The world’s most sustainable corporations are accelerating their efforts in the green transition, with record investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and circular economy initiatives, according to new research.
This year, the top 100 sustainable corporations allocated a staggering 58% of their capital expenditure, research and development, and acquisitions to green initiatives, confirmed latest Global 100 ranking from Corporate Knights. That’s nearly four times the 15% average of other large companies with revenues exceeding $1 billion.
The latest annual Global 100 ranking, a sustainability benchmark, assessing the environmental and social impacts of companies’ products, services, and operations, reveals how these companies are outperforming their peers in sustainability investments and revenue generation.
GROWTH IN SUSTAINABLE REVENUES
Despite challenges posed by rising interest rates, the world’s most sustainable companies have continued to expand their investments in green projects, leading to a rapid rise in sustainable revenue streams. “Sustainable revenues are growing twice as fast as other revenue streams,” said Toby Heaps, co-founder and CEO of Corporate Knights. “These sustainable revenues now account for over $5 trillion annually among the largest publicly traded companies we track.”
Similarly, sustainable capital expenditure (capex) is also outpacing traditional capex, reflecting a significant shift towards a greener future. Corporate Knights’ rigorous ranking system evaluates over 8,300 companies with annual revenues above US$1 billion, considering the dual impact of their operations and core products on people and the planet.
INVESTING IN A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
On average, Global 100 companies allocate nearly 58% of their investments to sustainable initiatives, compared to just 15% by other major corporations. Moreover, their sustainable revenues represent 53% of total income—more than three times the average of their peers. Despite a slight underperformance of the Global 100 Index compared to the MSCI ACWI benchmark in 2024, long-term trends indicate exponential growth in clean energy and sustainable projects.
Several factors contributed to the performance gap last year:
- High interest rates impacted valuations of clean energy companies.
- The Global 100 Index’s lower exposure to US equities (18% vs. 63% in MSCI ACWI) excluded top-performing tech giants like Nvidia and Meta, which have weak sustainability scores.
- The exclusion of weapons stocks, which saw significant gains in 2024, is a policy decision aligned with the sustainability focus of the Global 100.
However, Heaps remains optimistic, noting that “clean energy investments are now outpacing fossil fuel investments by two to one. With improvements in permitting times and interest rates anticipated, we expect Global 100 company stocks to rebound strongly in 2025.”
SCHNEIDER ELECTRICS TOPS THE 2025’S RANKING
French firm Schneider Electric SE claimed the top spot in the 2025 Global 100 rankings, climbing from seventh place last year. Its success stems from high levels of sustainable investment and revenue, strong executive gender diversity, and low carbon-intensive production. Schneider Electric plays a critical role in the green transition, offering energy-efficient solutions such as building energy controls, off-grid solar systems, EV chargers, and grid automation technologies.
Meanwhile, last year’s leader, Australian waste management firm Sims Ltd, ranked second, followed by Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas Wind Systems A/S in third place. Both companies are sustainability leaders, deriving 100% of their revenue and investments from green projects.
2025’S TOP 10 MOST SUSTAINABLE COMPANIES
This year’s Top 10 Most Sustainable Companies of 2025, include:
- Schneider Electric SE (up from 7th in 2024)
- Sims Ltd (down from 1st in 2024)
- Vestas Wind Systems A/S (steady at 3rd)
- Brambles Ltd (down from 2nd)
- Taiwan High Speed Rail Corp (steady at 5th)
- SMA Solar Technology AG (up from 10th)
- Alstom SA (up from 18th)
- Stantec Inc (up from 9th)
- Ørsted A/S (up from 17th)
- Enphase Energy Inc (up from 14th)
The Global 100 ranking underscores the critical role of sustainable companies in shaping a greener, more equitable future. With growing investments and revenues from sustainable projects, these trailblazers continue to lead the charge towards a low-carbon economy.
Check out the top 100 by clicking here.
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