Sumitomo Demag scoops Bronze from EcoVadis for sustainability efforts

Sustainability software provider EcoVadis has awarded Sumitomo (SHI) Demag its bronze medal in recognition of its sustainability achievements. Achieving a score of 54 points, the company narrowly missed out on the silver medal, which required 56 points.

CEO Gerd Liebig said: “Sustainability in our mind is a corporate strategy and lived practice - for our products, for our production, but also with regard to being a responsible employer.  Achieving the EcoVadis bronze medal shows that we are on the right track, but at the same time provides an incentive to become even better in the coming year."

EcoVadis is a software platform for assessing the sustainability of companies, which includes examining the entire supply chain. Based on questionnaires and corresponding reports, points are awarded in the categories of labour and human rights, environment, sustainable procurement, carbon management and ethics. This wider view of sustainability topics from every angle determines the overall result.

“Our customers were approached and asked to rate us. We completed this assessment for the first time in 2021, and this year improved our performance,” said Carsten Friedemann, Compliance Officer at Sumitomo (SHI) Demag. “The bronze medal is awarded to a company receiving a rating that is better than half of the participating organisations. By reaching 64 percent, this placed us in the top 40 percent for our industry," he explains.

“The topic of sustainability is socially driven and is incorporated into companies through appropriate legislation. We expressly welcome this, as only sparing use of the planet’s limited resources will preserve it for future generations," said Friedemann. The firm said that an increasing number of customers are now demanding evidence of the efforts being taken. Younger employees are also calling for appropriate efforts, according tot he company. "During these times of worker shortages, discovering if the company people are considering joining supports sustainability is an important aspect of their selection criterion," Friedemann said.