For professionals in the global sustainability world, building and leveraging influence is about scaling positive impact. Time is of the essence in this field, so being more visible and ‘vocal’ with what’s working and what isn’t, is critical. If their decisions and trusted sources or guiding research all exists in a vacuum or is spoken of solely ‘among the choir’, businesses and policy-makers will get nowhere fast. That’s why engaging in conversations online is important. Influencers can more intentionally leave a path of insight and contribute experience to future generations of leaders.
With even a quick review of these sustainability lists, what I continue to see is incredible opportunity for more leaders to build their own social capital. This is how they can ramp up their influence and be prepared to activate it at critical moments. The sustainability path is a long haul, after all.
In order to keep this the thriving community it has been for at least this past ten years I’ve been part of it, we need diversity of voices and leadership knowledge: more women, more people of color, more nationalities and more members of younger generations.
Much as we appreciate the work and well-amplified communications efforts of corporate leaders like Paul Polman and former UNFCCC Secretary General Christiana Figueres, they’ve been the key influencers for too long. The same holds for corporate sustainability, where a few key leaders have been the recognized social media contributors for years. I’ll offer my rallying cry again: in order to keep this critical effort rolling, we need YOU.
See these influencer lists as a productive starting point. Watch and learn, and start to engage in these conversations today.
Written by our guest author:
Andrea Learned – Climate Actions Communications Strategist
Andrea consults with social impact and environmental innovators and organizations to scale impact using strategic digital communications, with an emphasis on influencer/media relations and leadership platform building. Client project sectors have included data centers, forest conservation, climate finance, impact investing and cities/climate.
TOP INFLUENCERS
We analysed nearly 3.8M sustainability posts from 25th June 2017 – 25th June 2018, looking at social influence as well as authority by analysing how much influencers are referenced on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Forums, Blogs, News and Tumblr content. These influencers were then identified and added to our Influencer Relationship Management software (IRM) to generate the influencer rankings and network map.
Below is a list of the top sustainability influencers segmented by job role. If you want to see who ranks beyond these lists be sure to download the full report by clicking the download button below!
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TOP INDUSTRY EXPERTS IN SUSTAINABILITY
Below is a list of the top 10 industry experts in sustainability. If you want to see who ranks from 1-15 be sure to download the full report!
| Rank | Twitter Handle | Name | Organisation | Influencer Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @BillGates | Bill Gates | Microsoft | 100 |
| 2 | @AdamRogers2030 | Adam Rogers | UN Development | 51 |
| 3 | @JeffDSachs | Jeffrey D. Sachs | CSD Columbia | 40.28 |
| 4 | @RichardMunang | Dr. Richard Munang | UN Environment | 16.21 |
| 5 | @fairsnape | Martin Brown | Fairsnape | 12.09 |
| 6 | @estherclimate | Esther Agbarakwe | Climate Wednesday | 11.31 |
| 7 | @alicekorngold | Alice Korngold | Korngold Consulting | 11.31 |
| 8 | @GarethKane | Gareth Kane | Terra Infirma | 10.1 |
| 9 | @makower | Joel Makower | GreenBiz | 9.62 |
| 10 | @ineeshadvs | Neeshad V. S | WEF | 8.56 |
TOP BUSINESS LEADERS IN SUSTAINABILITY
| Rank | Twitter Handle | Name | Organisation | Influencer Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @PaulPolman | Paul Polman | Unilever | 100 |
| 2 | @satyanadella | Satya Nadella | Microsoft | 57.25 |
| 3 | @neilchawkins | Neil Hawkins | Dow Chemical | 11.83 |
| 4 | @planamikebarry | Mike Barry | Marks and Spencer | 12.73 |
| 5 | @keithweed | Keith Weed | Unilever | 13.54 |
TOP ACADEMICS IN SUSTAINABILITY
| Rank | Twitter Handle | Name | Organisation | Influencer Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @elemenous | Lucy Gray | Lucy Gray Consulting | 100 |
| 2 | @IlonaKickbusch | Ilona Kickbusch | Kickbusch Health Consult | 59.89 |
| 3 | @iioannoulbs | Ioannis Ioannou | LBS | 59.54 |
| 4 | @HoffmanAndy | Andrew Hoffman | University of Michigan | 22.21 |
TOP INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS IN SUSTAINABILITY
Below is a list of the top 15 industry experts in sustainability. If you want to see who ranks from 1-20 be sure to download the full report!
