opportunities and challenges for sustainability for your company in 2011? What are you most excited about? What are you most concerned about? Let us know!

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NASDAQ OMX CRD Global Sustainability 50 Index expands to 100 companies, releases semi-annual evaluation results

The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. and CRD Analytics announced yesterday the expansion of the Global Sustainability 50 Index, as well as the name change to NASDAQ OMX CRD Global Sustainability Index. The Index is an equally-weighted equity index that serves as a benchmark for stocks of companies that are taking a leadership role in sustainability performance reporting and are traded on a major U.S. stock exchange, according to NASDAQ and CRD.

These companies are voluntarily disclosing performance information on ESG issues, as well as revenue opportunities and how it affects future performance. The companies must also meet other eligibility criteria which include minimum requirements for market value, average daily share volume and price.

The Index is evaluated on a semi-annual basis in May and November, and some of the companies being added are:

  • Cisco Systems
  • Microsoft
  • GE
  • Nike
  • Pepsi
  • Kimberly-Clark
  • Medtronic
  • General Mills
  • Chevron
  • Pfizer

As a result of the re-ranking, Merck & Company Inc will be removed from the Index as it didn’t provide full ESG data for 2009 per the SmartView index methodology.

To see a full list of companies on the Index please click here. For more detailed information on the Index and its criteria, please click here. To read the full press release please click here.

What do you think about the expansion? Do you think it helps or hinders the credibility of it? Do you think adding 50 more companies takes the prestige away from the original 50? Discuss!

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Winning Partnerships

When an advocacy group works together with a corporation to come up with commendable policy, great things can happen—socially, environmentally and economically—for both organizations. 

Although corporations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) often seem ethically opposed, now more than ever, successful businesses are realizing that social, environmental and economic responsibility can help their bottom line by boosting brand reputation, lowering waste & energy costs, and tapping the socially responsible investing market, among other things.  Businesses can gain quite a lot from employing the expertise of NGOs to become more socially and environmentally responsible.

Alternatively, NGOs have come to the understanding that it is easier to create change in alignment with their mission if they work with corporations instead of fighting against them.  In addition, by helping business, NGOs can sustain themselves economically with the money they receive for their services… which also helps them to continue their mission.

Here are some examples of Win-Win partnerships between advocacy groups and corporations:
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