U.S. consulting firm Interbrand said Tuesday that five Japanese companies were among the 10 best global green brands in 2014, recognizing their work on tackling environment problems.

Ford Motor Co. took the top spot for its commitment to electric vehicles, ousting Toyota Motor Corp., which ranked in second place.

Toyota led the pack for three years to 2013 for its fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles.

Honda Motor Co. came third, unchanged from the previous year, followed by Nissan Motor Co. and Panasonic Corp.

Sony Corp. climbed four places to seventh.

Finnish communications device supplier Nokia ranked sixth and sports apparel maker Adidas eighth, while Canon ranked 26th, up from 30th place last year.

Interbrand began assessing the top 50 global green brands in 2011. The annual ranking is based on market perceptions in 10 countries and the companies' actual environmental performance.