EcoVadis awards Sappi platinum sustainability status for third time

“At Sappi, we’re not just talking about sustainability and our SDG commitments. We’re taking robust action and making measurable and continuous progress everywhere we operate” says Tracy Wessels, Sappi Group Head of Sustainability and Investor Relations.

Progress that EcoVadis has now confirmed by awarding all three of our manufacturing regions platinum sustainability status for the third time. This achievement places Sappi in the top 1 per cent of companies the organisation reviewed in 2021.

EcoVadis is the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings. Over 90,000 companies from over 160 countries across more than 200 purchasing categories were assessed for this award. Performance is evaluated in four general areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.

Proof of our promise

This latest award is further proof of our promise to unlock the power of trees to make every day more sustainable. It's an especially great accomplishment for Sappi in Europe where EcoVadis has scored 100 per cent on the environment.

“We’ve been relentless in Europe on our mission to become more eco-effective—reducing waste, emissions and optimising material and resource use at every opportunity”, explains Sarah Price, Director of Sustainability in Europe. “This rating recognises the positive impact of all our eco-effective actions in 2021 and motivates us to keep going.”

With 90 per cent scores on the environment in North America and South Africa, Beth Cormier says, "This award is more fuel for our innovation engine at Sappi". As Vice President of Research, Innovation and Sustainability at Sappi North America she explains, “It encourages all of us globally to keep pushing and applying our ingenuity to make our business more and more sustainable.” 

Committed to building a thriving world

Sustainability is at the heart of our Thrive25 global business strategy. Together with our partners, we’re accelerating the transition to the low-carbon, circular economy by:

• cutting greenhouse gas emissions
• integrating more renewable energy
• improving energy efficiency
• reducing our water consumption
• reducing waste sent to landfill.

As this award shows, progress is well underway. “It’s another testament to our commitment to champion sustainable forestry and to source woodfibre responsibly”, explains Tyrone Hawkes VP of Sustainability and Business Development in South Africa.