America's Greenest Companies
Some investors believe a company's impact on the environment is an important investment consideration. The Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a group that represents 385 institutional investors with assets of $57 trillion, surveys the world’s largest companies to gather information on carbon emissions, identify goals for carbon reduction and gauge their environment-related risks and opportunities of individual firms.
The US CDP surveyed all companies in the S&P 500 in 2008. A voluntary project, 321 (64%) responded, but only 243 (49%) responses were made public. Although it is not a complete list of S&P 500 carbon emissions, it is the most comprehensive compilation of carbon disclosures publicly available. The report was put together by PriceWaterhouseCoopers for the CDP; Merrill Lynch is a founding member and global sponsor.
So, what are America’s greenest companies? Click ahead to find out the 2008 results.
By Paul ToscanoPosted 14 Apr 2009
What The Numbers Mean
In surveying companies, the CDP asked a range of questions in four major subject areas: Risks and Opportunities, Emissions Accounting, Performance Against Targets and Governance, which include everything from actual carbon emissions and energy consumption to emissions-reduction plans and corporate responsibility.
In summing up the results, the report created the Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index (CDLI), which measures each company’s responses to the survey and level of disclosure, with 100 being the highest score. The measure, however, does not fully reflect company performance in climate change management. Another measure included in the report is “Intensity,” which is a ratio of annual revenue compared to actual carbon emissions.
In the slides ahead, we show the top-performing companies by sector, as some are inherently more carbon-intensive than others. The greenest companies have both a high CDLI score (in the top 30 overall) and the lowest (best) carbon intensity score in their sector.
Retail and Consumer
Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL)
Intensity: 49
CDLI: 90
Total Carbon Emissions: 675,076 Tons
Carbon Emissions Rank: 109
2008 Revenues: $15.33 billion
Utilities
Consolidated Edison (ED)
Intensity: 493
CDLI: 75
Total Carbon Emissions: 6,467,230 Tons
Carbon Emissions Rank: 48
2008 Revenues: $13.58
Technology, Media and Telecoms
Dell, Inc. (DELL)
Intensity: 7
CDLI: 91
Total Carbon Emissions: 438,338 Tons
Carbon Emissions Rank: 129
2008 Revenues: $61.10 billion
Manufacturing
Ford Motor Company (F)
Intensity: 33
CDLI: 61
Total Carbon Emissions: 5,761,631 Tons
Carbon Emissions Rank: 52
2008 Revenues: $146.27 billion
Financial Services
Genworth Financial Inc. (GNW)
Intensity: 2
CDLI: 92
Total Carbon Emissions: 16,830 Tons
Carbon Emissions Rank: 196
2008 Revenues: $12.07 billion
Oil and Gas
Chevron Corporation (CVX)
Intensity: 275
CDLI: 74
Total Carbon Emissions: 60,661,835 Tons
Carbon Emissions Rank: 10
2008 Revenues: $255.11 billion
Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
Intensity: 15
CDLI: 74
Total Carbon Emissions: 923,151 Tons
Carbon Emissions Rank: 96
2008 Revenues: $63.74 billion
Raw Materials, Mining, Paper and Packaging
Plum Creek Timber Company (PCL)
Intensity: 21
CDLI: 64
Total Carbon Emissions: 35,149 Tons
Carbon Emissions Rank: 192
2008 Revenues: $1.61 billion
Hospitality, Leisure and Business Services
ProLogis (PLD)
Intensity: 1
CDLI: 97
Total Carbon Emissions: 9,220 Tons
Carbon Emissions Rank: 198
2008 Revenues: $1.15 billion
Transport and Logistics
United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS)
Intensity: 167
CDLI: 63
Total Carbon Emissions: 8,243,743 Tons
Carbon Emissions Rank: 192
2008 Revenues: $51.48 billion