| Rank | Twitter Handle | Name | Company | Influencer Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @HelenClarkNZ | Helen Clark | helenclarknz.com | 100 |
| 2 | @evankirstel | Evan Kirstel | eViRa Health | 50.54 |
| 3 | @debraruh | Debra Ruh | Ruh Global Communications | 45.27 |
| 4 | @HansLak | Hans Lak | GLESI.org | 42.05 |
| 5 | @Revkin | Andy Revkin | National Geographic Society | 32.2 |
| 6 | @TimJMohin | Tim Mohin | Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) | 31.21 |
| 7 | @BrentToderian | Brent Toderian | TODERIAN UrbanWORKS | 25.38 |
| 8 | @VisualPersist | Matt Bjerregaard | VisualPersistence.com | 24.6 |
| 9 | @AndreaLearned | Andrea Learned | Climate Actions Communications | 25.13 |
| 10 | @davidcoethica | David Connor | 2030hub | 24.91 |
| 11 | @BjornKHaugland | Bjørn K. Haugland | DNV GL | 23.16 |
| 12 | @MindyLubber | Mindy Lubber | Ceres | 25.27 |
| 13 | @bar_zie | Barbara Anna Zielonka | Varkey Foundation | 21.69 |
| 14 | @DaveStangis | Dave Stangis | Campbell Soup Company | 21.01 |
| 15 | @davidnabarro | Dr David Nabarro | UN | 21.18 |
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TOP BLOGGERS IN SUSTAINABILITY
| Rank | Twitter Handle | Name | Organisation | Influencer Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @drvox | David Roberts | Vox News | 100 |
| 2 | @paul_steele | Paul Steele | BaldHiker | 93.73 |
| 3 | @MarcGunther | Marc Gunther | nonprofitchronicles.com | 23.83 |
TOP MEDIA INFLUENCERS IN SUSTAINABILITY
| Rank | Twitter Handle | Name | Organisation | Influencer Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @LeonKaye | Leon Kaye | TriplePundit | 100 |
| 2 | @dpcarrington | Damian Carrington | The Guardian | 76.56 |
| 3 | @SustMeme | Jim McClelland | McClelland Media | 69.71 |
TOP CAMPAIGNERS IN SUSTAINABILITY
| Rank | Twitter Handle | Name | Organisation | Influencer Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @algore | Al Gore | algore.com | 100 |
| 2 | @OlumideIDOWU | Mr. Climate – #SDGs | ICCDI Africa | 29.25 |
| 3 | @NiliMajumder | Nili Majumder | Global Fund for Women | 27.08 |
| 4 | @MordiOfficial | Joel Mordi | Youth Empowerment & ICT Foundation | 30.36 |
| 5 | @MiF_Nigeria | Mordi Ibe Fdn | Mordi Foundation | 25.65 |
| 6 | @jayathmadw | Jayathma Wickramanayake | UN | 72.95 |
| 7 | @MelindaRooke | Melinda Rooke | MY World | 12.25 |
| 8 | @SaleemulHuq | Saleemul Huq | ICCCAD | 14.32 |
| 9 | @JenWilliamsEdu | Jennifer Williams | Participate | 18.42 |
| 10 | @billmckibben | Bill McKibben | 350 dot org | 15.39 |
| 11 | @MarkTercek | Mark Tercek | Nature Conservancy | 11.18 |
| 12 | @PaulHawken | Paul Hawken | Project Drawdown | 10.81 |
Top 5 CELEBRITIES IN SUSTAINABILITY
| Rank | Twitter Handle | Name | Organisation | Influencer Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @LeoDiCaprio | Leonardo DiCaprio | leonardodicaprio.com | 100 |
| 2 | @richardbranson | Richard Branson | Virgin Group | 57.25 |
| 3 | @MarkRuffalo | Mark Ruffalo | mark-ruffalo.com | 11.83 |
| 4 | @StellaMcCartney | Stella McCartney | stellamccartney.com | 12.73 |
| 5 | @GeorgeMonbiot | George Monbiot | monbiot.com | 13.54 |
TOP 20 POLITICAL INFLUENCERS IN SUSTAINABILITY
Below is a list of the top 20 industry experts in sustainability. If you want to see who ranks from 1-25 be sure to download the full report!
