Corporate Knights
Corporate Knights is a Canadian media and research company focused on accelerating the transition to a sustainable economy.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Corporate Knights is a Toronto-based media, research and advisory organization that examines how business, investment and public policy can support a more sustainable economy. Its activities combine journalism, corporate and country rankings, sustainability research, financial-product analysis, public-policy work and events. The organization is best known internationally for its Corporate Knights magazine and its annual Global 100 ranking of the world's most sustainable corporations. The company was founded in 2002 by Toby A. Heaps, Paul Fengler and Peter Diplaros. Its creation followed the major accounting scandals involving Enron and WorldCom, when the founders saw an opportunity for a publication that would scrutinize corporate conduct while also explaining how business could contribute to social and environmental progress. Heaps has described the original concept as a position between the activist orientation of Adbusters and the business focus of Forbes. The organization later popularized the phrase "clean capitalism" to describe an economic system in which markets reward companies that create positive social and environmental outcomes. Corporate Knights publishes a quarterly magazine covering climate change, responsible investment, sustainable finance, corporate accountability and practical innovations for the low-carbon economy. Its editorial work has been distributed through major media partners including The Globe and Mail, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. In 2012, the magazine received a Magazine of the Year award from Canada's National Media Awards Foundation. Its investigative reporting has also received recognition, including a 2019 Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing Canada Silver Award for reporting on the costs and consequences of low corporate tax practices. The organization's research division produces sustainability rankings, indices, reports and ratings. The Global 100, introduced in 2005, evaluates large public companies using measures that include the sustainability impact of their products and services, operational performance, investment and innovation. Corporate Knights also publishes the Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada, responsible-fund rankings, the Better World MBA ranking, the Future 50 list of Canadian clean-economy companies and other thematic assessments. Its Sustainable Economy Intelligence products track indicators such as sustainable revenue, clean investment, decarbonization, executive-compensation alignment and related business metrics. Its work extends beyond corporate rankings. Corporate Knights has developed city and country sustainability measures, including the Sustainable Cities Index and the EARTH INDEX, and has contributed research to international sustainable-finance initiatives. It has worked with United Nations bodies on financial standards and sustainable financial centres, and it has served as a research partner for the Sustainable Markets Initiative's Terra Carta Seal. The organization also convenes business and policy communities through events such as the Global 100 Davos Dinner, the Best 50 Corporate Citizens gala and online climate-focused roundtables. Corporate Knights has pursued an active public-policy role in Canada. Its initiatives have addressed carbon pricing, electricity-grid modernization, ethical mining, climate investment and economic-renewal strategies. In 2012, it helped establish the Council for Clean Capitalism, a multi-industry group advocating policies intended to remove barriers to responsible business. In 2022, it launched the Action Declaration on Climate Policy Engagement at COP27, calling on companies to align their public-policy engagement with climate objectives. The organization remains active as an independent sustainability-media and research brand, although its ownership structure and current executive roster are not established by the supplied reference material.
