In its annual ‘World’s Best Companies 2026’ project, TIME collaborated with research firm Statista to identify the globe’s leading corporate performers. The evaluation framework relies on three core metrics: Employee Satisfaction, Revenue Growth, and Sustainability Transparency (ESG).
Employee Satisfaction was measured through survey data gathered from a global pool of more than 200,000 workers. The assessment considered both direct recommendations from verified employees and indirect evaluations provided by industry peers.
Revenue Growth analysis utilized Statista’s proprietary revenue database, covering a three-year window. To qualify for consideration, companies were required to have generated at least $100 million in revenue during either 2024 or 2025, depending on data availability at the time of publication. Additionally, firms had to demonstrate positive revenue expansion over the previous three years, with the evaluation accounting for both relative and absolute growth figures.
The Sustainability Transparency dimension drew upon ESG data from standardized KPIs in Statista’s ESG Database, supplemented by targeted research. The resulting ESG index incorporated multiple indicators across environmental, social, and governance categories. Environmental metrics included carbon emissions intensity in 2024, the reduction rate compared to 2022, and the company’s Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) score. Social assessments focused on the percentage of women serving on the board of directors and the presence of a human rights policy. Governance criteria examined whether the organization published a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report compliant with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines and maintained a compliance or anti-corruption policy.
Following data collection, all metrics were integrated into a weighted scoring model. The three dimensions contributed equally to the final ranking, yielding a maximum score of 100 points. The 1,000 companies achieving the highest scores were designated as the World’s Best Companies 2026 by TIME and Statista.
Interesting that CDP scores are used for environmental assessment. I’d like to see more focus on actual carbon reduction rates rather than just transparency.
Three equal weights for such different metrics seems a bit rigid, but at least it’s transparent.
Does the $100 million revenue floor exclude too many promising startups? Curious about the impact on innovation metrics.
Finally, a ranking that weighs sustainability transparency alongside hard revenue growth. This is exactly what investors need to see.
Great breakdown of the methodology. I wonder how much employee satisfaction surveys actually reflect reality versus corporate spin.