Global chemistry business, Scott Bader, has been awarded EcoVadis Gold certification for the second year in a row. The company’s improved overall score means the group maintains its standing as one of the top 5% EcoVadis-rated organisations, around the world, for sustainability leadership.

The uplift in score reflects Scott Bader’s advanced management systems on environmental issues, labour and human rights, as well as additional sustainability reporting introduced since achieving Gold for the first time in 2022.

“We’ve been using the EcoVadis platform since 2019 as a roadmap for continuous improvement and that commitment is translating into ever more equitable, efficient and innovative operations,” says Scott Bader CEO, Kevin Matthews. “Our focus moving forwards is to apply our learnings across the value chain. We’ve already driven a 50% increase in the number of EcoVadis scored suppliers we’re working with and envisage onboarding all of our global strategic and critical raw material suppliers to EcoVadis by the end of this year.”

With the company’s ongoing focus on the e-mobility and renewables markets, sustainable procurement is key to accessing bio-derived alternatives and healthier materials to further advance the progress the company’s made to-date. Most notably in 2023/4 Scott Bader entered the solar photovoltaic (PV) market, became a key partner in a consortium developing plastic-free components for the automotive sector, and made significant strides in improving the performance and environmental credentials of its fire, smoke and toxicity (FST) systems using bio-content.

“I’m very proud of the fact that customers are recognising the initiatives we’re undertaking both internally and externally to drive progress, with 72% perceiving Scott Bader to be innovative in a recent survey – that’s a significant 13% increase since conducting a similar benchmarking exercise in 2022”, adds Matthews.

“Creating an inclusive workplace with a focus on equity is vitally important. Diversity clearly fosters innovation and creativity and our commitment to D&I is paying off. Ensuring the measures we’ve taken to instil these values are now also integrated more formally into our procurement processes will be another important step, as highlighted by the EcoVadis recertification process.”

Scott Bader became one of the world’s first manufacturers to achieve the international standard for equality, diversity and inclusion (ISO 30415:2021) in January. Key highlights from the company’s latest EESG report – published July 2024 – have also contributed to the company’s impressive EcoVadis ranking, including:

• 85% of Scott Bader’s sites run off green certified energy, this will be 100% by 2025.
• 24% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions since 2021 with the aim of driving this down by a total 60%, by 2025. Improved sustainable procurement processes will also aid the company in gaining a full understanding of its Scope 3 emissions – including the establishment of a scoring criteria for supply chain partners
• 70% increase in colleagues’ volunteering hours. By the end of 2024 the goal is to get 90% of Scott Bader’s global workforce engaged in the company’s charitable and community-minded activities
• £321K disbursed by The Scott Bader Commonwealth to charities, in 23 countries, tackling issues linked to the environment, poverty and education

For further information discover Scott Bader’s 2023 Sustainability Report here.