Vodafone tops global Accountability Rating for 2008

Vodafone is the most accountable of the world's 100 largest corporations (the G100), according to the 2008 Accountability Rating.

This annual assessment of corporate accountability, compiled by international think-tank AccountAbility and consultancy Two Tomorrows, with support from data provider Asset4, shows that Vodafone has regained the top spot, the position it occupied in 2006. A wide range of initiatives from mobile based banking and education for the rural poor, to developing e-waste facilities in emerging markets demonstrated that it is embedding responsible business practices into a wide range of its operations.

The top ten companies in the 2008 Rating are:

1)        Vodafone
2)        General Electric
3)        HSBC
4)        France Telecom
5)        HBOS
6)        Nokia
7)        EDF
8)        GDF Suez
9)        BP
10)      Royal Dutch/Shell

Now in its fifth year, the Accountability Rating measures the extent to which companies build responsible practices into the way they do business and their impact on the economies, societies and environments in which they operate. It does this through assessing information made available by the companies themselves across four domains: strategy, governance and management, engagement and operational performance.

This year's results show that almost all of the companies in the G100 have broadened their definition of responsibility. Many of them are not just recognising and mitigating risks, but are also looking at how they can evolve existing products and services, or create new ones, to address major social and environmental challenges like human rights and climate change.

Mark Line, executive chairman of Two Tomorrows, says: "Overall, companies have started taking the carbon agenda much more seriously. They are also taking a closer look at their impacts. The average company now recognises the majority of its main social and environmental risks and opportunities. Their challenge is to build the systems and solutions to turn this recognition into business benefits."

See the results of the Accountability Rating 2008 in full at www.accountabilityrating.com