European corporations these days are working feverishly to develop energy-efficient methods of doing business — not only to abide by new climate change regulations but also to gain favor with investors who increasingly are linking so-called green initiatives to companies’ abilities to cut costs and boost profitability.

[Click here to see the complete ranking for Europe's Most-Green Companies.]

“Investors are paying close attention to corporations’ environmental footprints, products’ impacts and levels of disclosure,” explains Henrik Steffensen, co-founder and vice president of marketing, business development and services at ASSET4, a ­Switzerland-based provider of environmental, social-responsibility and governance research.

Which companies are doing the best job of meeting investor expectations with regard to environmental concerns?...