Several Minnesota companies appear on Newsweek magazine’s 2009 “green” company rankings, although none of them receive an overly enthusiastic endorsement.
Travelers ranks the highest at No. 32. The insurance giant has “a reasonably thorough environmental policy relative to its industry, but does not provide adequate disclosure information,” the magazine says.
3M appears at No. 40 for manufacturing a wide range of products, “many of which have environmental benefits.” The blurb mentions low-toxicity building materials and high-efficiency lighting products.
Medtronic ranks 65th, but second among health-care companies. The medical device maker recycles nearly half its solid waste and has made “small efforts to eliminate controversial substances, such as PVC, from products.”
Target‘s efforts to recycle and eliminate PVC helped it come in at No. 72. The magazine notes, however, that the retailer has a “weak program” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Other Minnesota companies appearing in the top 100 include Best Buy, General Mills and U.S. Bancorp.