History
Corporate Knights emerged in Canada in 2002, when Toby A. Heaps, Paul Fengler and Peter Diplaros founded the company in the aftermath of the Enron and WorldCom accounting scandals. The founders wanted to create a business publication that would hold corporations to account while also presenting business as a potential mechanism for social change. Their concept combined elements of advocacy journalism and mainstream business coverage. Heaps subsequently used the term "clean capitalism" to express the idea that economic systems should direct capital toward companies, products and services that produce beneficial environmental and social outcomes. The organization developed two mutually reinforcing activities: media and research. Its magazine adopted a quarterly editorial schedule and focused on climate change, responsible investing, corporate citizenship and the technologies and policies associated with a sustainable economy. Distribution through major newspapers and other media channels expanded the reach of its reporting beyond a specialist sustainability audience. The publication received Magazine of the Year recognition in 2012, and its reporting on corporate taxation later won a 2019 investigative-reporting award from SABEW Canada. Corporate Knights' research operation became increasingly central to its identity. In 2005, it began the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World, an annual ranking released in connection with the World Economic Forum in Davos. Unlike approaches focused solely on disclosure or operational efficiency, the ranking has emphasized the sustainability effects of companies' core products and services alongside operational and financial indicators. The company also developed the Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada and a wider collection of corporate, investment, education, city and country rankings. These products positioned Corporate Knights as both a publisher and a specialist provider of sustainability intelligence. The research portfolio expanded into financial products and transition metrics. Corporate Knights has assessed mutual funds and exchange-traded funds for financial and sustainability performance, ranked business schools through its Better World MBA project and tracked the growth of Canadian companies whose activities align with the clean-economy transition through the Future 50. Its Sustainable Economy Intelligence work has examined sustainable revenue, clean capital expenditure, clean research and development, clean acquisitions, decarbonization trends and the relationship between executive pay and sustainability outcomes. It has also produced the EARTH INDEX, which compares the pace of greenhouse-gas reductions with the pace required to meet national commitments. The company has acted as a convener as well as an information provider. In 2012, it spearheaded the Council for Clean Capitalism, offering secretariat support to a group of Canadian companies advocating economic and social policies that would reward responsible business behavior. Corporate Knights has hosted the Global 100 Davos Dinner, the annual Best 50 Corporate Citizens gala and online discussions involving climate and sustainability figures. In 2020, it created the Green 50 process, an open-nomination exercise identifying corporate actions judged to have made significant positive contributions to environmental outcomes. Policy research has been another continuing strand of its work. Corporate Knights proposed Canadian carbon-pricing and clean-electricity transmission ideas in the 2000s, including a large-scale carbon-pricing plan and work related to a trans-Canadian green-power corridor. It supported ethical-mining legislation and later produced economic and climate investment plans, including work associated with Canada's recovery and renewal debates. The organization has also collaborated with United Nations-related sustainable-finance initiatives, including research on international financial standards and financial centres for sustainability. In the 2020s, Corporate Knights broadened its public-facing research through projects on paid sick-leave provision, sustainable cities, clean-economy companies and climate-policy engagement. It became a research partner for the Sustainable Markets Initiative's Terra Carta Seal and launched the Action Declaration on Climate Policy Engagement at COP27 in 2022. Corporate Knights continues to operate as a Canadian sustainability-media and research brand serving corporate, investor, government and public audiences. The supplied material does not establish its current ownership, legal structure beyond the historical corporate name, or a complete current list of executives.
- 2022
Sustainable Cities Index launched
[1]The company launched an interactive index assessing urban sustainability across twelve environmental, infrastructure and resilience indicators.
- 2022
Action Declaration launched at COP27
[1]Corporate Knights launched the Action Declaration on Climate Policy Engagement with corporate signatories at COP27 in Egypt.
- 2021
Terra Carta research partnership
[1]Corporate Knights became a research partner for the Sustainable Markets Initiative's Terra Carta Seal.
- 2020
Green 50 launched
[1]Corporate Knights introduced an open-nomination project evaluating corporate actions with significant environmental impact.
- 2012
Magazine recognition and Council for Clean Capitalism
[1]The magazine was named Magazine of the Year, and Corporate Knights helped establish the Council for Clean Capitalism.
- 2010
Ethical-mining policy advocacy
[1]Corporate Knights supported Bill C-300 and provided testimony concerning the business case for ethical mining practices.
- 2008
Option13 carbon-pricing initiative
[1]Corporate Knights promoted a unified carbon price through the Option13 initiative, including public advocacy by Toby Heaps and Ralph Nader.
- 2007
Green Power Corridor work
[1]Corporate Knights helped assemble a working group examining a transmission corridor that could support lower-carbon electricity generation and distribution.
- 2006
Canadian carbon-pricing proposal
[1]The organization proposed a major Canadian carbon-pricing plan and convened work on a national clean-electricity transmission network.
- 2005
Global 100 introduced
[1]Corporate Knights began its annual Global 100 ranking of the world's most sustainable corporations.
Products and positioning
A sustainability-focused media, research and advisory organization that connects corporate accountability, responsible investment, climate policy and the development of a clean economy.
