First mainstream media company to set the goal of carbon neutrality via carbon emission reduction and offset. James Murdoch has taken a passionate leadership stance. The intriguing question now is to what degree Sky’s climate convictions will influence programme content.

Founded in 1995 and already one of the world’s top-five wind-energy producers. Suzlon is the largest player in Asia – itself highly significantbut draws deeply on Dutch and German subsidiaries and has a large presence in France. One for investors to watch. Suzlon’s 2005 IPO was 46 times oversubscribed.

Any energy savings pass to the bottom line where aluminium production is concerned. But Alcoa has gone above and beyond: its initial goal was to achieve a 25% reduction in worldwide direct greenhouse gas emissions by 2010 from a base year of 1990, but it achieved this goal in 2003.

First bank to achieve carbon neutral status (Sept 2005) via green energy purchase, conservation and offset. Also a founder member of the Climate Group. HSBC has probably done more than any other company to publicise the problem of climate change globally, via staff and customers.

Noteworthy “get on and do it” company that already had a first-rate environmental policy before global warming took over. Green energy contracts have allowed BT to reduce CO2 emissions by 60% based on 1996 levels. CSR policy is embedded not bolted on; as a result, BT is tackling its supply chain too.

Transformed under Kleinfeld’s leadership, Siemens epitomises German industrial leadership and green credentials in its wind turbine unit and biomass power generation plant innovation. However, solid oxide fuel cells for distributed power generation is undoubtedly the most exciting highlight.

Like the other insurers in this list, Swiss Re views global warming as a fiduciary risk. It has been very instrumental in raising public awareness through the Swiss Re Centre for Global Dialogue in Rüschlikon, and through the global TV documentary The Great Warming. The brand’s image has benefited.

Reckitt is making eight billion household products carbon neutral by planting two million trees in British Columbia. Wonderfully progressive under Becht’s leadership, the company is tackling lots of difficult downstream issues such as the sustainability of palm oil supplied to the company.