As per the latest trends in developed and developing nations, consumers emphasize extensively environmental effects and long-term sustainability in their expenditures. Their willingness to stick with enterprises that depict a solid commitment to sustainability and protection of the earth comes when the choice might as well save the world from human destruction.
And, considering the severity of the contemporary climate catastrophe, we must retain our high environmental standards and commend companies who prioritize and strive at the forefront of sustainability and environmental promotion. According to a Nielsen survey, 81 percent of users believe it is “extremely” or “very important” for businesses to “implement programs to improve the environment,” and 30 percent are “willing to pay a premium for products that emphasize on social responsibility claims.”
According to one such poll, 90 percent of “Gen-Z” agree that businesses should take action to address social and environmental challenges. Sustainable businesses not only provide items that are long-lasting and sustainably sourced, but they also use ecologically friendly manufacturing and development techniques.
They are also seeking to transform the face of corporate environmental participation and accountability completely. Nevertheless, distinguishing between honest and eco-friendly businesses and merely jumping on the sustainability craze and progressively branding oneself as such can be challenging. Glancing through a company’s website is one of the most straightforward techniques to assess environmental consciousness.
Here, you will find an elaborative list of the top ten most sustainable companies in the United States, along with their sustainability index. Let us find out if you might have been a consumer of any of these green companies. If yes, pat yourself on the back!
- 1. McCormick & Company Incorporated
- 2. American Water Works Company Inc.
- 3. Cisco Systems Inc.
- 4. Owens Corning
- 5. Trane Technologies PLC
- 6. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co
- 7. Autodesk, Inc.
- 8. Ball Corporation
- 9. HP Inc.
- 10. Comerica Incorporated
- 11. Sims Limited
- 12. Intel Corporation
- 13. Xerox Holding Corp.
- 14. Analog Devices, Inc.
- 15. Prologis Inc
- To wrap up
Table of Contents
1. McCormick & Company Incorporated
| Sustainability score | 79.3% |
| Type of Business | Food manufacturing |
| Founder | Willoughby M. McCormick |
McCormick & Company Incorporated, a food company that manufactures, markets, and distributes seasonings and spices, is the number one spot of America’s most sustainable companies in 2021. McCormick has 13,000 staff and yearly revenues of more than $4 billion. The company has engaged in subsistence manufacturing, which entails investing in agricultural communities while supporting women. Furthermore, the company imports commodities from over 80 nations worldwide.
2. American Water Works Company Inc.
| Sustainability score | 77.1% |
| Type of Business | Public utility company |
| Founder | James S. Kuhn |
American Water Works Company Inc. is a public utility corporation in the United States of America and Canada. It is one of the most mature companies on the list, established in 1886. The company administers both drinking and sewage water in operating countries. American Water Works Company Inc. generates above $3 billion in annual revenue and employs more than 7,000 individuals who serve over 14 million populations in 46 states. By 2025, the corporation intends to cut carbon emissions by approximately 40%.
3. Cisco Systems Inc.
| Sustainability score | 75.8% |
| Type of Business | High-technology services |
| Founder | Sandy Lerner, Leonard Bosack |
Cisco Systems Inc. is known for both production and marketing of hardware equipment. It is one of the firms in America with the highest capital reserves. The establishment, founded 36 years ago in 1984, had revenues of over $50 billion in 2019. Currently, it employs approximately 76,000 people worldwide. As per Fortune magazine, it is one of the most outstanding firms for employees. Cisco Systems Inc. receives 83 percent of its energy from renewable sources, as discussed in the first section of the column. Furthermore, the corporation has made significant investments in being more energy-efficient and eco-friendly.
4. Owens Corning
| Sustainability score | 74.6% |
| Type of Business | Roofing and fiberglass composites |
| Founder | Harold Boeschenstein |
Owens Corning is a company that makes fiberglass, roofing, and insulation products. Harold started the company in 1983 in Toledo, Ohio. Today, the corporation has an international presence, employing a minimum of 19,000 people and generating revenues of more than $6 billion. Owens Corning’s 2030 sustainability goals encompass doubling positive product impact, halving negative product effect, expanding diversity and inclusivity, and creating a beneficial effect on societies.
5. Trane Technologies PLC
| Sustainability score | 72% |
| Type of Business | Industrial manufacturing company |
| Founder | Simon Ingersoll |
Trane Technologies PLC is an industrial manufacturing firm based in the United States and Ireland. The corporation, established in 1905, generates more than $13 billion in revenue and employs roughly 50,000 people worldwide. Trane Technologies PLC strives for carbon neutrality, zero waste contribution to landfills, and net positive water use.
6. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co
| Sustainability score | 71.5% |
| Type of Business | Enterprise information technology |
| Founder | Bill Hewlett and David Packard |
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co is an information technology firm separated from HP five years ago and now offers assistance in servers, networking, storage, consulting, and financial sectors. In 2020, the corporation generated $27 billion in revenue. Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. has dedicated itself to developing a long-term strategy to meet technology demands and managing a renewable energy facility over the next few decades.
7. Autodesk, Inc.
| Sustainability score | 67.8% |
| Type of Business | Software Company |
| Founder | John Walker, Dan Drake |
Autodesk, Inc. is based in California and is one of the largest software businesses in the United States of America. AutoCAD, or computer-aided design software, is produced by the corporation, which was formed 39 years back in 1982 and is applied all over the globe, particularly in 3D applications. Autodesk, Inc. is dedicated to increasing energy and material performance through financial and software donations.
8. Ball Corporation
| Sustainability score | 67.5% |
| Type of Business | Product Manufacturing |
| Founder | Frank C. and Edmund B. Ball |
Ball Corporation is ranked eighth among the most environmentally friendly firms in the United States. Ball Corporation, based in Colorado, has yearly revenue of more than $11 billion. The company began as a lids and glass containers manufacturer before branching out into other areas, such as aerospace technology. Ball Corporation also became the world’s largest food and beverage container made of recyclable metal. Ball Corporation’s aluminum is environmentally friendly. Additionally, the corporation also gives monetary assistance to non-governmental groups and has its sustainability targets audited by third-party companies.
9. HP Inc.
| Sustainability score | 67.2% |
| Type of Business | Information technology company |
| Founder | David Packard, Bill Hewlett |
HP Inc. is well known for its computers and printers, which are famous worldwide. It was the world’s leading PC manufacturer for six years, from 2007 to 2013. HP Inc., which has 53,000 staff and estimated revenues of a minimum of $56 billion in 2020, had an outstanding operating profit of $3.46 billion. HP Inc. has pledged to use its innovation, knowledge, and reputation to make a big difference worldwide, specifically in areas like healthcare, sanitation, and drinking water.
10. Comerica Incorporated
| Sustainability score | 66.5% |
| Type of Business | Financial Services company |
| Founder | Elon Farnsworth |
Comerica Incorporated is crucial in the financial services business, with branches in numerous locations, including California, Arizona, Michigan, and Florida. Additionally, it is also the largest commercial bank in Texas and one of the largest banking firms in the United States. Comerica Incorporated is the only financial company ranking among the most sustainable companies in the United States. Comerica Incorporated reduced its emissions of greenhouse gases and garbage to landfills by 20% in just a single year, in 2020. Furthermore, compared to 2019, it reduced water consumption by 30% and paper consumption by a staggering 50%.
11. Sims Limited
| Sustainability score | 64.5% |
| Type of Business | Recycling Company |
| Founder | Albert Sims |
Sims Limited places sustainability as a critical corporate strategy and at the center of its operations for innovating long-term worth. Sims Limited has always been at the forefront of the circular economy for over a century, recovering and recycling items and waste composites to maximize value while minimizing wastage.
Sims Limited assists in diverting millions of tonnes of secondary recycled materials from dumpsites annually. These abandoned resources are organized and grouped before being reconditioned, recovered, or reprocessed to develop new products. Sims promotes the circular economy by maintaining resources for as long as possible.
Most secondary components require far fewer resources to convert into merchandise than primary raw materials. And thus, Sims promptly reduces the need to retrieve fresh crude ingredients by deflecting thousands of tons of recycled aggregates from dumpsite year after year, efficaciously combating environmental issues.
Sims Lifecycle Services (SLS) is growing and expanding into brand new, higher-value solutions and withdrawing lower-value resources for the circular economy by collaborating closely with customers. By firmly managing hardware in their storage systems, SLS assists popular brand franchises, and digital data storage companies recycle the cloud management systems.
12. Intel Corporation
| Sustainability score | 64.1% |
| Type of Business | Type of Business: Semiconductors, Computer hardware, Autonomous cars, Automation, Artificial intelligence |
| Founder | Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore |
Intel Corporation, one of the globe’s largest semiconductor companies, has a multitude of sustainability goals. Furthermore, Intel Corporation connects executive and employee pay to corporate social responsibility variables such as sustainability to demonstrate its dedication toward the planet and people. Intel Corporation also collaborates with government agencies, companies, and non-profit organizations to reduce its environmental footprint.
