Assessing the evolution of carbon emissions of large companies: An index-based approach

Abstract

According to the Carbon Disclosure Project, the world's largest 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global greenhouse gas emissions since 1988. However, seven years after the adoption of the Paris Agreement, these companies' efforts remain insufficient as they have not significantly altered the dangerous trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions. Current methods used to quantify company-level emissions offer limited insights, often providing overall scores or evaluating CSR's impact on performance. To address this, we developed a refined methodology focusing on the carbon footprint within the environmental dimension. Our methodology, which is extendable to other companies and regions like the London Stock Exchange or S&P 500, assesses the evolution of CAC 40 companies' carbon footprints relative to their revenues. Comparing their progress to sector peers between 2016 and 2020 allows us to track performance, benchmark against industry standards, and identify areas for improvement. Based on their carbon emissions, we categorized companies as leaders, laggards, or non-reporters, enabling actionable recommendations. Our findings indicate decreased direct emissions but a concerning trend of increasing indirect emissions, suggesting outsourced carbon footprints within the value chain. This raises suspicions of greenwashing practices, warranting further investigation.