SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In one of the most recognized global measures of corporate environmental performance, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has been ranked as the nation’s greenest energy company by Newsweek.

PG&E placed first among electric and natural gas utilities, and No. 15 overall, in the 2016 Newsweek Green Rankings of the 500-largest publicly traded companies in the United States, moving up from the 3^rd and 42^nd spots in 2015.

Worldwide, PG&E ranks as the No. 2 utility on the 2016 list, and 31^st overall. The company’s previous positions were No. 3 and 69^th, respectively.

“We're honored to be recognized as the greenest energy provider in the United States, and for our long-standing commitment to sustainable business practices. Earning the top position in the Newsweek Green Rankings is a reflection of our efforts to protect the environment, create a clean-energy future, and build a better California for our customers and communities," said PG&E Corporation Chairman, CEO and President Tony Earley.

Newsweek performs its annual assessments in partnership with Corporate Knights Capital, an independent investment research company based in Toronto, Canada, and HIP Investor Inc., a firm that rates companies and investments for their benefit or cost to society, and the associated risks or opportunities for investors.

The rankings are based on eight indicators covering energy, greenhouse gases, water, waste, green revenues, linking executive pay to sustainability, board-level committee oversight of sustainability and third-party audited environmental metrics.

"In the current global business and political climate, no company can continue to ignore its environmental footprint. … Our hope is that the rankings will propel leaders to start looking at their environmental impact not just in terms of carbon use, but comprehensively, and make the changes necessary to sustain both business growth and environmental viability," said Elijah Wolfson, Senior Editor for Newsweek.

PG&E’s commitment to achieving a low-carbon economy and preserving a healthy planet for future generations includes:

• Delivering some of the nation's cleanest energy with nearly 55 percent of our electricity coming from sources that produce zero greenhouse gases, including nuclear, hydro and renewables
• Using state-of-the-art detection technology to find and eliminate methane leaks in our natural gas distribution system
• Connecting more rooftop solar and doing it faster than any utility in the nation
• Exploring solutions such as large-scale battery banks and compressed air storage systems to smooth natural cycles of sun and wind power
• Investing $100 million over the next five years to electrify our vehicle fleet
• Convening an external Sustainability Advisory Council to help guide our sustainability efforts

To view PG&E's annual Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report and information about the company's commitment to sustainability click here.

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric utilities in the United States. Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/ and www.pge.com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.

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Source: Pacific Gas and Electric Company