| Rank | Twitter Handle | Name | Organisation | Influencer Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @AminaJMohammed | Amina J Mohammed | UN | 100 |
| 2 | @narendramodi | Narendra Modi | Prime Minister of India | 94.95 |
| 3 | @DrTedros | Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus | WHO | 55.12 |
| 4 | @ASteiner | Achim Steiner | UN Development | 51.24 |
| 5 | @CFigueres | Christiana Figueres | Global Optimist | 45.49 |
| 6 | @UN_PGA | UN GA President | UN | 34.93 |
| 7 | @UNECOSOC | UN ECOSOC President | UN | 28.03 |
| 8 | @ErikSolheim | Erik Solheim | UN Environment | 27.05 |
| 9 | @ImranKhanPTI | Imran Khan | Pakistan Movement for Justice | 26.32 |
| 10 | @KarmenuVella | Karmenu Vella | European Commission | 24.68 |
| 11 | @PEspinosaC | Patricia Espinosa C. | UN Climate Change | 23.78 |
| 12 | @michaelgove | Michael Gove | Conservative Party (UK) | 23.6 |
| 13 | @ThomsonFiji | Peter Thomson | UN | 22.52 |
| 14 | @MikeBloomberg | Mike Bloomberg | Philanthropist and Former NYC Mayor | 20.14 |
| 15 | @drharshvardhan | Dr. Harsh Vardhan | Government of India | 19.94 |
| 16 | @MimicaEU | Neven Mimica | European Commission | 18.18 |
| 17 | @grazianodasilva | José Graziano da Silva | FAO | 17.69 |
| 18 | @KGeorgieva | Kristalina Georgieva | World Bank | 14.87 |
| 19 | @GovInslee | Governor Jay Inslee | Governor of Washington | 13.31 |
| 20 | @Anne_Hidalgo | Anne Hidalgo | Mayor of Paris | 12.91 |
MAPPING THE COMMUNITY
TOP BRANDS
Below is a list of the top 50 sustainability brands. If you want to see who ranks from 1-100 be sure to download the full report by clicking the download button below!
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| Rank | Twitter Handle | Name | Influencer Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @UN | United Nations | 100 |
| 2 | @WorldBank | World Bank | 31.9 |
| 3 | @GlobalGoalsUN | Global Goals | 31.71 |
| 4 | @UNDP | UN Development | 30.69 |
| 5 | @UNDESA | UN DESA | 25.9 |
| 6 | @SDGaction | UN SDG Action Campaign | 24.11 |
| 7 | @WHO | World Health Organization (WHO) | 21.23 |
| 8 | @UNICEF | UNICEF | 20.76 |
| 9 | @PMOIndia | PMO India | 20.37 |
| 10 | @UNFCCC | UN Climate Change | 19.68 |
| 11 | @UN_Women | UN Women | 19.15 |
| 12 | @UNEnvironment | UN Environment | 18.89 |
| 13 | @UNESCO | UNESCO | 18.16 |
| 14 | @wef | World Economic Forum | 17.57 |
| 15 | @unfoundation | UN Foundation | 17.42 |
| 16 | @IISD_SDGs | IISD SDGs | 16.12 |
| 17 | @Microsoft | Microsoft | 15.88 |
| 18 | @globalcompact | UN Global Compact | 15.61 |
| 19 | @EU_Commission | European Commission | 14.81 |
| 20 | @GreenBiz | GreenBiz | 14.37 |
| 21 | @WWF | WWF | 13.72 |
| 22 | @plus_socialgood | +SocialGood | 13.11 |
| 23 | @devex | Devex | 13.03 |
| 24 | @SustDev | UN Sustainable Dev. | 12.55 |
| 25 | @UNCTAD | UNCTAD | 12.23 |
| 26 | @Unilever | Unilever | 11.97 |
| 27 | @SEEDSandCHIPS | Seeds&Chips | 11.97 |
| 28 | @UN_Water | UN-Water | 11.3 |
| 29 | @OECD | OECD | 11.18 |
| 30 | @UNHABITAT | UN-Habitat | 11.14 |
| 31 | @McDonalds | McDonald’s | 10.96 |
| 32 | @WFP | World Food Programme | 10.83 |
| 33 | @DefraGovUK | Defra UK | 10.53 |
| 34 | @IRENA | IRENA | 10.43 |
| 35 | @UNEP_FI | UNEP FI | 10 |
| 36 | @StateDept | Department of State | 9.86 |
| 37 | @wbcsd | WBCSD | 9.27 |
| 38 | @Walmart | Walmart | 9.22 |
| 39 | @IMFNews | IMF | 9.22 |
| 40 | @UNGeneva | UN Geneva | 9.21 |
| 41 | @nature_org | The Nature Conservancy | 9.2 |
| 42 | @TeachSDGs | #TeachSDGs | 9.17 |
| 43 | @IFC_org | IFC | 9.09 |
| 44 | @gatesfoundation | Gates Foundation | 9.09 |
| 45 | @UNHumanRights | UN Human Rights | 8.91 |
| 46 | @UNDPasiapac | UNDP Asia-Pacific | 8.83 |
| 47 | @sciam | Scientific American | 8.65 |
| 48 | @SDGglobalFest | Global Festival of Action for Sustainable Dev | 8.5 |
| 49 | @unisdr | UNISDR | 8.46 |
| 50 | @FAOKnowledge | FAO Knowledge | 8.37 |
TOP 50 PUBLICATIONS
Below is a list of the top 50 publications in sustainability. If you want to see who ranks from 1-100 be sure to download the full report!
