For the third consecutive year, Firmenich received a Gold rating from EcoVadis, establishing the company among the top 1% of all suppliers assessed on their sustainability performance, as well as the leader in the Fragrance and Flavor industry.

“I am very proud of our Ecovadis gold rating score of 75% as it firmly positions us as the leader of our industry, and among the top 1% of all 30,000 suppliers assessed,” says Gilbert Ghostine, CEO Firmenich. “This achievement underlines the relentless efforts of our teams around the world dedicated to leading our industry forward in environmental responsibility.”

In 2015, Firmenich set itself industry-leading environmental goals to advance its vision to become a carbon neutral company. For instance, it has committed to power 100% of its manufacturing sites from renewable energy sources or offsets, as well as to reduce its absolute CO2 emissions by 20%, while decreasing water usage in water stressed areas by 25%, and reaching zero waste to landfill.

Recent examples of how Firmenich is bringing these goals to life include the ground-breaking of its new flavor plant in Zhangjiagang, China. At the cutting edge of the industry from a technology, capacity, and environmental perspective, the new plant is being constructed according to the highest sustainability standards. It includes high-efficiency processing equipment, lighting, and building components to optimize energy consumption while recovering heat from cleaning water and building ventilation.

Furthermore, the company recently inaugurated its new state-of-the-art Perfumery plant in Geneva. With an automation rate of 90%, Firmenich increased its capacity by 30%, while reducing its water footprint by 30%, energy consumption by 20% and using 100% renewable hydropower.

EcoVadis evaluated Firmenich’s sustainability performance following 21 criteria and four categories, cutting across, environment, labor, fair business, and sustainable procurement practices. Firmenich’s sustainability policies, initiatives and results were analyzed following international CSR standards including the Global Reporting Initiative, United Nations Global Compact, and ISO 26000. In 2017, EcoVadis assessed more than 30,000 companies in 150 purchasing categories and 110 countries.