aking into account criteria covering sustainability, innovation, scalability, geography and size, the World Economic Forum and BCG analysed over 1,000 businesses in the preparation of this report and identified 16 fast-growth companies that share a unique mindset and set of practices. The report contains valuable insights that can help business leaders better balance economic growth with responsible stewardship of Earth’s resources.
The companies, which operate from a number of different emerging markets, are:
Broad Group, People’s Republic of China
Equity Bank, Kenya
Florida Ice & Farm, Costa Rica
Grupo Balbo, Brazil
Jain Irrigation Systems, India
Manila Water Company, Philippines
Masisa, Chile
MTR Corporation, Hong Kong SAR
Natura, Brazil
New Britain Palm Oil, Papua New Guinea
Sekem, Egypt
Shree Cement, India
Suntech, People’s Republic of China
Suzlon, India
Woolworths, South Africa
Zhangzidao Fishery Group, People’s Republic of China
The report highlights a broad set of characteristics shared by the New Sustainability Champions:
Benchmarked against their peers, these enterprises demonstrate superior performance (financial and stock price).
New Sustainability Champions master need-based innovation and excel in executing cost-effective ideas to address resource constraints in their societies.
They creatively engage with internal and external stakeholder groups to ensure the relevance and durability of their businesses from economic, environmental and social perspectives.
These companies set positive policy-influencing examples, taking a proactive stance in shaping their business and regulatory environments.
New Sustainability Champions turn growth-related challenges into potentially scalable opportunities and develop robust models of growth that place environmental and social sustainability at the core of their operations and culture.
“The New Sustainability Champions are more than just symbols. Their overall performance matters because emerging markets in total are set to contribute more than three-quarters of global growth by 2025 – and because those markets will likely feel resource scarcity most,” said Knut Haanaes, Partner and Managing Director, Boston Consulting Group, Norway.
The New Sustainability Champions will be showcased at the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2011 in Dalian, People’s Republic of China, from 14 to 16 September. The Meeting is held in close collaboration with the Government of the People’s Republic of China and with the support of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC). Under the theme Mastering Quality Growth, over 1,500 influential stakeholders will convene in Dalian to gain strategic foresight on key economic, industry and technological developments that are reshaping consumer behaviour, business models and financial markets.
“The Meeting aims to highlight exactly the kind of innovative and sustainable growth models that the New Sustainability Champions exemplify,” said Jeremy Jurgens, Senior Director, Centre for Business Engagement, World Economic Forum. “They generate robust growth that incorporates all elements of sustainability and have the potential to be role models for their regions and industry sectors.”