Corporate Climate Responsibility Measured In Climate Counts' 2011 Report (PHOTOS)

Which companies are doing the most to combat climate change?

Climate Counts, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing "consumers and companies together in the fight against global climate change," has released their latest corporate rankings.

Climate Counts rated 136 companies in 16 industries based on their "corporate climate responsibility."

In general, the scores show improvement. Average scores have increased by 54 percent since 2007 and by 10 percent since 2010, according to a press release.

Mike Bellamente, Climate Counts Project Director said in a statement, "We're witnessing a remarkable shift across the corporate community."

"As business risks associated with climate change continue to grow, sustainability is becoming intertwined with long-term strategy at the highest levels of business. Our optimism is tempered by the reality that global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise, but corporate leaders appear to be on the right track," he added.

Their 22-criteria assessment divides into four sub-sections, which they define as follows:

Review: Is the company taking inventory of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions using an industry accepted accounting protocol? (22 possible points)

Reduce: Has the company articulated a strategy for reducing GHG emissions and have they succeeded in achieving actual reductions? (56 possible points)

Policy Stance: Does the company explicitly support the need for comprehensive energy and climate policy or is there evidence they oppose such measures? (10 possible points)

Report: Is the company publicly disclosing information about their sustainability efforts and their progress toward carbon neutrality? (12 possible points)

Below, check out Climate Counts' list of the ten highest-scoring companies. Be sure to check Newsweek's list of the world's greenest companies and the greenest tech companies.

For companies moving in a different direction, read Newsweek's list of the world's least green companies and a list of the 20 banks that have lent the most to the coal industry in recent years.

List and scores courtesy of Climate Counts. To read the full report and see the rest of the rankings, click here.

Comments

[HP-reader]

11:44 AM on 12/18/2011

It becomes obvious that the major problem in doing something about the climate change is not the lack of solutions, but rather the reduction of the profits when replacing the coal-based production of energy with something else. Unless the economists 'sit down at a table' and find some more profitable solutions (than coal digging) nothing will be done.

Consider for example this one:
2H2O + Zn ---solar thermal---> ZnO2 + 2H2
-> water solution of ZnO2, sold as skin medicine

CO2+4H2 ---solar thermal---> CH4 + 2H2O
-> gas CH4, sold as fuel

Where will this Zn come from - from scab and from the landfills, where there is more of it than one can possibly imagine. So instead of digging coal some people may start 'digging' Zn.

It may not be the solution of the energy problem, but is a good point to start with.

[maxwells]

12:54 PM on 12/11/2011

e) 11 of the world's 14 largest publicly traded corporations have greenhouse gas mitigation programs, including Walmart (conservative Waltons), along with 73% of America's 500 largest corporations. While the other top 3 includes Berkshire Hathaway and two Communist Chinese banks, all of whom are major coal investors;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/maxwells/weather-extremes-climate-change_n_1137587_122593388.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/maxwells/weather-extremes-climate-change_n_1137587_122592277.html

f) The Dept. of Defense, CIA, and Billionaires with net worth 1/3rd $Trillion have publicly stated beliefs in man-made global warming, along with 200 more CEOS, and investment groups controlling $20 Trillion.

http://www.defense.gov/qdr/images/QDR_as_of_12Feb10_1000.pdf
https://www.cia.gov/news-information/press-releases-statements/center-on-climate-change-and-national-security.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15352764
http://investorsonclimatechange.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/2011-Investor-Global-Statement.pdf

[maxwells]

12:53 PM on 12/11/2011

Global warming deniers should remount their broomsticks to sweep under the rug that

a) $7.4 Billionaire Rupert Murdoch,

hired Roger Ailes, who hired the guys who tell deniers what to think on global warming. Yet, Rupert actually believes in man-made global warming enough to have pushed all his companies, including Fox News, to carbon neutrality.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/maxwells/weather-extremes-climate-change_n_1137587_122628859.html

b) 14 more hockey sticks;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/maxwells/neil-degrasse-tyson-climate-change_b_1134054_122581702.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/maxwells/neil-degrasse-tyson-climate-change_b_1134054_122586959.html

c) 11 independent so-called “ClimateGate” reviews - are all exonerations;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/maxwells/neil-degrasse-tyson-climate-change_b_1134054_122576790.html

d) Exxon, Shell, Chevron, BP, and Conoco-Phillips admitted man-made global warming years ago;

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/maxwells/neil-degrasse-tyson-climate-change_b_1134054_122499348.html

[TownCalledMalice]

10:50 AM on 12/09/2011

Climat change or not, it's still green tech and therefor a good thing.

[WESmith]

12:31 PM on 12/08/2011

If we add up the effect on Climate Change exerted by these 10 companies, we are very very close to zero.
How about the top 5 American Oil Corporations who have complied with the Kyoto Protocol while the rest of us sat on our thumbs, twirling?
We need to recognize that we, ourselves, are the main players in this "Climate Change" game. We ignore the Scientific facts and religiously Believe in Political facts.
We religiously look for someone else to blame for our woes, which we brought upon ourselves.
We religiously expect others to save us from "Climate Change" without any effort on our part.
We religiously expect to receive monetary benefits from "Climate Change."

[malander]

12:22 AM on 12/08/2011

Why are they doing this? According to many it does not exist. Hmmm.

[WESmith]

12:24 PM on 12/08/2011

"It" is an appropriate name to give Climate Change. "It" has hundreds of definitions based on the agenda of the person using "It."