AMSTERDAM, the Netherlands - AkzoNobel has been ranked number one on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) for the fourth consecutive year. The latest listing places the company first out of more than 350 companies in the Materials industry group.

"This result reinforces our belief that sustainability should sit at the heart of our business strategy," said CEO Ton Büchner. "The DJSI is an extremely effective strategic tool for managing sustainability and business performance, and today's ranking reflects the importance we attach to working closely with customers in order to develop more sustainable solutions."

The company has now been placed in the top three for 10 years in a row and aims to generate 20 percent of its revenue from sustainable solutions by 2020.

"We've developed great products such as additives that allow asphalt to be laid at low temperatures and solar-reflective exterior paint that reduces a building's energy use up to 15 percent," added Büchner. "But innovation is only part of the story. The DJSI also helps us to make advances in terms of becoming more eco-efficient, improving the safety of our products, attracting and retaining talent, and improving relationships with our customers."

Widely regarded as the most respected independent sustainability ranking system, the DJSI World Index benchmarks the sustainability performance of leading companies based on environmental, social and economic performance, including forward-looking indicators. It assesses various criteria, including supply chain management, operational eco-efficiency, product stewardship, human capital development and occupational health and safety.