This year, TIME and Statista introduce the second installment of their “World’s Best Companies in Sustainable Growth 2026” initiative. This project aims to identify businesses that maintain strong performance while prioritizing their environmental footprint. The inaugural edition was launched in late 2024. The companies recognized in this ranking demonstrate exceptional success in sustainable development alongside robust financial health. The assessment focuses on three primary areas: Revenue Growth, Financial Stability, and Environmental Impact. Inclusion in the ranking is contingent upon companies openly disclosing their environmental data.

Methodology

The first criterion, Revenue Growth, was determined by evaluating a company’s revenue between 2022 and 2024. To ensure equitable comparisons, revenue growth was analyzed both in terms of its relative increase and against industry averages. Companies needed to show consistent revenue expansion throughout the assessment period to qualify.

The second criterion, Financial Stability, involved the application of well-established financial metrics, including the Piotroski F-Score and Altman Z-Score. The F-Score gauges a company’s fiscal well-being by scrutinizing profitability, leverage, and liquidity, while the Z-Score estimates the probability of bankruptcy. Companies that exhibited resilience and steadiness, particularly during periods of economic volatility, achieved high scores in this segment. Furthermore, profitability over the preceding five years (2020-2024) was a significant consideration, ensuring that companies not only expanded but also maintained solid financial foundations. Industry-specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were employed to assess the financial stability of companies within the banking, insurance, and REIT sectors.

The third criterion, Environmental Impact, constituted a central element of this analysis. Using data from 2023, the evaluation encompassed both direct and indirect carbon emissions, categorized as Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3. Companies were judged on their total emissions and emissions intensity, measured both in relation to revenue and compared to industry peers. Additional key performance indicators included green energy utilization, water consumption, and waste management. Companies that effectively minimized their environmental footprint while preserving operational efficiency received high marks in this dimension. Data was sourced from publicly accessible sustainability reports, environmental disclosures, and third-party environmental databases.

Upon collection, all data was integrated and weighted within a comprehensive scoring model. The scores from all three dimensions were given equal weight to calculate the final ranking score, with a maximum possible score of 100 points. The 500 companies achieving the highest scores were featured in the “World’s Best Companies in Sustainable Growth 2026” Ranking by TIME and Statista.