Fast Company reports that the U.K. consultancy Lady Geek released this year's corporate empathy scores, curating huge amounts of data points across a variety of sources.
The most empathetic companies include Microsoft (with a score of 100%), Facebook, Tesla Motor, Alphabet (Google), and Procter & Gamble. Others in the top 20 include Audi, France’s luxury house LVMH, Alibaba Group, and Wells Fargo. The bottom five are TalkTalk Telecom, Keurig Green Mountain, Hargreaves Lansdown, Abercrombie & Fitch, and JD Sports Fashion.
Parmar also notes that while Audi ranked No. 10 overall, its parent company Volkswagen came in close to the bottom at No. 95 due to the emissions controversy that prompted CEO Martin Winterkorn to step down. Audi’s rank did suffer a bit, as it fell from the No. 3 spot it held in 2014.
And as it turns out, the business case for empathy is striking.
Parmar points out that five of the top 10 most empathetic are technology companies that are also the fastest growing. "Their market capitalization has grown this year by 23.3% compared to a weighted average of 5.2% of all the companies in the index," according to Parmar.
The Index also makes a case for empathy boosting the bottom line as the top 10 generated 50% more earnings than those ranking least. "Average earnings among the top 10 were up 6% this year, while the average earnings of the bottom 10 dropped 9%," she writes.