Secaucus, N.J. – Panasonic was named the fourth Best Global Green Brand in an Interbrand study for 2013, the company said Thursday.
Panasonic moved up two spots from number six, marking the first time that the company has been the highest ranked electronics brand in the report.
“It has been Panasonic’s goal to become the number one green innovation company in the electronics industry by our one-hundredth anniversary in 2018,” said Joseph Taylor, Panasonic North America president & CEO. “I am happy to say that today we have hit an important milestone on the way to that goal.”
The foundation of Interbrand’s annual Best Global Green Brands report is Interbrand’s annual 100 Best Global Brands report. It is a report that, when published each fall, ranks 100 global brands of high value to investors.
Interbrand conducts consumer research to capture public perception of each brand’s sustainable or green practices and compares that to environmental sustainability performance data, Panasonic said.
From there, the top 50 brands are selected to the 2013 Best Global Green Brands report.
Panasonic scored especially well in “Products & Services”, “Governance” and “Operations” in the Green Performance category, the company said.
Panasonic was also evaluated on company initiatives which stress eco innovation.
Among Panasonic’s activities in the past year was the unveiling last November of a wide range of Eco Navi products, complete with “China Environmental Labeling Type II,” the highest environmental protection product certification issued by the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection.
Panasonic has also announced the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries for Toyota Motor’s eQ Electric Vehicle and has launched a Smart Home Energy Management System in Japan.
In North America, the company will open a new North American headquarters in Newark, N.J. that will be LEED Platinum Certified, the highest standard for environmental design.
Panasonic pointed out that a 2013 International CES last January, Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga set the tone for the company’s eco innovation goals in his keynote address. He said the company’s focus is on products that are not simply “green,” but also enrich lives, creating real value for customers around the world.
