World’s Best Leading Green Brands 2012

In definition to asses’ global brand standards as well as green venturing company, a worldwide brand management consultants , Interbrand says “In the context of the Best Global Green Brands report, sustainability can generally be defined as a business approach to creating long-term value by embracing opportunities and managing risks derived from economic, environmental and social impacts. In a commercial sense, sustainability also involves creating and maintaining a product, service, or business identity that reflects special added value in terms of environmental and social benefits. Sustainability has proven to be a strategic and profitable aspect of business and a brand-strengthening asset, as long as organizations take measurable steps to reduce their social and environmental impact and credibly convey benefits that are relevant to consumers.”

The Brand Management consultants release its 2012 “Best Global Green Brand” report in which ranking the top 10 lists of the world’s leading brand in terms of Green Peace Efforts and Environmental Credos.

The selected brands were then judged on a wide range of criteria including, “environmental programs,” “performance in measuring, reporting and mitigating the environmental performance of their supply chain,” and “the green attributes of the company’s products”. Let’s wait no further, Here’s top 10 lists of World’s Best Green Brands 2012.

1 – Toyota, Automotive

In our FY2011 five-year plan, we have initiated an activity of “The Fifth Toyota Environmental Action Plan” aimed at “establishing a low-carbon society,” “establishing a recycling-based society,” and “environmental protection and establishing a society in harmony with nature.” We are currently addressing programs and specifying actions and objectives in Toyota’s corporate activity fields of development, which include design, procurement, production; logistics, sales, and recycling.
2 – Johnson and Johnson, FMCG

Johnson & Johnson, the one of the highest-ranking FMCG brand on our list, has been setting environmental goals since 1990. With input from the private and public sectors, the company creates an ambitious environmental plan every five years, the most recent culminating in 2010. In some areas, like CO2 emissions and paper use, it is exceeding its goals – for example, an annual emissions reduction of 100,000 metric tons CO2 between 2005 up to 2009. In others, like water use and hazardous waste, it falls short. Still, to its favour, the company belongs to a number of corporate coalitions devoted to environmental stewardship, including the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC), the Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI), and many others. It has also joined companies in pressuring the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to strengthen its position on global warming, and it is a vocal advocate of environmental transparency for itself, and its suppliers. In the U.S., the brand receives strong recognition for its environmental record, ranking in the top five for perception, though the company still has a way to go to in making the production of personal health products safe for the environment.
3 – Honda, Automotive

As early as 1972, only 12 years after it began producing cars, Honda was already launching environmental initiatives, with “Blue Skies for Our Children.” Its CVCC engine was the first in the world to comply with the U.S. Clean Air Act without the use of a catalytic converter. In fact, Honda has never produced a car with a V-8 engine. As a leader in engine technology, Honda is pioneering energy-efficiency for the home as well as the road. In partnership with gas utilities across Japan, Honda has begun selling its household MCHP (micro combined heat and power) gas engine cogeneration unit. It serves as the core unit in the household cogeneration system ECOWILL, burning natural or liquid propane gas to generate electricity and heat water simultaneously. In April of 2011, Honda also introduced a new Civic that runs partially on natural gas, and in May of the same year (for the seventh straight year) the Civic GX NGV was named “Greenest Vehicle” by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. Honda also received “Greenest Automaker” title for the fifth consecutive year in the latest automaker rankings from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Perhaps because of these highly advertised achievements, Honda’s reputation for doing green business appears to be stronger than reality.
4 – Volkswagen, Automotive

Volkswagen officials announced in December that they reached an important milestone as the first U.S. auto manufacturer to obtain LEED Platinum Certification—the nation’s top green building standard. LEED certification is an internationally recognized green building certification system developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in March of 2000.
At that time, leaders said that they began planning for an environmentally friendly building in the design stages, which helped them achieve the platinum status. He also said it was a cost-effective way to implement the green standards. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, provides building owners and operators with a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.
5 – Hewlett Packard (HP), Electronics

HP was chosen by Interbrand for our initiatives including the Unlocking Your Energy events, our commitment to designing data centers around local energy with the Wynard data center and the HP Eco-POD centers. Additional initiatives that were referenced include the EcoSolutions store and our ongoing commitment to removing toxins from our products.
“Sustainability is at the core of HP’s business strategy,” said Engelina Jaspers, HP’s vice president of environmental sustainability. “We are honoured to be recognized by Interbrand for our environmental programs and initiatives, and will continue to deliver innovative solutions that improve our customers’ efficiency and footprint.”
6 – Panasonic, Electronics