The corporation is dedicated to accountability and proactive community outreach and its services. To be transparent, they publish data on energy consumption, water usage, and other topics for Intel sites worldwide. Intel is dedicated to recovering water in the societies where they live as part of their promise to attain net positive water consumption. So far, the business has supported over 30 water restoration projects, restoring billions of gallons of water to community watersheds.
Whether agriculturally centered, conservation-focused, or aimed at in-stream water preservation, these projects work to overcome local water problems and benefit societies, the financial system, and the atmosphere.
13. Xerox Holding Corp.
| Sustainability score | 61.1% |
| Type of Business | Workplace technology company |
| Founder | Joseph C. Wilson and Chester Carlson |
Xerox Holdings Corporation is a multinational company based in the United States that advertises print and digital document merchandise. Presently, the company renders its services in over 160 nations and seriously takes its environmental and societal responsibilities. Xerox Holdings Corp is one of those companies whose name is synonymous with the commodity, including Velcro. Xerox Holdings Corp’s sustainability efforts include:
- Being responsible for paper procurement and usage.
- Reducing the environmental footprint of its product lines.
- Limiting the use and emissions of harmful chemical contaminants and metals throughout its distribution network.
Xerox has a civic conscience to do what is best for humanity, climate, and community, not just the corporation. Essential factors of their corporate social responsibility programs fixate on how they would reduce their own and their clients’ environmental consequences and improve society while guaranteeing that Xerox is one of the most implicated companies on the planet.
Given the magnitude, the corporation has accelerated its net-zero goal by ten years and set a new target date of 2040. Xerox seeks to attain net-zero emissions through projects that enhance operational efficiency, develop new technological innovations, and use carbon compensation mechanisms to offset residual greenhouse gas emissions.
14. Analog Devices, Inc.
| Sustainability score | 60.2% |
| Type of Business | Semiconductor company |
| Founder | Ray Stata |
Analog Devices, Inc. is one of America’s largest semiconductor firms, specializing in signal processing, power management technology, and data processing. The company has made significant refinements in its sustainability initiatives in the last few years. Additionally, they are developing on that achievement with new ambitious objectives and strategic arrangements to enable them to deliver the goals.
In part to its long-term sustainability scheme, Analog Devices, Inc. intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. The company has preserved more than 16 million KWH per year through energy-saving approaches, including compressor upgrades, central utility plant optimization, and lighting retrofits. The company’s water-saving initiatives include process water recapture and recycling. These processes have saved approximately 90 million gallons of water annually.
In its deionized water manufacturing processes, Analog Devices Inc. has effectively reduced the use of sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid required for resin regeneration. Furthermore, Analog Devices, Inc. models its merchandise to be long-lasting and to use as few materials as possible in its manufacturing and packaging.
15. Prologis Inc
| Sustainability score | 59.3% |
| Type of Business | Real estate investment trust |
| Founder | Hamid Moghadam |
Prologis Inc is a California, San Francisco-based real estate investment trust (REIT). Prologis Inc, as an industrial REIT focused on logistics services, has numerous opportunities to capitalize on sustainability. Prologis has integrated environmental stewardship, social responsibility, and governance (ESG) techniques throughout its operations over the last 40 years. They serve the customers, communities, staff, and shareowners while attempting to address many of the planet’s most pressing struggles by focusing on green construction and investing in industry-leading innovation and technology.
Every two years, the company conducts a thorough materiality impact analysis to notify their comprehension of Prologis’ impacts on the ecosystem, economy, and community. This assessment involves a wide range of stakeholders, including the workforce, consumers, non-profit organizations, and vendors, to grab a range of internal and external perspectives. The company informs that such analysis helps them modify their operational strategies.
The following categories surfaced as the most important in their most recent estimate: emissions, energy, indirect economic impacts, and local communities. For its storage facilities, Prologis Inc employs sustainable design features such as solar energy, cost-effective lighting, on-site recycling, and cool roofs to minimize the urban heat island effect.
To wrap up
To summarize, sustainability is a big concern that affects more than just individual businesses. However, a couple of major corporations are implementing forward-thinking environmental practices, which is promising. Sustainability is becoming evident as a new “buzzword” that is not going away anytime soon!
Companies must be dedicated to being environmental influencers and protectors of various ethical and situational factors. Only a single life-sustaining planet is the first and most essential factor to consider. Every company influences the earth, which affects every living organism on the planet.
When you search for corporations concerned about their environmental impact and sustainability, you notice incredible activism and inventiveness. They allow us to make most of our purchases environmentally beneficial and sustainable. Hence, before purchasing that beautiful bar of soap or a brand new electronic, how about we go deeper into the company’s values and ethics? We might as well perform a quick sustainability index check.
(Last Updated on May 16, 2022 by Sadrish Dabadi)
