FORTUNE Announces the 2023 'Change the World' List

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Sep 27, 2023, 07:00 ET

No. 1 slot goes to a group: America's Electrifiers – four companies leading the push to convert the world's most car-happy nation to electric vehicles

Car makers General Motors and Tesla, charging network ChargePoint, and battery maker SK On lead the list

Fortune's 9th annual list of more than 50 companies that do well by doing good includes Walmart, Patagonia, and Chobani, among a range of others across industries

How did two plastic producers make the list?

NEW YORK, Sept. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- FORTUNE's 2023 Change the World list is being led this year by a group of companies that are leading the EV revolution – converting cars and trucks from internal combustion to electricity – in one of the world's most important net-zero missions. The four companies leading the push to convert the world's most car-happy nation to electric vehicles, all in the #1 spot are: Tesla, General Motors, South Korea's SK On which develops batteries for EV cars, and ChargePoint, operators of a network of 240,000 charging locations across the U.S..

Fortune's 9th annual list showcases 59 companies that have made an important social or environmental impact through their profit-making strategies and operations this year. Companies are recognized for innovative business strategies that positively impact the world. This year's list includes 59 companies: 34 from North America; 11 from Europe; 8 from Asia and Australia; 3 from Africa; and 3 from South America.

In his introduction to the list, Fortune Executive Features Editor Matt Heimer notes that most business "best of " lists focus on financial superlatives—the biggest and most profitable corporations, the fastest-growing companies, the top-performing stocks. But financial gain isn't the only purpose of a business. The Fortune Change the World list is rooted in the belief that companies can mobilize the creative tools of capitalism to help solve social problems—using the profit motive to achieve goals that are just as important as turning a profit, and sometimes more so.

In addition to EV, the Fortune Change the World list takes a look at businesses that are teaming up to build energy-efficient smart homes, and offering ingenious ways to keep food, plastic, and clothing out of landfills. Other businesses, meanwhile, are tackling public-health challenges and finding ways to grapple with the world's refugee crises.

Some of the world's biggest companies, including Walmart (No. 3) are pouring resources into educating and upskilling people in their workforces and their wider communities—and perhaps training the next generation of problem-solving business leaders. And two plastic producers made the list at No. 17 for stepping up to address plastic pollution. Dow was recognized for developing the cleaning formula Evowash, which became commercially available in March 2023. Dow estimates Evowash will help recyclers divert 150,000 tons of waste out of landfills this year alone. Eastman, meanwhile, makes the list for its "molecular recycling" technology, which makes it possible to remake and reuse plastics that previously couldn't be recycled.

The first ten entries on The Fortune Change the World List are:

Tesla, General Motors, SK On and ChargePoint (4 companies)
Mercado Libre
Walmart
Johnson Controls
Battelle
Perrigo and Organon (2 companies)
Wasoko
WeRide
Gilead
Abbott

The Change the World list was selected and ordered by the editors of Fortune based on the magazine's own reporting and analysis. The final list was selected from a field of 250 nominees.

View the complete 2023 Fortune Change the World list here

METHODOLOGY:

The Change the World list recognizes companies that have had a positive social impact through activities that are part of their core business strategy. As we assess nominees, among the factors that matter most are:

1. Measurable social impact: We consider the reach, nature, and durability of the company's impact on one or more specific societal problems.

2. Business results: We consider the benefit the socially impactful work brings to the company. Profitability and contribution to shareholder value outweigh benefits to the company's reputation.

3. Degree of innovation: We consider how innovative the company's effort is relative to that of others in its industry and whether other companies have followed its example or partnered with it.

About Fortune

FORTUNE upholds a legacy of award-winning writing and trusted reporting for executives who want to make business better. Independently owned, with a global perspective and digital agility, FORTUNE tells the stories of a new generation of innovators, builders, and risk takers. Online and in print, FORTUNE measures corporate performance through rigorous benchmarks, and holds companies accountable. FORTUNE creates communities by convening true thought leaders and iconoclasts – those who shape industry, commerce and society – through powerful and prestigious lists, events and conferences, such as the iconic Fortune 500, the CEO Initiative and Most Powerful Women. For more information, visit fortune.com.

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SOURCE Fortune Media (USA) Corporation