Written by Marc Courtenay

Wednesday, 30 July 2008

In a recent article we discussed the 2008 Sustainable Business 20 List which was developed by the Progressive Investor section of SustainableBusiness.com.

Of the twenty on the list, there are two green companies that especially stand out for their continual leadership on the path towards a sustainable society. These two are well known to green investors.

Green building company Interface, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFSIA) and renewable, geothermal energy company Ormat Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:ORA) have been named to the Sustainable Business 20 List in each of the last three years.

Now we are told that if they are nominated a fourth time in 2009, they will join an elite list of companies with SB20 Core status, admired internationally not only for their ongoing sustainability initiatives, but also for their strong management and balance sheets.

Interface, Inc., whose stock is trading down towards its 52-week low, engages in the design, production, and sale of modular carpet products in primarily in the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

Ormat Technologies, Inc. (at $46 a share, well off its 52-week high) and its subsidiaries engage in the geothermal and recovered energy power business in the United States and internationally. 

Like all investments, these two green companies' values and growth-potential will need to be studied carefully before buying their shares. These are tough times for all businesses and sectors, and only the most adaptive and innovative will survive, let alone thrive.