We established our Green Plan 2018 as an action plan for all employees to help address global environmental issues. It is a declaration of our undertaking of advanced initiatives to lead the industry in CO2 emissions reduction and resource recycling.
Our Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) feature technology for optimal energy consumption in homes, by incorporating devices for energy creation, energy storage, and energy saving. Through the provision of HEMS and other “comprehensive energy solutions for the entire home,” Panasonic is offering new lifestyles that are not only ecological, but also comfortable – tailored to meet diverse needs in various countries and regions.
7 – Dell, Electronics

In keeping with its customer-centered approach, Dell opens its sustainability website content with the idea of giving customers the “opportunity to make greener choices.” In the area of sustainable packaging, Dell is using the increasingly popular and highly sustainable bamboo, and for shipping, innovative mushroom-based packing foam; the company aims to make 75 percent of packaging recyclable by 2012. Dell is also producing real results in the area of conservation. In 2010, the company achieved its goal of reducing its desktop and laptop computers’ energy consumption by 25 percent. In the same year, it reduced its packaging by 8.7 million pounds. Echoing a familiar trend in the arena of green production, Dell has been criticized for continuing to use toxic substances in its products. Even so, the company has developed a number of company-wide initiatives to improve performance and received a number of recognitions for its sustainable business practices. In 2009, Dell was #12 in Greenpeace’s “Guide to Greener Electronics” and in 2010, it was among Greenopia’s “Corporate Leaders in Sustainability.” However, though the brand is engaging well with key stakeholders on environmental issues, the brand could do more to communicate these achievements to consumers.
8 – Siemens, Electronics

Siemens high performance ranking has propelled it to be place on the table. Its Green Buildings program saves an estimated 23,000 mWh per year and $EU 1,860,000 per year and the brand has the highest operations score recorded. Additionally, in recent years acquisitions of renewable energy firms have set the stage for the company to be a long-term industry leader. 2010 proved a flagship year for the brand in terms of environmental sustainability, as it unveiled its “One Siemens” framework for sustainable value creation, with its environmental portfolio positioned as a pillar of growth. And yet, while Siemens performance is clearly outstanding, its brand communications clearly need work; the brand scores within the top 10 in several European countries, but it is only in its native Germany that the brand is given the true credit it deserves.
9 – Danone, FMCG

As the owner of Evian, Volvic, and several other local bottled water brands, Danone is a potential target for criticism. However, a “dual project” has long been part of the company’s DNA; acknowledging the need to focus beyond economic value to also create social value was first mentioned in 1972 and over 1,400 people employees worldwide have monetary incentives linked to environmental performance. In 2009 the company extended this thinking, announcing the Danone Ecosystem Fund intended to strengthen and develop the activities of the partners who make up Danone’s ecosystem. Sustainable initiatives closely ally with the companies businesses, for example in Indonesia the local brand, Danone AQUA, runs a Water Access, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) program to solve clean water-related problems in urban areas. Package innovation through reduction, offsetting, and use of plant-based plastics also help the brand perform w
ell. However, outside of its native France, the brand does not get the recognition that others such as Coca-Cola do.
10 – BMW, Automotive

As a signatory of the United Nation’s Global Compact, BMW aims to be a world leader in sustainable business practices. In 2010, the SAM Group selected it as the world’s most sustainable automobile manufacturer. With its “Efficient Dynamics” initiative, BMW embraces an increasingly common strategy of applying green thinking to every stage of product development. Recently, the company moved into the field of hybrid technology, entering a joint venture with PSA Peugeot Citroën called “BMW Peugeot Citroën Electrification,” and announced a new sub-brand, “BMW i,” with new zero-emission models due in 2013. Its first electric test vehicle, the Active E, was distributed worldwide in early 2011. BMW is also looking outside the production of efficient cars to help sustain the earth as well. It has made large investments in water reuse initiatives in its facilities around the world, launched “DriveNow”, a car-sharing service like the one pioneered by Zipcar, and compensates employees for achieving environmental goals. One shadow on BMW’s glowing electric car efforts is the general uncertainty about the future of these vehicles. Even its U.S. CEO, Jim O’Donnell, has publicly expressed his doubt about making electric cars attractive to the majority of consumers.