CONTACT Originators has been awarded an EcoVadis Silver certificate in recognition of the company’s efforts to slash emissions throughout the print supply chain.
The packaging origination and flexographic plate manufacturer revealed it has long held a reputation for incorporating sustainability into the core of its business. This has now been enhanced by the Silver certification, which marks it out as one of the top 4% of assessed companies worldwide, in the printing and service activities related to the printing industry.
“The EcoVadis medal of any colour is one of the most prestigious achievements a company can earn,” said Jo Grundy, quality & systems manager at Contact. “Sustainability has always been ingrained into our DNA, but we have always been eager to continuously improve and refine our processes whenever we can.
“We were proactive in seeking this accreditation as we know many of our customers look for ESG certifications – and EcoVadis in particular – as they strive to decarbonise their supply chains, and we are delighted to be able to help them do so.”
To qualify for an EcoVadis medal, companies must submit an assessment of their environmental footprint, ethical and labour rights practices, and procurement policies.
Contact has invested in minimising its carbon footprint after installing ‘Goliath’, its steam-powered 24,000L platemaking still, in 2021. The following year, the company achieved ‘zero waste to landfill’ status, meaning 100% of its site waste is either reused, recycled, or recovered at a waste-to-energy plant. And, most recently, the company was certified a Carbon Neutral Business by Carbon Neutral Britain.
“Achieving an EcoVadis Silver is tremendously gratifying after all the progress we’ve made over the past few years, but we know this isn’t the end of our sustainability story,” Jo added. “We’re determined to keep improving and go for the Gold medal next.”
Steve Mulcahy, CEO at Contact Originators, added, “This is another fantastic achievement for Team Contact, supporting our overall business strategy and building on our environmental achievements to date. Our company ethos is ‘Leaders never follow’, and having set the standard in environmental business performance, we are looking to maintain and surpass our accomplishments as we move into 2024.”
