- The 2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations index rated close to 7,500 companies using 21 sustainability parameters
- ACCIONA, ranked 68th, stands out for directly linking its business model to the green economy as defined by the UN
For the second consecutive year, ACCIONA is among the 2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations, announced by Corporate Knights at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
This ranking analyses companies that reached revenues of over 1 billion dollars in 2018 (around 7,500 companies from 21 countries) and rates them according to economic, environmental, social and governance indicators. Those indicators include the percentage of profits linked to the green economy, emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, the use of renewable energies, the use of sustainable suppliers, spending on innovation, tax contribution, workplace accident rates, and gender equality.
ACCIONA, which is ranked 68th, directly links its business model to the green economy, as defined by the UN; activities in this category contributed 34% of the company's worldwide revenues and 67% of its EBITDA last year.
As for emissions of CO₂, ACCIONA has been carbon-neutral since 2016. In addition, by producing electricity from 100% renewable sources, the company avoided the emission of 14.4 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere in 2017, and it extends its commitment to sustainability by measuring the pollutant emissions and water consumption of 100% of its suppliers.
Inclusion in the 2019 Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations represents additional recognition for ACCIONA's sustainable approach, as it is also a member of other benchmark indexes such as FTSE4Good, STOXX Global Climate Change Leaders Index and CDP Water A List 2018.
Presence in Davos
José Manuel Entrecanales, Chairman and CEO of ACCIONA, will participate in this year's Davos forum, where he will attend a number of bilateral meetings and participate in encounters organised by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WCSD), and the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), among others. Entrecanales will be accompanied by Luis Castilla, CEO of Acciona Infrastructure, and Rafael Mateo, CEO of Acciona Energy.
Over 2,500 leaders from the business world, governments, international organisations and civil society are expected at this year's Davos forum. The theme of this year’s edition is 'Globalization 4.0: Shaping a Global Architecture in the Age of the Fourth Industrial Revolution'.
As part of its forward-looking approach, ACCIONA acknowledges the need to make use of new technology and design innovative solutions for a more sustainable world. The company's executives will highlight the importance of remaining focused on combating climate change — identified once again by the World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report 2019 as one of the main threats the planet is facing — and of introducing measures to mitigate the consequences that global warming is already causing.
The company will emphasise the need to focus on renewable energies, energy efficiency, the progressive phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies, public-private partnerships, and innovation in business processes and models as key strategies for decarbonising the economy.
ACCIONA is an outstanding example of how the private sector can play a role in the transition to a low carbon economy, due to its story of transformation as a company and to its business model, as a world leader in sustainable infrastructure and clean energy.