To develop its list the internet newsletter publisher asked leading investment advisers to recommend companies that were financially well positioned as well as demonstrating a strong commitment to minimising their impact on the environment.

The list, known as the SB20, is said by the publisher to be the 'very top green gems,' and those companies listed 'should be in every sustainable investor's portfolio'.

Inclusion in the list is recognition of Chiquita's efforts in recent years to be seen as more environment friendly by customers and consumers alike. It has been pursuing the Rainforest Alliance's Better Banana Project, for example. 'Of course there's a compelling moral value to corporate responsibility, but it also makes smart business sense,' said Chiquita Brands International ceo Cyrus Freidheim.

Topics