David Savastano and Charlie Sternberg, Contributing Editor11.01.22
Last updated: March 15, 2023
Businesses are under mounting pressure to highlight their efforts toward sustainability, including environmental and social and governance (ESG) investments. For the paint and coatings industry, showing their sustainability credentials improves brand image in the eyes of consumers, and confirm the results of their sustainability practices to industry regulators.
In talking with industry executives, sustainability is increasingly becoming a point of emphasis with customers and suppliers. EcoVadis, one of the key sustainability analysts, allows paint and coatings manufacturers and their suppliers to highlight their sustainability and ESG efforts.
Tens of thousands of companies partner with EcoVadis to collaborate on sustainability with a common platform, universal scorecard, benchmarks and performance improvement tools.
The organization envisions “a global marketplace where sustainability intelligence influences every business decision—improving economies, people’s lives and the planet we all depend on.”
The rating structure is based on four levels: Platinum (top 1%), Gold (top 5%), Silver (top 25%), and Bronze (top 50%).
• Assessment by International Experts
• Tailored to Industry Sector, Country and Company Size
• Source Diversification to Ensure Rich Stakeholder Input for Reliable Scoring
• Utilize Technology to Ensure a Secure and Confidential Process and Accelerated Cycle Time
• Traceability and Transparency of Documentation
• Evidence-Based
• Excellence Through Continuous Improvement
The methodology is built on international sustainability standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and the ISO 26000, covering 200+ spend categories and 160+ countries. The Sustainability Scorecard illustrates performance across 21 indicators in four themes:
1. Environment
2. Labor and Human Rights
3. Ethics
4. Sustainable Procurement
Based on this methodology, a brand that works with an EcoVadis-certified supplier is assured that their manufacturing process has been reviewed and meets the highest standards of sustainability. Companies must go through the rigorous process every year to maintain their ranking or enhance their standing.
By partnering with EcoVadis certified suppliers, brands can strengthen the social, environmental and economic performance of their supply chain, reducing their collective footprints and strengthening their companies as well. EcoVadis’ standards also help companies map their supplier performance to their own responsibility standards, and thereby present a compelling sustainability story to consumers.
The following are some of the paint and coatings manufacturers that have earned EcoVadis ratings in the past year:
“At PPG, we take great pride in the sustainability of our operations as well as the sustainability of our strategic supplier base,” said Diane Kappas, PPG vice president, global sustainability. “We are honored that EcoVadis recognizes our efforts, and we look forward to sharing continued progress against our near-term and longer-term sustainability goals.”
“We are pleased that our persistent work in developing our operations and products to be more sustainable has been recognized with the EcoVadis gold medal,” said Paula Salastie, CEO and owner of Teknos Group. “To be included in the top 5% of all companies is a great milestone for us and proves our strong commitment towards sustainability for our external and internal stakeholders. Being able to improve from bronze to gold level within just a few years is a significant step forward and shows us that our direction is right. At the same time, this recognition will also inspire us to aim even higher.
“For us being sustainable is more than emissions. It is also about creating a great place to work, long term relationships with all our stakeholders. This is measured by proudness of being part of the Teknos Family," Salastie added.
EcoVadis-Rated Paint and Coatings Industry Suppliers
Additional EcoVadis-certified paint and coatings industry suppliers include, in alphabetical order:
• Archroma achieved Platinum status from EcoVadis for the second consecutive year.
• Barentz received a Gold rating for its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) program.
• Birla Carbon has been awarded a Platinum rating for its advanced sustainability practices and reporting.
• For the first time, Brenntag earned the Platinum rating for sustainability from EcoVadis, placing it in the top 1% of all assessed companies.
• Chemours received a Gold rating for sustainability.
• ECKART America has Gold status and its headquarters, ECKART GmbH, has Platinum status.
• Evonik received a Platinum rating for its sustainability performance.
• Hexigone Inhibitors was awarded the Gold Sustainability Rating from EcoVadis.
• IGM Resins received the Gold Medal by EcoVadis for its performance in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
• Indorama Ventures achieved the Gold rating from EcoVadis for sustainability in supply chain management.
• KRATON maintained its Platinum award for its sustainability management system.
• Nouryon received its second consecutive Gold rating for its sustainability achievements.
• Orion Engineered Carbons earned ia Gold Rating from EcoVadis, juist one point shy of the Platinum status.
• Peninsula Polymers achieved the Bronze rating from EcoVadis for sustainability.
• Shamrock Technologies achieved the Gold EcoVadis Sustainability Rating for its work in the use of recycled PTFE and bio sourced materials.
• Stahl was awarded the highest EcoVadis Platinum rating for its environmental impact.
• Westlake Epoky achieved the Platinum rating from EcoVadis, placing it in the top 1% of companies.
Coatings World will continue to provide updates on ink manufacturers and industry suppliers that have achieved EcoVadis—and other—certifications.
Businesses are under mounting pressure to highlight their efforts toward sustainability, including environmental and social and governance (ESG) investments. For the paint and coatings industry, showing their sustainability credentials improves brand image in the eyes of consumers, and confirm the results of their sustainability practices to industry regulators.
