Top 10 sustainable companies in Asia-Pacific
Sister publication Sustainability Magazine has unveiled its Top 100 Companies in Sustainability, acknowledging the businesses putting ESG at the heart of their operations and decision-making.
This top 100 arrives just as Sustainability Magazine gears up for its inaugural Sustainability LIVE event, which is being held over two days in London 23-24 February 2022, as well as virtually, and will convene leaders and innovators who are making meaningful change to debate and discuss the key issues being addressed by businesses globally.
Following a flood of nominations by readers of Sustainability Magazine, the publication’s team whittled them down to 100 companies who they believe have successfully outlined their targets for the future and are contributing to ESG issues in a multitude of ways – from energy multinationals and tech corporations to logistics firms and consumer goods companies, not to mention those firms providing solutions to tackling climate change.
From this list, we highlight the top 10 most sustainable companies that hail from and are headquartered in Asia-Pacific.
1 Brambles Ltd.
Year Founded: 1875 (Australia)
CEO: Graham Chipchase
Industry: Logistics
Owner of the CHEP brand, Brambles provides logistical products and solutions for a global supply chain and is the trusted supplier of some of the world’s leading brands. Under a new model called ‘pooling’, the company has created a sustainable culture as it shares and reuses its platforms.
Since the launch of its 2025 targets, Brambles has been involved in many investor discussions on environmental, social and governance (ESG) topics and, over the past year, it has committed more energy towards the safety and empowerment of its staff while achieving carbon-neutrality of its operations emissions in Scope 1 and Scope 2.
2 NTT
Year Founded: 1985 (Japan)
CEO: Jun Sawada
Industry: Information Technology
As it follows the UN Sustainable Goals, NTT aims to continuously increase its corporate value while developing the future of society.
The company wants to reduce its environmental impact and provide green innovation for the information technology (IT) sector. Through this innovation, NTT will meet its carbon-neutral target, which supports the wider global vision for the next few decades. Compared to 2016, the firm hopes to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2030.
3 Tech Mahindra
Year Founded: 1986 (India)
CEO: CP Gurnani
Industry: Information Technology & Services
Tech Mahindra has a clear vision, to be one of the leading global IT service companies as well as one of the most sustainable organisations in India. Through strategies for responsible business growth and the enhancement of operational eco-efficiency, the company hopes to remain at the top of sustainability developments in the industry.
In 2021, the company was recognised by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index as the world’s most sustainable IT company and was also awarded by HRH The Prince of Wales’ Terra Carta Seal.
4 Kao Corporation
Year Founded: 1887 (Japan)
CEO: Yoshihiro Hasebe
Industry: Consumer Goods
As one of the leading manufacturers of hygiene, beauty and health products, Kao has more than 33,000 employees across the globe that support its commitment to sustainable business. The firm’s overall vision for ESG is centred around its immediate working environment and customers.
The company’s Kirei Lifestyle Plan sets out its targets for product development, targeting goods that increase quality of life. In terms of environmental impacts, the company has seen a general decrease in CO2 contributions and water consumption across the board.
5 CapitaLand
Year Founded: 2000
CEO: Chee Koon Lee
Industry: Real Estate
One of Asia’s largest diversified real estate groups, with a global presence ins more than 220 cities and over 30 countries, CapitaLand is the first real estate company in Asia, bar Japan, to have its carbon emissions reduction targets validated by Science Based Targets initiative for a well-below 2 degrees C scenario.
It is also the first and longest-standing company in Singapore to be listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability APAC Index (12 consecutive years).
The company is committed to the responsible growth of its retail portfolio, via its 2030 Sustainability Master Plan, and has recently unveiled the CapitaLand Sustainability X Challenge, the first global platform by a real estate company to advance innovation and collaboration in sustainability within the built environment.
6 Samsung
Year Founded: 1969 (South Korea)
CEO: Kim, Ki Nam / Kim, Hyun Suk / Koh, Dong Jin
Industry: Consumer Electronics
Samsung’s five sustainability pillars encompass its pledge to the environment, its employees, communities, digital responsibility, and supply chain sustainability, through its business practices.
Last year, the electronics giant announced new commitments for its mobile applications. Galaxy for the Planet is the sustainability platform for its Mobile Communications Business, outlining a set of targets to reach 2025, among these the elimination of all single-use plastics from product packaging; the reduction of all smartphone chargers to below 0.005W; and to achieve zero waste to landfill.
7 City Developments Limited
Year Founded: 1963 (Singapore)
CEO: Sherman Kwek
Industry: Real Estate
With a real estate network spanning 29 countries, City Developments Limited (CDL) has a broad scope for impact as it contributes to emissions-reduction, energy savings, and greener real practices.
The first Singapore firm to embrace the UN SDGs, CDL is focusing on conservation during construction ensuring older buildings are updated and enhanced to meet modern ethical standards, and has established a number of partnerships including R&D labs focused on new generations of solar technology and building materials and an incubator to support young startups with innovative sustainability solutions.
8 Mirvac Group
Year Founded: 1972 (Australia)
CEO: Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz
Industry: Real Estate
At Mirvac Group, an Australian property company, zero waste is high on its sustainability agenda, with the property firm on track to go beyond net-zero goals and achieve a net-positive portfolio by 2030.
This is part of the company This Changes Everything sustainability strategy which encompasses social sustainability and community enrichment targets as well as resource reduction goals, and which has seen the company land a number of ESG awards including for being a leading Australian firm in gender equality.
The company also joined the Australian Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) to pioneer low carbon innovation.
9 StarHub
Year Founded: 1998 (Singapore)
CEO: Nikhil Eapen
Industry: Telecommunications
Not only is StarHub Singapore’s leading info-communications and entertainment service, but it’s Asia’s most sustainable telecommunications company, according to Corporate Knights Global 100, with the company y having made significant progress in clean revenue and clean investment disclosures. And in promoting diversity among its senior executive team.
With sustainability an integral part of StarHub’s strategy and operations, the firm has implemented many green practices across the business, from tackling e-waste, reducing energy and water consumption, and has secured a number of accolades including an A- leadership score in CDP Climate Change 2020.
10 Hyundai Motor Co.
Year Founded: 1967 (South Korea)
CEO: Jae Hoon Chang / Eon Tae Ha
Industry: Automotive
The South Korean automaker has a goal to become completely carbon neutral by 2045, inclusive of which is its global product lineup and all company operations, not to mention ending all combustion engine vehicles in Europe beginning 2035.
The firm has committed to reducing its carbon emissions 75% below the 2019 level by 2040 and aims to have 30% of its global sales coming from ZEVs by 2030. the carmaker continues to invest in technologies and platforms in its drive to electric and focus on mobility with zero carbon emissions.
Hyundai continues to roll out its electric vehicles with its Genesis brand delivering its first two TVs in 2022, as well as continuing to integrate renewable energy into its production facilities
The car company is also committed to making motorsport more sustainable, committing to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) from 2022, a championship that will set a new benchmark for electric racing worldwide and help to accelerate the transition to emissions-free mobility.
