SDG2000 FAQ

Ever since its launch in January 2020, the SDG2000 list has been updated once a year, in January. We upload on our website updated data sets on a quarterly basis. Updates reflect revised methodologies and refined benchmark scopes, changes in keystone metrics such as revenue and number of employees, and mergers and acquisitions.  

Yes, all of WBA’s work is freely, publicly available and are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Non-commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 International, as we believe our work is a ‘public good’.

These benchmarks provide all stakeholders groups (companies, investors, civil society, industry, policy makers, academia etc.) with data that can empower their respective work to promote business action on the SDGs. Everything is publicly available to access via our website.

We also operate what we call the “Fair Use Donation” policy. We trust any for-profit or not-for-profit entity that benefits financially from using WBA’s work, to make a fair-use donation. The detailed information on how this works is available here for your understanding.

1. The seven systems transformations are the basis for selecting companies. These include social, digital, urban, decarbonisation & energy, food & agriculture, nature & biodiversity and the financial system transformation.

2. For each transformation we identify industries that are most relevant and impactful. We
focus on the influence these industries have on shaping the transformation.

• E.g. automotive and oil and gas industries are relevant to the Decarbonisation & Energy Transformation; seeds companies, food manufacturers and food retailers are all relevant to the Food and Agriculture Transformation.
• A number of industries (e.g. tobacco, coal, weapons) were excluded on the grounds that large negative impacts from business models or products implies a limited role in the transformation needed to achieve the SDGs.

3. Within each industry, we identify the keystone companies.

• Screen for largest companies based on revenue.
• Use keystone metrics for specific industries. E.g. assets under management for asset managers, number of subscribers for telco companies.

4. Review headquarter and subsidiary locations and included influential companies from developing countries to ensure global spread.

• WBA’s process to name geographies and economies follows the UN conventions

5. Consider the importance and role of particular sub-industries, business activities and segments of production/service provision in achieving the transformation.

• • E.g. for the Food and Agriculture System specific food groups such as diary, fruit and vegetables, livestock, etc. were included.

The detailed methodology for this can be read here.

If a company is on the SDG2000 list, you can click on “See profile” to find out which transformation the company will be benchmarked on.

• For example, the company A.P. Moller-Maersk will be evaluated across three transformations: social, decarbonisation and energy and nature. In the company profile you can also see under which benchmarks the company has already been assessed and the company’s connection to WBA’s Ally ecosystem.

A free, downloadable version of the SDG2000 is available here. It includes data on companies’ headquarters, industries, and the transformations they are in scope for. The excel spreadsheet has three tabs.

Tab 1: details about the SDG2000 list. We strongly recommend to read before using it.

Tab 2. SDG2000”: full list of SDG2000 companies with the related details.

The SDG2000 is freely and publicly available and is used by investors, governments, civil society, individuals and private companies to better understand the world’s most influential companies.

For example, investors are using the list to define the scope of their investment-for-good portfolios, while using the benchmark data to track company performance towards achieving the SDGs.

Governments can use the SDG2000 to focus on the world’s most influential companies when developing policies.

Civil society and the Alliance use the list to direct public support and partnership efforts to create the impact.

Individuals are using the list to decide where to spend their money or even where they choose to work.