25 countries offering best business environment
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Most reports on sustainability focus on environmental issues, but a country's sustainability depends on much more than just environmental factors, according to RobecoSAM, a Switzerland-based investment group.
It says that for a nation to safeguard its future it needs to focus on several issues, including social, economy and governance. RobecoSAM has recently released a report that ranks countries based on three factors: Environmental, social and governance. Here's how it explains them:
Environmental dimension: Nations that depend heavily on fossil fuel import are susceptible to price fluctuations and/or shortage. Natural calamities, such as floods, also add to the risk factor.
Social dimension: Strikes or unrest by workers pose a big risk to investment.
Governance dimension: Rate of corruption, internal conflict and regulations are other factors that can have an adverse impact on businesses.
Let's have a look and see where India ranks among countries offering best business and life environment.
NOTE: Each country receives a total score ranging from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest.
Source: robecosam.com
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Image: People enjoy skiing during the first spring day in the southern mountain town of Nowy Targ, some 400km south of Warsaw in Poland.
Photographs: Vasily Fedosenko/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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India
Environmental score: 0.4
Social score: 1.2
Governance score: 4.4
Overall rank: 47
Although India, the 10th-largest economy in the world based on nominal GDP, has taken a number of steps to improve governance, social indicators and environmental problems, a lot remains to be achieved in these areas.
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Image: Pigeons fly as clouds gather over New Delhi's Connaught Place.
Photographs: Buddhika Weerasinghe/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Sweden
Environmental score: 1.2
Social score: 2.8
Governance score: 8.25
Overall rank: 1
Sweden, which has the second-highest total tax revenue in the world, is one of the least unequal nations in the globe, has one of the best healthcare and education systems and is constantly ranked high in having cleanest reputation.
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Image: A view of Stockholm in Sweden.
Photographs: Ints Kalnins/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Australia
Environmental score: 0.9
Social score: 2.5
Governance score: 7.87
Overall rank: 2
Australia, which has the fifth-highest per capita income in the world, offers excellent health and education systems, lot of business freedom and safeguards political rights and liberties.
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Image: A view of Sydney Opera House in Australia.
Photographs: Daniel Munoz/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Switzerland
Environmental score: 1.1
Social score: 2.7
Governance score: 7.83
Overall rank: 3
Switzerland, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, has been constantly ranked among nations that offer highest quality of life.
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Image: Zurich's main shopping street Bahnhofstrasse in Switzerland.
Photographs: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Denmark
Environmental score: 1.0
Social score: 2.5
Governance score: 7.71
Overall rank: 4
Denmark, which has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, is one of the least unequal countries, has excellent social mobility and ranks near the bottom in corruption.
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Image: Oresund bridge, which links the city of Malmo in Sweden to Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, has a total length of 7,845 metres.
Photographs: Radu Sighetin/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Norway
Environmental score: 1.3
Social score: 3.0
Governance score: 7.68
Overall rank: 5
Norway, which is one of the least populated countries in the world, offers world-class healthcare, subsidised higher education and a generous safety net.
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Image: Royal Palace at the end of Karl Johans Gate in Oslo, Norway.
Photographs: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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United Kingdom
Environmental score: 0.9
Social score: 2.5
Governance score: 7.57
Overall rank: 6
United Kingdom, which has the eighth-largest economy by purchasing power parity in the world, is one of the biggest exporter and importer of goods in the globe.
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Image: Thrill seekers ride a fairground attraction overlooking the London Eye, Houses of Parliament and the Thames river in London, United Kingdom.
Photographs: Chris Helgren/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Canada
Environmental score: 0.8
Social score: 2.6
Governance score: 7.53
Overall rank: 7
Canada, which has the ninth highest per capita in the world, offers one of the best education, healthcare and economic freedom in the globe.
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Image: A view of Montreal in Canada.
Photographs: Shaun Best/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Finland
Environmental score: 0.7
Social score: 2.5
Governance score: 7.36
Overall rank: 8
Finland, which has a population of 5.4 million, is one of the richest nations in the world, has a highly competitive economy and provides excellent quality of life.
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Image: Tourists take part in the reindeer safari at Arctic Circle near Rovaniemi, northern Finland.
Photographs: Kacper Pempel/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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United States
Environmental score: 0.5
Social score: 2.5
Governance score: 7.27
Overall rank: 9
United States, the world's largest economy, is a global leader in research and innovation. It not only has a competitive economy, but also provides extensive social and business freedom.
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Image: Pedestrians sit in a viewing area on the High Line park in New York City, United States.
Photographs: Lucas Jackson/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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The Netherlands
Environmental score: 0.3
Social score: 2.2
Governance score: 7.22
Overall rank: 10
The Netherlands, which has been ranked as the happiest country in the world, is one of the most open societies in the globe.
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Image: Tourists enjoy the Dutch tulip fields in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
Photographs: Michael Kooren/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Austria
Environmental score: 1.1
Social score: 2.8
Governance score: 7.17
Overall rank: 11
Austria, one of the wealthiest nations in the world, has been constantly ranked high among countries providing excellent quality of life.
