Telefónica has been included in the Global 100, the prestigious annual ranking developed by Corporate Knights identifying the world’s
100 most sustainable companies. This ranking assesses 8,229 publicly traded companies worldwide with revenues above $1 billion, evaluating their environmental, social and governance performance.
Telefónica has been positioned 84th globally and is recognised as the fourth most sustainable company in the world among 99 companies in the diversified telecommunications services industry. Telefónica Brasil is also included, ranking 79th overall.
“Telefónica’s inclusion into Corporate Knights’ Global 100 represents a significant recognition of our firm commitment to sustainability, decarbonisation and the creation of responsible value for all our stakeholders,” said Maya Ormazabal, Global Director of Sustainability at Telefónica.
Corporate Knights especially commended Telefónica’s progress across strategic pillars linked to the business, such as emissions reduction, energy efficiency, responsible supply chain management, equality, transparency and social impact.
In 2024, Telefónica generated €782 million in revenue from solutions that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Today, 57% of the B2B portfolio qualifies as Eco Smart services, i.e., solutions that not only deliver operational improvement and cost savings, but also environmental benefits, specifically reducing energy consumption, saving water, reducing CO₂ emissions and promoting the circular economy.
The Spanish telecommunications company has also positioned itself as a pioneer in sustainable financing. In 2018, it launched its first sustainable financing framework, and in 2019, it became the first operator gloablly to issue green bonds. By the end of 2024, 37% of its financing was linked to ESG objectives.
This integrated approach has accelerated the group’s transition toward a more resilient and greener business model, enabling a more sustainable, inclusive and digital economiy through innovation and responsible connectivity that drives the ecological transition of companies and administrations.
Methodology that links sustainability and growth
The 2026 edition of the Global 100 applies a methodology based on three equally weighted parameters: Sustainable Investments, Sustainable Revenue and Sustainable Revenue Dynamics Score, which measures the growth of these revenues between 2022 and 2024.
The analysis reveals that the most sustainability-focus companies delivered superior financial returns in 2025, despite a challenging global context. Since its inception in 2005, the Global 100 has aimed to transparently identify the extent to which a company’s business model truly contributes to sustainable development.
On average, companies in the Global 100 allocate about 60% of their investments and revenues to sustainable activities, compared to just 13% and 17%, respectively, among the broader group of large corporations analysed. In addition, sustainable revenues among Global 100 constituents are growing, on average, at twice the rate of their other revenues.
About Corporate Knights
An independent media and research company. Its media division publishes the magazine of the same name, distributed through The Globe and Mail, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. Its research division produces sustainability rankings, research reports and financial product ratings based on companies’ sustainability performance.
The Global 100 is one of the world’s most highly regarded and transparent standards-based sustainability ratings. The methodology highlights the gap between what is said and what is done. Only those companies that make sustainable solutions a fundamental part of their business offering and make significant investments in this goal pass the test. It is the best-performing global sustainability index, with more than 20 years of history.
