Top 15% of companies qualify for Yearbook inclusion
Each year, SAM invites the largest 2,500 companies from all sectors to participate in the Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA), which consists of an in-depth analysis of companies’ economic, environmental, and social issues with a focus on long-term value creation. In each of the 58 sectors, only the top 15% with a minimum total score of at least 60% of the score of the SAM Sector Leader qualify for inclusion in the Yearbook.
Sustainability excellence awards
Companies that lead their sectors in corporate sustainability receive recognition as Sector Leaders and companies that achieved the largest proportional improvement of their sustainability performance are recognized as Sector Movers. Out of the 409 companies that were included in the Yearbook, the following awards were given to companies: 103 SAM Gold Class, 92 SAM Silver Class, 77 SAM Bronze Class. Michael Baldinger, CEO of SAM: “We look forward to the annual publication of the Yearbook as it gives SAM the chance to recap the year in corporate sustainability and to recognize those companies that have emerged as leaders in their sector. The Yearbook also provides a dynamic platform for SAM to vocalize its sustainability foresight and highlight decisive emerging trends such as water-related risks.”
Global distinction: Spain sets the bar
Globally, the United States is the country with the most companies (80) represented in the Yearbook; however, Spanish companies (21) achieved the highest relative representation. Out of the initial starting universe of companies eligible for inclusion in the Yearbook, only 9% of U.S. companies are represented, compared to 65% from Spain, demonstrating Spain’s relative global strength in corporate sustainability.
Feature on water-related risks
This year’s edition of the Yearbook explores some of the key drivers behind the water crisis and offers three perspectives (PwC, SAM, and Nestlé) on mitigating water-related risks. Highlights include the underlying trends of the water crisis and the impact of water challenges on current and future business practices. SAM recognized early the increasing importance that mitigating waterrelated risks would have on the viability of a corporation in the long term. To underscore its importance, SAM integrated an extensive water-related risk criterion to its CSA last year. Thus, SAM ensures that a companies’ ability to successfully manage water risks and tap water-related opportunities is aptly represented in their sustainability assessment. This is a direct reflection of SAM’s commitment not only to stay on the cusp of emerging sustainability trends, but to continuously integrate them into its proprietary research methodology. Sector-specific summaries of crucial sustainability opportunities and risks For each of the 58 sectors, the Yearbook provides a summary of the associated sustainability pportunities and risks. In other words, this edition has 58 individual summaries, in which different sustainability topics are addressed depending on the sector. Furthermore, it highlights the unique economic, environmental and social dimensions that are relevant to the sustainability analysis of each sector. Overall, it gives readers the opportunity to magnify what is happening at the sector level with regard to sustainability.