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Image: Visitors watch a person sliding down a huge water pipe at a public swimming pool on a hot sunny day in Vienna, Austria.
Photographs: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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New Zealand
Environmental score: 0.5
Social score: 1.3
Governance score: 7.16
Overall rank: 12
New Zealand, one of the biggest exporters of dairy products, meat and wine, has a highly developed economy.
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Image: A view of Auckland in New Zealand.
Photographs: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Ireland
Environmental score: 0.6
Social score: 1.3
Governance score: 7.01
Overall rank: 13
Ireland, which provides lots of economic and political freedom, is one of the most developed countries in the world.
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Image: A view of Auckland in New Zealand.
Photographs: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Singapore
Environmental score: 0.5
Social score: 1.1
Governance score: 6.83
Overall rank: 14
Singapore, which has one of the busiest ports in the world, is a leading business and financial hub.
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Image: A view of the financial district in Singapore.
Photographs: David Loh/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Germany
Environmental score: 1.0
Social score: 2.6
Governance score: 6.71
Overall rank: 15
Germany, a major economic power of the world, provides excellent standard of living, world-class healthcare and one of the best education systems in the globe.
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Image: Tourists Caro and Anna from Munich lie in a bed mounted to a rental bike as they ride along Friedrichstrasse in central Berlin, Germany.
Photographs: Thomas Peter/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Hong Kong
Environmental score: 0.3
Social score: 2.2
Governance score: 6.51
Overall rank: 16
Hong Kong, which has one of the most traded currencies in the world, is a major business and financial hub. It constantly ranks high in quality of life, business freedom and human development index.
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Image: People walk on stairs featuring a five-metre-high reproduction of Vincent van Gogh's signature painting 'Sunflowers', at the entrance to Ocean Terminal in Hong Kong.
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Japan
Environmental score: 0.2
Social score: 2.1
Governance score: 6.26
Overall rank: 17
Japan, which has the third-largest economy in the world, has the second-highest life expectancy rate, third-lowest infant mortality rate and one of the most business-friendly economies.
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Image: Mt Fuji, covered with snow, is seen through Shinjuku skyscrapers in Tokyo, Japan.
Photographs: Kimimasa Mayama/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Chile
Environmental score: 0.2
Social score: 1.8
Governance score: 6.20
Overall rank: 18
Chile, one of the wealthiest nations in South America, is the continent's leader in per capita income, economic freedom and low corruption.
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Image: A man and his son enjoy the view of the Andes Mountains Range at the San Cristobal Hill in Santiago de Chile, Chile.
Photographs: Minh Nguyen/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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France
Environmental score: 0.8
Social score: 2.6
Governance score: 6.20
Overall rank: 19
France, the third-largest nation in Europe, provides one of the best education systems, healthcare and standard of living.
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Image: An aerial view shows the Arc de Triomphe, centre, at the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle and rooftops of residential buildings in Paris, France.
Photographs: Charles Platiau/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Belgium
Environmental score: 0.5
Social score: 2.3
Governance score: 6.20
Overall rank: 20
Belgium, whose economy is heavily dependent on the services sector, has world-class infrastructure, standard of living and business freedom.
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Image: A tourist takes a picture of a model of an English guard in front of a miniature reproduction of the Buckingham Palace in the Mini-Europe park, where all the models are built at a scale of 1:25, in Brussels, Belgium.
Photographs: Laurent Dubrule/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Poland
Environmental score: 0.6
Social score: 2.2
Governance score: 5.97
Overall rank: 21
Poland, which has one of the fastest-growing economies in Europe, is ranked high both in terms of human development index and business freedom.
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Image: A view of Warsaw, capital of Poland.
Photographs: Peter Andrews/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Italy
Environmental score: 0.8
Social score: 2.3
Governance score: 5.94
Overall rank: 22
Italy, which is one of the most globalised countries in the world, enjoys impressive standard of living, excellent education system and a high per capita income.
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Image: An aerial view of St Peter's square in Rome, Italy.
Photographs: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Qatar
Environmental score: 1.0
Social score: 2.2
Governance score: 5.88
Overall rank: 23
Qatar, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, enjoys highest human development index in the Middle East.
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Image: A view of Doha, Qatar.
Photographs: Fadi Al-Assaad/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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Czech Republic
Environmental score: 0.7
Social score: 2.5
Governance score: 5.79
Overall rank: 24
Czech Republic, one of the most healthy and democratic countries in the region, has the highest human development ranking in Central and Eastern Europe.
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Image: People relax in a park during a warm spring day in Prague, Czech Republic.
Photographs: David W Cerny/Reuters
25 countries offering best business environment
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United Arab Emirates
Environmental score: 0.7
Social score: 2.2
Governance score: 5.72
Overall rank: 25
United Arab Emirates, which has one of the highest reserves of oil and natural gas, enjoys seventh-highest per capita income in the world and is one of the most developed nations in the region.
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Image: Towers are seen next to a Dubai Metro station on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Photographs: Jumana El Heloueh/Reuters
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