Nexans

Does the core business genuinely avoid or reduce emissions, or build climate resilience? Share of revenue that is actually 'green'. Fossil-dependent models score low.

Nexans' core revenue driver — supplying and installing inter-array and export cables for offshore wind farms including Horns Rev (first large-scale offshore wind farm) and 50+ subsequent projects — is structurally tied to decarbonising power generation, though the company also serves oil & gas and other industrial customers, preventing a perfect score.

Credible, science-based targets (SBTi), a real net-zero plan with progress to date, and CDP disclosure — not just a dated press release.

SBTi has formally validated Nexans' near-term (46.2% Scope 1&2 reduction by 2030, 30% Scope 3 by 2030) and long-term (net-zero by 2050) targets; 2025 sustainability highlights report 49% Scope 1&2 and 40% Scope 3 reductions against baseline — both ahead of schedule — lending credibility to the roadmap.

Operational footprint, labour and social practices, and governance quality across the company's own operations and supply chain.

Nexans holds CDP Climate 'A' and CDP Supplier Engagement 'A' ratings, an MSCI 'A' ESG rating, and EcoVadis 80/100; circular-economy efforts processed 95,000+ tonnes of recycled raw materials in 2025 and a €90 m copper recycling facility is commissioned for 2027, though its oil & gas cable exposure and legacy cartel conduct reflect governance weaknesses.

Quality of disclosure, independent third-party verification, and how much hard data backs the company's claims.

Nexans publishes an annual Integrated Report and Universal Registration Document (filed with French AMF) with statutory-auditor-reviewed financial and ESG data; TCFD-aligned climate risk assessment conducted with external support; CDP 'A' disclosure and SBTi-validated targets provide robust third-party verification, though site-level environmental provision data is sparse (€5 m disclosed in 2023).

Controversies, litigation, pollution, fossil-fuel lobbying, conflict-zone involvement and governance scandals. Higher means cleaner.

Nexans lost its final EU Court of Justice appeal of a €70.7 m antitrust fine for a decade-long power-cable price-fixing cartel; civil follow-on litigation is active — the UK Competition Appeal Tribunal in October 2025 ordered Nexans to pay £10.6 m ($14.3 m) to the London Array wind farm, with Nexans seeking further appeal in June 2026; a separate Italian antitrust probe involving a Nexans subsidiary (La Triveneta Cavi) was opened in December 2024.