Smurfit Kappa has been awarded the gold Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) rating by EcoVadis, a leading evaluator of global supply chains, for the fourth successive year.

The company ranked among the top 1% of the 30,000 companies that were assessed on a range of criteria across environment, labour practices and human rights, sustainable procurement and fair business practices.

EcoVadis provides supplier sustainability ratings for global supply chains in companies such as BASF, Johnson & Johnson, Nestlé, Renault and Veolia.

This achievement follows on from Smurfit Kappa reaching a sustainability target earlier in the year when it reached full chain of custody certification for its entire raw material supply chain, helping its customers to meet their own sustainability and environmental targets.

Smurfit Kappa CEO of Europe, Saverio Mayer, said: “At Smurfit Kappa, we firmly believe that we must support our customers in achieving their sustainability goals and protecting their reputation.

“The independent external recognition of the EcoVadis gold rating demonstrates this commitment.

“Supplier choice is often governed by who the most responsible business partner is. Our customers can rest assured that with Smurfit Kappa, they benefit from a completely transparent and sustainable supply chain.”

The EcoVadis methodology is built on international CSR standards including the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and the ISO 26000, covering 150 purchasing categories and 140 countries.