NORTHAMPTON, Mass., October 2, 2025 /CSRwire/ - Last year, 3BL research showed that companies on the 100 Best Corporate Citizens list outperformed the S&P 500, a clear sign that strong sustainability performance can align with financial success. But as U.S. markets face greater volatility and political attitudes shift, are the nation’s largest companies still acting on and disclosing sustainability efforts? And if they are, does it help or hurt their bottom line?

Since 1999, the 100 Best Corporate Citizens has ranked the largest publicly traded U.S. companies on sustainability disclosure and performance. The methodology evolves annually to reflect changing stakeholder expectations and best practices across areas like climate change, employee relations, human rights, and governance. The 2025 results show steady progress, with average scores rising 2.5% this year.

Our latest research confirms that these efforts matter in the market, too. From January 2022 to July 2025, companies recognized among the 100 Best delivered annual returns 2.2% higher than the S&P 500.

The gains are even stronger for repeat honorees:

• 106% cumulative return from 2022 to 2025 (vs. 37% for the S&P 500)
• 40% cumulative return excluding outliers (vs. the S&P’s 36.6%)

Why does this matter? Sustainability disclosures not only meet growing investor demand for risk-reducing data, but they may also be a leading indicator of financial resilience. Still, whether these disclosures carry the same weight with consumers remains an open question.

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3BL

3BL

3BL has revolutionized how brands share their corporate sustainability and social impact progress.

By leveraging our proprietary technology and expansive distribution network, you can easily access disparate and hard-to-reach stakeholders. And, with our best in class analytics suite, you can measure the impact of your ESG initiatives and build a positive reputation that lasts.

Our Brand Studio combines the editorial expertise of TriplePundit's sustainability communicators and the reach of 3BL’s unrivaled distribution network, so you can find new ways to tell your stories better and share them more widely across your target audiences.

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