CR Magazine Announces 100 Best Corporate Citizens of 2019

Along with the news and views we share here every weekday, the TriplePundit editorial team also produces CR Magazine, a biannual print publication focused on corporate responsibility. Like TriplePundit, the magazine features thought leaders from business and civil society who are driving positive change for people and the planet. Additionally, every year CR Magazine recognizes outstanding environmental, social and governance (ESG) transparency and performance among America's largest public companies through the 100 Best Corporate Citizens ranking. 

The ranking represents the top 10 percent of the Russell 1,000 Index based on their disclosures in areas like climate change, employee relations and human rights, as determined by our research partner, ISS Corporate Solutions.

This year, Owens Corning tops the ranking, followed by Intel, General Mills, Campbell Soup and HP, Inc. Twenty-seven companies are new to the ranking in 2019 including Allstate, Delta Airlines and Mondelez International, while companies like Ball Corp., CBRE, Ford and Xylem, Inc. saw the biggest gains compared to 2018. 

To compile the ranking, information is obtained only from publicly available resources, rather than questionnaires or company submissions, and there is no fee for companies to participate or verify their data. In other words, this isn't a pay-for-play—it's based on measurable, publicly-available information, assessed by a third party.

"U.S. corporate leadership matters more than ever to drive progress despite government gridlock around environmental and social topics like climate change,” said Dave Armon, CEO of 3BL Media, which publishes CR Magazine. “Each year, we measure the increasingly competitive progress of brands on ESG topics. Transparency and public commitments make corporate responsibility and sustainability programs stronger. We congratulate those honored on this year's ranking for their commitment to the triple bottom line."

While compiling the Summer 2019 edition of CR Magazine, we noticed that many of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens had something in common, beyond the ESG metrics they disclose to investors and the public.

Most of these companies do not measure their corporate responsibility and citizenship solely by gallons of water saved or tons of emissions avoided. Instead, they're taking the time to determine where they're best positioned to drive impact and leveraging their core competencies to tackle challenges far larger than themselves. 

Over the next two weeks here on TriplePundit, we'll take a closer look at some of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens and how they're scaling impact around the world. Some are rallying their peers to tackle climate change and resource scarcity, while others are working to boost inclusion in their sectors or channeling their people and products to solve some of the toughest challenges we face. New stories will publish every day, and you can follow the series here.