In talking with industry executives, sustainability is increasingly becoming a point of emphasis with customers and suppliers. EcoVadis, one of the key sustainability analysts, allows paint and coatings manufacturers and their suppliers to highlight their sustainability and ESG efforts.
Why Companies Should Consider Partnering with EcoVadis Assessment/Rating Companies
Since its founding in 2007, EcoVadis has grown to become a trusted provider of business sustainability ratings, creating a global network of more than 90,000 rated companies.Tens of thousands of companies partner with EcoVadis to collaborate on sustainability with a common platform, universal scorecard, benchmarks and performance improvement tools.
The organization envisions “a global marketplace where sustainability intelligence influences every business decision—improving economies, people’s lives and the planet we all depend on.”
The rating structure is based on four levels: Platinum (top 1%), Gold (top 5%), Silver (top 25%), and Bronze (top 50%).
What is the EcoVadis CSR score?
The EcoVadis sustainability assessment methodology is at the heart of EcoVadis’ Ratings and Scorecards and is an evaluation of how well a company has integrated the principles of Sustainability/CSR into their business and management system. It is based on seven founding principles:• Assessment by International Experts
• Tailored to Industry Sector, Country and Company Size
• Source Diversification to Ensure Rich Stakeholder Input for Reliable Scoring
• Utilize Technology to Ensure a Secure and Confidential Process and Accelerated Cycle Time
• Traceability and Transparency of Documentation
• Evidence-Based
• Excellence Through Continuous Improvement
The methodology is built on international sustainability standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and the ISO 26000, covering 200+ spend categories and 160+ countries. The Sustainability Scorecard illustrates performance across 21 indicators in four themes:
1. Environment
2. Labor and Human Rights
3. Ethics
4. Sustainable Procurement
Based on this methodology, a brand that works with an EcoVadis-certified supplier is assured that their manufacturing process has been reviewed and meets the highest standards of sustainability. Companies must go through the rigorous process every year to maintain their ranking or enhance their standing.
By partnering with EcoVadis certified suppliers, brands can strengthen the social, environmental and economic performance of their supply chain, reducing their collective footprints and strengthening their companies as well. EcoVadis’ standards also help companies map their supplier performance to their own responsibility standards, and thereby present a compelling sustainability story to consumers.
The following are some of the paint and coatings manufacturers that have earned EcoVadis ratings in the past year:
PPG
PPG received a Gold Rating in corporate social responsibility from EcoVadis in August 2022, putting it in the top 8% of companies in the industry. It was the second consecutive year that PPG received the Gold Rating.“At PPG, we take great pride in the sustainability of our operations as well as the sustainability of our strategic supplier base,” said Diane Kappas, PPG vice president, global sustainability. “We are honored that EcoVadis recognizes our efforts, and we look forward to sharing continued progress against our near-term and longer-term sustainability goals.”
Teknos
Teknos achieved Gold Rating status from EcoVadis in May 2022 for its sustainability performance.“We are pleased that our persistent work in developing our operations and products to be more sustainable has been recognized with the EcoVadis gold medal,” said Paula Salastie, CEO and owner of Teknos Group. “To be included in the top 5% of all companies is a great milestone for us and proves our strong commitment towards sustainability for our external and internal stakeholders. Being able to improve from bronze to gold level within just a few years is a significant step forward and shows us that our direction is right. At the same time, this recognition will also inspire us to aim even higher.
“For us being sustainable is more than emissions. It is also about creating a great place to work, long term relationships with all our stakeholders. This is measured by proudness of being part of the Teknos Family," Salastie added.
EcoVadis-Rated Paint and Coatings Industry Suppliers
Additional EcoVadis-certified paint and coatings industry suppliers include, in alphabetical order:
• Archroma achieved Platinum status from EcoVadis for the second consecutive year.
• Barentz received a Gold rating for its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) program.
• Birla Carbon has been awarded a Platinum rating for its advanced sustainability practices and reporting.
• For the first time, Brenntag earned the Platinum rating for sustainability from EcoVadis, placing it in the top 1% of all assessed companies.
• Chemours received a Gold rating for sustainability.
• ECKART America has Gold status and its headquarters, ECKART GmbH, has Platinum status.
• Evonik received a Platinum rating for its sustainability performance.
• Hexigone Inhibitors was awarded the Gold Sustainability Rating from EcoVadis.
• IGM Resins received the Gold Medal by EcoVadis for its performance in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
• Indorama Ventures achieved the Gold rating from EcoVadis for sustainability in supply chain management.
• KRATON maintained its Platinum award for its sustainability management system.
• Nouryon received its second consecutive Gold rating for its sustainability achievements.
• Orion Engineered Carbons earned ia Gold Rating from EcoVadis, juist one point shy of the Platinum status.
• Peninsula Polymers achieved the Bronze rating from EcoVadis for sustainability.
• Shamrock Technologies achieved the Gold EcoVadis Sustainability Rating for its work in the use of recycled PTFE and bio sourced materials.
• Stahl was awarded the highest EcoVadis Platinum rating for its environmental impact.
• Westlake Epoky achieved the Platinum rating from EcoVadis, placing it in the top 1% of companies.
Coatings World will continue to provide updates on ink manufacturers and industry suppliers that have achieved EcoVadis—and other—certifications.