Business and sustainability media · 2002
Corporate Knights magazine
A quarterly publication covering climate change, sustainable finance, responsible investment, corporate accountability and innovations supporting a sustainable economy. The magazine combines reported journalism, analysis, rankings and practical business commentary, and has been distributed through major media partners including The Globe and Mail, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal.
Corporate sustainability ranking · 2005
Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World
An annual global ranking of large publicly traded companies based on sustainability-related measures. The methodology considers not only operational performance but also the sustainability impact of companies' products and services, along with indicators related to investment, innovation and business conduct. The ranking is traditionally announced around the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Canadian corporate ranking
Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada
An annual assessment of Canadian companies' corporate citizenship and sustainability performance. The ranking is presented through a Toronto event and is accompanied by awards recognizing organizations and individuals associated with responsible business practices.
Sustainability data and research
Sustainable Economy Intelligence
A research and intelligence offering that tracks corporate progress toward a sustainable economy. Its analyses include three-year trends in sustainable revenue, clean investment, decarbonization, executive-compensation alignment and other operational measures relevant to corporate transition performance.
Financial product rating
Responsible Funds
An annual assessment of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds that combines financial performance with sustainability characteristics and the extent to which fund managers demonstrate ESG-aligned commitments.
Education ranking
Better World MBA
An annual ranking of MBA programs based on their sustainability orientation and contribution to preparing business leaders for environmental and social challenges.
Urban sustainability index · 2022
Sustainable Cities Index
An interactive index launched in 2022 that compares cities using indicators related to climate change, air quality, land use, transportation, water, waste, policy and resilience. The initial 2022 results placed Stockholm at the top of the ranking.
Clean-economy company ranking · 2022
Future 50
A ranking of fast-growing Canadian private and publicly traded companies whose activities are aligned with the transition to a global clean economy. The project distinguishes emerging businesses with high-growth potential in areas associated with sustainable economic transformation.
Climate performance index
EARTH INDEX
A measure of how quickly countries and sectors are reducing greenhouse-gas emissions compared with the pace required to meet their stated climate commitments.
Marketing campaigns
- 2022Action Declaration on Climate Policy Engagement
International
Corporate Knights launched a declaration asking corporations to ensure that lobbying, trade-association activity and other policy engagement support rather than undermine climate commitments.
Outcome. More than fifty corporations were reported as signatories at launch.
- 2020Green 50
Canada · International
An open-nomination process evaluated corporate actions that had made significant contributions to improving environmental conditions. A panel reviewed a shortlist of companies and selected a final group of fifty.
Outcome. Patagonia was identified as the leading green company in the 2020 project.
- 2008Option13
Canada · United States
A public-policy initiative promoting a unified carbon price as a response to climate change. Corporate Knights worked with Ralph Nader on advocacy and public discussion of the proposal.
Outcome. The initiative contributed to public debate about carbon pricing but the supplied material does not identify a specific adopted policy outcome.
Brand decisions
2022
Launch of the Sustainable Cities IndexProduct launchBackground
Cities faced growing pressure to measure climate resilience, environmental quality and the sustainability of urban systems.
Action taken
Corporate Knights introduced an interactive index using twelve indicators spanning climate, air, land, transport, water, waste, policy and resilience.
Aftermath
Stockholm received the highest score in the 2022 edition.
2012
Creation of the Council for Clean CapitalismStrategyBackground
Corporate Knights aimed to move beyond publishing and influence policy conditions affecting responsible corporate behavior.
Action taken
It helped establish a multi-industry Canadian council and provided secretariat support for the group.
Aftermath
The council brought together participating companies to advocate policy changes intended to support clean capitalism.
2005
Launch of the Global 100 rankingProduct launchBackground
Corporate Knights sought to make corporate sustainability performance more visible and comparable internationally.
Action taken
It introduced an annual ranking evaluating major public companies using sustainability and business-impact measures.
Aftermath
The Global 100 became the organization's best-known research product and an annual feature associated with the Davos economic calendar.
Recent events
Cascades ranks 49th in Global 100 sustainability ranking[3]
Reported:
Cascades announced that it ranked 49th in Corporate Knights' Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World list.
Sources3 sources
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