Auto firms take lead in ‘green’ practices, says Interbrand

Automotive firms led by Toyota Motor Corp. topped the list of companies that have effectively carried out their commitments to sustainability and green practices, based on the perception of consumers worldwide.

According to the 2013 Best Global Green Brands report released recently by Interbrand, “innovation” led to the dominance of automotive brands, which made up half of this year’s Top 10, with Toyota at the top spot, followed by Ford (No. 2), Honda (No. 3), Nissan (No. 5), and Volkswagen (No. 7).

Interbrand, the world’s leading brand consultancy and author of the annual Best Global Brands report, said the auto industry had effectively showcased its innovations and firm commitment to manufacturing vehicles in an increasingly sustainable way.

“Although most automotive brands have invested in meeting sustainability goals and complying with regulations, those brands that have invested in creating innovative products as evidence of their commitment to sustainability (e.g., Toyota Prius, Ford EcoBoost, Nissan LEAF) are receiving more recognition from consumers,” it added.

Also making it to this year’s Best Global Green Brands list are 12 technology brands that have leveraged their core competency of engineering and cultural drive for constant innovation to increase their positive impact on the environment.

“Whether it be efforts to reduce energy use through more efficient designs, or re-imagining how products are packaged and shipped, leading tech brands are turning their flagship offerings into performance and efficiency heroes,” Interbrand noted.

Leading the technology brands is Panasonic, the Japanese multinational electronics company, which earned its No. 4 position through efforts to offer innovative, eco, and smart solutions to its global consumer base.

Meanwhile, Adidas (No. 15) , Nike (No. 31), H&M (No. 42), and Zara (No. 48) are this year’s top apparel and retail brands, which are being held responsible for the quality and safety of their factories around the world.

Top risers in the list are Nissan, which moved up 16 places to take the fifth spot; Ford rose by 13 spots to be No. 2; while both Nokia (No. 9) and UPS (No. 32) jumped 11 places to their respective ranks this year.

Interbrand’s 2013 Best Global Green Brands report examined the gap between a corporation’s environmental practices and consumers’ perceptions of those practices.