Toyota has been named the greenest brand in the world in a new ranking by branding experts Interbrand.
The Japanese automaker managed top spot above other global conglomerates such as Siemens, Dell and Johnson & Johnson, although fellow automakers Volkswagen and Honda also made the top ten list.
Interbrand said that Toyota, which makes the best-selling Prius hybrid, "is a leading example of making the environment a core management priority, while also engaging in a meaningful way with audiences around the world."
Volkswagen also won praise for its 'Think Blue' advertising campaign, green factories and car-sharing initiatives, while Honda was recognized for its green history.
Just outside the top ten was Hyundai in 11th place, BMW in 12th, Mercedes-Benz in 16th and Ford, in 20th place.
Curiously, electric car makers such as Nissan, Mitsubishi and Chevrolet all failed to score a place in the top 50, suggesting that consumers still aren't associating electric vehicles with the "greenness" of a brand.
"As corporate citizenship increasingly becomes the norm, green initiatives may be among the most visible and easiest to claim and yet, can be the most challenging to deliver performance against,” said Interbrand's Jez Frampton.
The survey was conducted among consumers in US, Japan, China, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Brazil, Spain, and India.
