Toyota Tops List -- This Time It's Green Brands

July 29, 2011

Best global green brands announced.

Maybe its' the planning. Maybe it's the largess of the goals.

This year Toyota announced its five-year plan which aims to:

*Establish a low-carbon society
*Establish a recycling-based society
*Establish a society in harmony with nature

Or perhaps it's the scope of their activates. " e are currently addressing programs and specifying actions and objectives in Toyotas corporate activity fields of development, which include design, procurement, production; logistics, sales and recycling," explained Rikis Inuzak, managing director, Corporate Planning Division and Research Division for Toyota during an interview with Interbrand.

But whatever it is Toyota landed at the top of Interbrand's list of Best Global Green Brands.

Grand plans are also part of Panasonic's DNA. ( #10 on the list) "Our vision is to become the number one green innovation company in the electronics industry by 2018, Panasonic's 100th anniversary," said Takumi Kajisha, managing executive officer for Panasonic.

For Hyundai (#11 on the list) it is the focus on a line of products that will help solve environmental issues that landed them on the list. Hyundai's Blue Drive "aims to raise the fuel efficiency of an internal combustion engine," explains Steve S. Yang, CEO of Hyundai Motor Co. "As a long-term initiative, it realizes a dream of pollution-free cars by developing transport fuel, hybrid electric cars, and hydrogen fuel-cell cars."

Others in the top ten slots include: 3M, Siemens, Johnson & Johnson, HP, VW, Honda, Dell Cisco and Panasonic.

Interbarnd noted that "as a whole, automotive brands received fairly high perception scores in comparison to their performance scores. This is likely because the automotive industry has been active in brand building in this area, showcasing hybrid models and additional products. Meanwhile, on average, electronics brands tend to score lower in perception than they do in performance, which suggests that they need to focus more on showcasing their green work."

To view the specific accomplishments of the companies click here.

About the Author

Adrienne Selko | Senior Editor

Focus: Workforce, Talent

Follow Me on Twitter: @ASelkoIW

Bio: Adrienne Selko has written about many topics over the 17 years she has been with the publication and currently focuses on workforce development strategies. Previously Adrienne was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck? which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics and EHS Today.

Editorial mission statement: Manufacturing is the enviable position of creating products, processes and policies that solve the world’s problems. When the industry stepped up to manufacture what was necessary to combat the pandemic, it revealed its true nature. My goal is to showcase the sector’s ability to address a broad range of workforce issues including technology, training, diversity & inclusion, with a goal of enticing future generations to join this amazing sector.

Why I find manufacturing interesting: On my first day working for a company that made medical equipment such as MRIs, I toured the plant floor. On every wall was a photo of a person, mostly children. I asked my supervisor why this was the case and he said that the work we do at this company has saved these people’s lives. “We never forget how important our work is and everyone’s contribution to that.” From that moment on I was hooked on manufacturing.

I have talked with many people in this field who have transformed their own career development to assist others. For example, companies are hiring those with disabilities, those previously incarcerated and other talent pools that have been underutilized. I have talked with leaders who have brought out the best in their workforce, as well as employees doing their best work while doing good for the world.