Corporate success is not defined solely by the bottom line. This year, a group of companies set themselves apart as champions of business excellence by balancing financial success with a dedication to ethical practices, social responsibility and global sustainability.
Newsweek and Best Practice Institute (BPI) proudly present the Excellence 1000 Index 2025. This ranking honors organizations across more than 25 industries that are leading the way in the corporate world. These companies prove that thriving requires not just strategic acumen but an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing for their stakeholders.
We reviewed over 25,000 companies and identified 5,200 that uphold the highest standards, ultimately recognizing the top 1,000 for this achievement.
Our rigorous methodology evaluated financial health through key metrics like revenue, R&D investment and website traffic, reflecting a commitment to growth and innovation. Additionally, stakeholder satisfaction was assessed through customer and employee sentiment. We also measured social responsibility by examining companies' ethical standards and commitments to global sustainability.
Companies honored in this ranking include NVIDIA--which took the top spot, Accenture, Goodman Group and Juniper Networks.
We invite you to explore this prestigious list of organizations that are defining what it means to lead.
Rank | Company | Industry | Specialization | Rating | Industry Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NVIDIA | Information Technology | Computer Hardware Development | 4.56 | 1 |
| 2 | Accenture | Information Technology | IT Services & IT Consulting | 4.56 | 2 |
| 3 | Goodman Group | Real Estate | Property Management | 4.56 | 1 |
| 4 | Cisco Systems | Information Technology | Enterprise Software & Network Solutions | 4.55 | 3 |
| 5 | Juniper Networks | Telecommunications | Telecommunications Services | 4.55 | 1 |
| 6 | Kforce | Professional Services | Business Consulting | 4.55 | 1 |
| 7 | Telefónica | Telecommunications | Telecommunications Services | 4.55 | 2 |
| 8 | 3i Group | Financial Services | Investment & Asset Management | 4.55 | 1 |
| 9 | Novartis | Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology | Pharmaceutical Manufacturing | 4.55 | 1 |
| 10 | Dropbox | Retail & Wholesale | Computer Hardware Development | 4.55 | 1 |
| 11 | Enel | Utilities | Utilities | 4.55 | 1 |
| 12 | Nasdaq | Financial Services | Stock Exchanges | 4.55 | 2 |
| 13 | Nintendo | Information Technology | Video Game Publishing | 4.55 | 4 |
| 14 | Tencent | Information Technology | Internet & Web Services | 4.55 | 5 |
| 15 | Arista Networks | Information Technology | Enterprise Software & Network Solutions | 4.55 | 6 |
| 16 | Intel Corporation | Information Technology | Computer Hardware Development | 4.55 | 7 |
| 17 | The Coca-Cola Company | Manufacturing | Food & Beverage Manufacturing | 4.55 | 1 |
| 18 | Xiaomi | Retail & Wholesale | Consumer Electronics & Appliances Stores | 4.55 | 2 |
| 19 | VMware | Information Technology | Enterprise Software & Network Solutions | 4.55 | 8 |
| 20 | West Pharmaceutical Services | Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology | Health Care Products Manufacturing | 4.55 | 2 |
| 21 | Logitech | Information Technology | Computer Hardware Development | 4.55 | 9 |
| 22 | ASML Holding | Manufacturing | Electronics Manufacturing | 4.54 | 2 |
| 23 | Howard Hughes Medical Institute | Hospitals & Healthcare | Grantmaking & Charitable Foundations | 4.54 | 1 |
| 24 | Oracle | Information Technology | Enterprise Software & Network Solutions | 4.54 | 10 |
| 25 | Hasbro | Manufacturing | Consumer Product Manufacturing | 4.54 | 3 |
| 26 | Procore Technologies | Information Technology | Enterprise Software & Network Solutions | 4.54 | 11 |
| 27 | L'Oréal | Manufacturing | Consumer Product Manufacturing | 4.54 | 4 |
| 28 | MAERSK | Transportation & Logistics | Marine Transportation | 4.54 | 1 |
| 29 | Salesforce | Information Technology | Enterprise Software & Network Solutions | 4.54 | 12 |
| 30 | Magna International | Manufacturing | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 4.54 | 5 |
| 31 | Advantest | Manufacturing | Electronics Manufacturing | 4.54 | 6 |
| 32 | Volvo Cars | Manufacturing | Machinery Manufacturing | 4.54 | 7 |
| 33 | Extreme Networks | Information Technology | Enterprise Software & Network Solutions | 4.54 | 13 |
| 34 | Mercedes-Benz Group | Manufacturing | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 4.54 | 8 |
| 35 | First Abu Dhabi Bank | Financial Services | Banking & Lending | 4.54 | 3 |
| 36 | IBM | Information Technology | Information Technology Support Services | 4.54 | 14 |
| 37 | Lattice Semiconductor | Information Technology | Computer Hardware Development | 4.54 | 15 |
| 38 | Flywire | Financial Services | Financial Transaction Processing | 4.54 | 4 |
| 39 | Intesa Sanpaolo | Financial Services | Banking & Lending | 4.53 | 5 |
| 40 | AMD | Information Technology | Computer Hardware Development | 4.53 | 16 |
| 41 | Marvell Technology | Information Technology | Computer Hardware Development | 4.53 | 17 |
| 42 | BBVA | Financial Services | Banking & Lending | 4.53 | 6 |
| 43 | Arrow Electronics | Manufacturing | Electronics Manufacturing | 4.53 | 9 |
| 44 | Digital Realty | Information Technology | Information Technology Support Services | 4.53 | 18 |
| 45 | Xero | Information Technology | Computer Hardware Development | 4.53 | 19 |
| 46 | Elastic | Information Technology | Enterprise Software & Network Solutions | 4.53 | 20 |
| 47 | Netflix | Information Technology | Internet & Web Services | 4.53 | 21 |
| 48 | Diageo | Manufacturing | Food & Beverage Manufacturing | 4.53 | 10 |
| 49 | Ares Management | Financial Services | Investment & Asset Management | 4.53 | 7 |
| 50 | Deutsche Telekom | Telecommunications | Telecommunications Services | 4.53 | 3 |
LICENSING
To learn more about the Newsweek Excellence 1000 Index, licensing the official Excellence Index Badge, or if your company appears on the list, please visit excellence.bestpracticeinstitute.org.
METHODOLOGY
Newsweek has partnered with Best Practice Institute (BPI) to bring you the Excellence 1000 Index. It recognizes companies across over 18 industries and 250 categories and their outstanding dedication to best practices in serving customers and stakeholders, communities, financial growth, and broader societal contributions to social responsibility and sustainability. BPI identified 7,800 companies out of over 25,000 that uphold excellence in best business practices. In their methodology, BPI evaluated financial health, using indicators such as revenue, R&D spending, and website traffic to gauge commitment to growth. Their analysis also included stakeholder satisfaction with customer and employee sentiment. Moreover, they considered the company's dedication to social responsibility, focusing on aligning with ethical standards and commitments to global sustainability, leading to the top 1000 companies ranked in this issue of the 2025 Excellence Index.
List Stats:
Industry Representation:
• The IT Services Industry had the greatest representation of companies - making up 25% of the total companies listed.
Growth in 2024:
• Representation from the manufacturing industry grew from 5% to 15% over last year
• Representation from the Financial Services industries grew from 8% to 12% over last year
Top 100 Standouts:
• IoT was the most common Industry, contributing 40% of the top 100 companies listed.
• Companies within the Professional Services Industry had the highest average rating (4.55).
Social Responsibility:
• 26% of listed companies actively participate in the United Nations Global Compact.
Revenue
• The average 2023 revenue across all companies was $15.4B.