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| Name | Influencer Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | @SDG2030 | SDG2030 | 100 |
| 2 | @3BLMedia | 3BL Media | 92.66 |
| 3 | @TriplePundit | TriplePundit.com | 92.33 |
| 4 | @nytimes | The New York Times | 90.17 |
| 5 | @Forbes | Forbes | 89.92 |
| 6 | @TheEconomist | The Economist | 86.54 |
| 7 | @NatGeo | National Geographic | 83.05 |
| 8 | @CNN | CNN | 80.31 |
| 9 | @HuffPost | HuffPost | 76.22 |
| 10 | @WSJ | The Wall Street Journal | 74.03 |
| 11 | @FoxNews | Fox News | 73.92 |
| 12 | @ABC | ABC News | 66.74 |
| 13 | @washingtonpost | Washington Post | 65.27 |
| 14 | @guardian | The Guardian | 64.98 |
| 15 | @XHNews | China Xinhua News | 63.83 |
| 16 | @AP | The Associated Press | 63.79 |
| 17 | @mashable | Mashable | 60.01 |
| 18 | @CaelusGreenRoom | Caelus Green Room | 59.18 |
| 19 | @WIRED | WIRED | 58.6 |
| 20 | @BBCNews | BBC News (UK) | 58.12 |
| 21 | @HarvardBiz | Harvard Biz Review | 56.38 |
| 22 | @UN_News_Centre | UN News | 55.35 |
| 23 | @SustainBrands | Sustainable Brands | 53.15 |
| 24 | @NPR | NPR | 50.37 |
| 25 | @cnni | CNN International | 50.37 |
| 26 | @CSRwire | CSRwire | 49.32 |
| 27 | @GreenBiz | GreenBiz | 49.15 |
| 28 | @FinancialTimes | Financial Times | 48.08 |
| 29 | @el_pais | EL PAÍS | 47.87 |
| 30 | @NBCNews | NBC News | 45.59 |
| 31 | @SDGoals | SDGs | 42.39 |
| 32 | @AJEnglish | Al Jazeera English | 41.01 |
| 33 | @SkyNews | Sky News | 39.48 |
| 34 | @FastCompany | Fast Company | 39.17 |
| 35 | @Justmeans | Justmeans | 34.97 |
| 36 | @politico | POLITICO | 34.86 |
| 37 | @EconomicTimes | EconomicTimes | 33.88 |
| 38 | @CNBC | CNBC | 32.86 |
| 39 | @Independent | The Independent | 32.83 |
| 40 | @sciencemagazine | Science Magazine | 31.38 |
| 41 | @Inc | Inc. | 30.54 |
| 42 | @Le_Figaro | Le Figaro | 29.94 |
| 43 | @FortuneMagazine | FORTUNE | 29.88 |
| 44 | @businessinsider | Business Insider | 29.71 |
| 45 | @Telegraph | The Telegraph | 29.1 |
| 46 | @NatureNews | Nature News & Comment | 28.06 |
| 47 | @nature | nature | 26.44 |
| 48 | @edie | edie.net | 26.02 |
| 49 | @BBCBusiness | BBC Business | 26.01 |
| 50 | @TheAtlantic | The Atlantic | 24.33 |
At Onalytica we love building these lists and want to give back to our loyal readers as much as we can. If you’re interested in other topics (such as Virtual Reality, Digital Health, Digital Marketing) be sure to have a look on our blog or why not propose some topics to us on Twitter?
Effective influencer marketing starts with identifying relevant influencers for your brand. Onalytica’s new Discovery platform mines over 200 billion posts a year into a curated database of over 500K global social media influencers, including data from Twitter, Blogs, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn Profile Links + Demographic Data. Our software enables you to identify influencers by topic, demographic or content and includes real-time tracking and measurement reporting to scale your influencer relations.
Disclaimer: As ever with these lists, it must be stressed that the ranking is by no means a definitive measurement of influence, as there is no such thing. The brands, individuals and publications listed here are undoubtedly influential when it comes to driving discussion around business intelligence.
The PageRank based methodology we use to extract influencers on a particular topic takes into account the number and quality of contextual references that a user receives. We looked at social topical influence as well as topical authority by analyzing both their social engagement on Twitter and how much influencers were referenced in association with business intelligence on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Forums, Blogs, News and Tumblr content. These calculations also take in to account a user’s resonance (engagement) relevance (number of posts on topic) and reach (number of followers). If you want to learn more, please read our article that outlines How to identify your target influencers.
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Top Influencers, Brands and Publications
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