Top-20 Unternehmen

Pünktlich zum US-Nationalfeiertag hat das US-Portal für Sustainable Business wiederum ihre Top-20-Unternehmensliste veröffentlicht. Wie immer gilt: Das ist keine Kaufempfehlung, aber der Hinweis auf jene Unternehmen, die in Bezug auf Nachhaltigkeit besondere Leistungen erbringen und sich damit zumindest für eine vertiefte Analyse qualifizieren. Der Autor dieses Finanzportals vertritt in seiner Beratungstätigkeit sowieso die Haltung, das Investment in einzelne Titel empfehle sich nur selten resp. bei sehr grossen zu investierenden Beträgen (ab 200'000 CHF). Im Vordergrund stehen vielmehr passende Nachhaltigkeitsfonds. Wo die im folgenden aufgeführten Top-20-Unternehmen in Fonds enthalten sind, gelten diese wiederum als besonders geeigent für Nachhaltigkeits-InvestorInnen. Der einleitende Text (im englischen Original erläutert einige Hintergründe der Zusammenstellung):

This is the 8th year for the SB20, the World's Top Sustainable Stocks. As in past years, we worked with a group of judges who are leading green stock analysts to select the companies.
The purpose of the SB20 - the Sustainable Business 20 - is to showcase innovative, model companies that are leading us toward our ultimate goal of reaching a green economy. The challenge we give our judges is to nominate, discuss and then vote on 20 companies that, through their products or initiatives, have made substantial contributions over the past year. This year, the judges were tasked with the proposition of selecting companies that are progressing even during this recession.

To be on the list, companies must be strong on both the sustainable and financial sides. It is not a "buy" list, but because the companies are strong financially, their stock may well be worth be buying at some point based on stock market positioning. We strive to choose companies of various sizes, industries and parts of the world, but the list isn't meant to constitute a diversified portfolio.

Although there's no shortage of information on the environmental performance of companies, it remains scattered and difficult to find. Few people have the time or interest to plow through sustainability reports of thousands of companies, yet we receive requests from the media, financial advisors and individual investors, NGOs, research firms and others asking us which are the top companies and how to differentiate among them.

It's hugely important that companies that stick their necks out feel appreciated for their work. While it's easy to make small improvements and send out press releases, it's exceedingly difficult to literally transform the way a business operates - the products they make, how they distribute them and how they dispose of them - which is what we're asking them to do.

By analyzing companies based on the deep knowledge and experience of our judges, rather than by using numerical formulas, we're able to choose small, medium and large companies from every region of the world. So here's how we do it and who we do it with:

Sustainability Criteria:

The most exciting companies in terms of how they are conducting their business, or in the disruptive green technologies they are advancing that solve our environmental problems and lead us to a sustainable society. In particular, they have a very strong GREEN story, with the ability to have widespread influence. Companies must have made major announcements and/or significant progress in meeting targets over the past year.

Financial Criteria:

Companies are profitable with strong management and balance sheets. Development stage companies must have revenue and be on track to profitablity. Each company would enhance an investment portfolio although it may not be in buying position today.


• Bendigo and Adelaide Bank / Finance Australia
• Chipotle Mexican Grill / Food USA
• First Solar / Solar Energy USA
• Gamesa Corporacion Technnologica / Wind Energy Spain
• Google, Inc. / Technology USA
• Herman Miller / Green Building USA
• IBM NYSE:IBM / Technology USA
• Naturex SA / Food France
• Novo Nordisk / Pharmaceuticals Denmark
• Novozymes / Cellulosic Ethanol Denmark
• Ormat Technologies / Geothermal USA
• Philips Electronics / Green Building Netherlands
• Plant Health Care / Agriculture UK
• Pure Technologies / Water Canada
• Telvent Git, SA. / Smart Grid Spain
• Timberland / Apparel USA
• United Natural / Food USA
• Vestas Wind Systems / Wind Energy Denmark
• WaterFurnace Renewable Energy / Geothermal Heat Pumps USA
• Westport Innovations / Transportation Canada

Quelle: Vorsorgemedia / Sustainable Business