Steel giant POSCO and Samsung Electronics ranked 30th and 73rd, respectively, on the latest Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations list. Canadian magazine “Corporate Knights” announced the results at the Davos Forum in Switzerland on Thursday.
POSCO was the only steel maker in the world to appear in the top 100. Samsung Electronics ranked 91st in 2010, when it debuted on the list, and 93rd last year, but has now moved higher up the list.
The No. 1 spot went to Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk, while in Asia, Toyota Motor ranked highest at No. 21, and Hitachi Chemical came in at No. 28.
By country, the United Kingdom had the most companies with 16, followed by Japan (11), France (8), the US (8) and Australia (7).
POSCO saw its revenues rise 20 percent last year compared to 2010, but has managed to decrease its carbon dioxide emission levels each year, which earned it high points.
Samsung Electronics has been releasing annual reports on sustainable management since 2008. It is also a member of the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition, a group of over 30 companies seeking greater social responsibility and more sustainable business strategies.
Corporate Knights has been evaluating the sustainable management of around 3,500 companies worldwide since 2005 and selecting the top 100 every year.
