Danone, Firmenich SA and Unilever recognized as global sustainability leaders with triple A score by CDP

Published: 7 Feb 2020
Author: WBCSD Communications
Type: Member Spotlight

Geneva, 6 February 2020: WBCSD members Danone, Firmenich S.A and Unilever are among the only six companies in the world to have obtained a "triple A" score by CDP in recognition of their leading environmental efforts in tackling climate change, fighting deforestation and protecting water cycles.

By scoring companies and cities, CDP aims to incentivize and guide them on a journey through disclosure towards becoming a leader on environmental transparency and action. In 2019, over 8,400 companies and 920 cities, states and regions disclosed through CDP. Only the top 2 percent made the A List.

In total, 35 WBCSD member companies have made CDP’s annual A List which names the world's most pioneering companies leading on environmental transparency and performance. This year, CDP has recognized more than 200 corporates as the leaders acting to address environmental risks and build our future sustainable economy - one that works for both people and planet.

Peter Bakker, WBCSD’s President and CEO, said: “I would like to commend the efforts by Danone, Firmenich and Unilever to achieve the triple A rating by CDP – it is testament to the leadership of these companies when it comes to performance and transparency. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues now represent the most severe risks that business, and societies, face. For long-term business success to be achieved, it is therefore critical for companies to understand their externalities and report against them, to embrace science-based targets and the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations - which are the most important and transparent leverage to link the big environmental risks to company decisions and capital market valuations.”

WBCSD members on the 2019 CDP A list includes:

  • Accenture Plc;
  • ACCIONA S.A.;
  • Apple Inc.;
  • BASF SE;
  • Bayer AG;
  • BT Group; 
  • Danone; 
  • EDF;
  • EDP - Energias de Portugal S.A;
  • Empresas CMPC;
  • ENEL SpA; 
  • ENGIE;
  • FIRMENICH SA;
  • Fujitsu Limited;
  • Givaudan SA;
  • Hitachi, Ltd.;
  • International Flavors & Fragrances Inc.;
  • Kone Oyj; 
  • LANXESS AG;
  • Microsoft Corporation;
  • Mondi PLC;
  • Nestlé;
  • Philip Morris International; 
  • Philips;
  • Pirelli;
  • Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.;
  • Sumitomo Corporation;
  • Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.;
  • Symrise AG;
  • Toyota Motor Corporation;
  • Unilever plc;
  • Volkswagen AG;
  • Walmart, Inc;
  • Yokogawa Electric Corporation; Komatsu Ltd.;
  • Yokohama Rubber Company, Limited;

Other interesting facts:

  •  Japan becomes the country with the most A List companies (38), up from 20 last year and overtaking the U.S. (35) followed by France (22).
  • CDP scored over 8,000 companies from A to D-; only the top 2% made the A List
  • Companies on the climate A List outperform their peers on the stock market by 5.5% per annum according to STOXX

For more information on the CDP A list, please click here.

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