World's Most Socially Impactful Companies Recognised in Inaugural 'Laureus Sport for Good Index'

Laureus has unveiled the first global index dedicated to celebrating the brands that are having the most impact in delivering social or ecological impact through sport.

The inaugural Laureus Sport for Good Index is founded in partnership with SportsPro, the leading sports media and events business, and features a selection of the world’s most impactful companies, including US sportswear manufacturer Nike, financial groups Allianz, Barclays, and Santander, as well as technology companies such as Microsoft and T-Mobile.

Launched to coincide with COP26, the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference currently being held in Glasgow (October 31 – November 12), the first Index also features four prominent renewable energy companies, including Ecotricity, Octopus Energy, ENGIE, and Renewable Energy Group. They are recognised for using their global sporting partnerships as a platform to showcase their commitment to becoming carbon neutral and promote renewable energy technologies in wider society.

The full list was collated by an independent panel of judges and comprises of companies working across multiple industry sectors covering finance, technology, food and beverage (F&B), retail, energy, and transport. The list includes: 

The judging process is points-based and covers seven criteria, including: (1) Each company’s impact through sports-related Corporate Social Responsible (CSR) and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) activities; (2) Innovation and creativity during purpose-led campaigns; (3) Commitment to environmental, social, and corporate governance; (4) Level of investment in ‘sport for good’ causes; (5) Extent to which their sports investments align with the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); (6) Their commercial viability; (7) An overall assessment of their commitment towards building an equitable society, reducing sport’s ecological footprint, and growing the sport’s industry’s economy through sport for good campaigns.

The all-female judging panel included: Alison Moore – CEO, Comic Relief USA; Stacie Shelton - Global Head of Education & Advocacy, Dove Self-Esteem Project, Dove; Towa von Bismark – Executive Director, UBS; Julia Pallé – Sustainability Director, Formula E; Madeleine Orr – Founder, The Sport Ecology Group; Aileen McManamon – Founder and Managing Partner, 5T Sports Group; and an independent adjudicator, Tom Kingsley, Associate Partner for the Sport Industry Group, EY.

Utilising its international connections through the power of sport, Laureus is working closely with partners and stakeholders to deliver social change and to align their operations with the 17 UN SDGs and ESG and CSR targets. 

With a growing focus on purpose and advocacy among the world’s leading brands, Laureus is acting to connect industries and businesses through the power of sport and aims to inspire more brands invested in the sports industry to implement change in their own operations that will make a difference to wider society.

Laureus Academy Member and eleven-time Paralympic gold medalist Tanni Grey-Thompson said: “At Laureus we believe in the power of sport to inspire and drive social change, and sport holds the power to help people and companies approach what they do in an entirely different way. It is great that brands are doing this by adopting sport’s influence and is helping to change people’s views towards issues such as the climate crisis, as well as the social and economic divide in our communities.

Ned Wills, Managing Director of Laureus, said: “The Laureus Sport for Good Index is the first of its kind to recognise the positive work carried out by some of sport’s biggest investors across our society. At Laureus, we believe that sport can change the world for the better and our aim is to inspire more companies around the world to take action by celebrating the brands that are making a true difference today.