Corporate Knights just released its 2021 Global 100 Index, a ranking of the top 100 most sustainable public companies in the world. This year, several new KPIs were added to reflect not only the ongoing climate crisis but also the social issues that were put under the spotlight by the Black Lives Matter Movement and the pandemic.
It's probably no surprise but still worth mentioning that sustainable companies continuously outperformed their peers. In 2020, total net return for the Global 100 was up 26% compared to 16% for the MSCI ACWI Index, MSCI’s flagship global equity index. From its inception in 2005, the Global 100 Index generated total returns of 263% versus 220% in the benchmark. Sustainable companies' revenues are more aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, invest more in cleantech, have more gender diverse boards and have longer life spans. Business = Good Business!