David Savastano, Editor04.01.23
Sustainability is a topic of great interest throughout the business world, and the ink industry is certainly included in that discussion. There are many facets of sustainability, including conservation of materials, reducing the use of energy, eliminating waste and cutting down on pollution; often it is discussed as the three pillars of economic, environmental and social goals.
For the ink industry, discussion usually centers on raw materials and manufacturing using more environmentally friendly ingredients. Heiner Klokkers, chairman of the management board of hubergroup, noted that hubergroup has placed a great deal of emphasis on sustainability for many years and has been a pioneer for many eco-friendly solutions.
“We have been the first manufacturer that produced cobalt-free inks in 2016 and have launched several barrier coatings in recent years,” said Klokkers. “In the future, we will continue to concentrate on how we can make our products and processes even more sustainable – because we believe this is the right way to go.”
Sarah Mah, global sustainability manager at Siegwerk, observed that Siegwerk’s sustainable business strategy, approach and organization makes sustainability a driving force in everything the company does.
“This shows our full commitment to continuously reduce our impact and maximize our positive impact from planet to people,” said Mah. “We are fully committed to our responsibilities for our owner, employees, neighbors and customers, and to the society and communities in which we operate.”
Mah noted that embedding sustainability into Siegwerk’s business agenda was a deliberate action upon renewing its sustainability targets and program in 2021.
“We look at our generated impact, produced impact, and exported impact along economic, social, environmental and governance areas,” added Mah. “We have a dedicated sustainability organization that includes top management, a global change agent team, and dedicated resources working on sustainability and circular economy topics.”
Mah pointed out that the emphasis on sustainability is continually increasing; Siegwerk’s first sustainability agenda was created in 2015 with its first sustainability report and operational targets, and was further embedded into the business agenda in 2019 with the introduction of the circular economy strategy and again in 2021 with the renewal of the sustainability strategy.
Renee Schouten, VP of marketing for INX International Ink Company, observed that there has never been more attention to embrace and embed sustainability within a business’ products, services, and culture than it is today.
“This isn’t new to INX; we have always held sustainability in high regard,” said Schouten. “We recognize that in the course of delivering high quality products and services, we do it in a manner that is sustainable and socially responsible. Sustainability is rooted in our company’s vision and mission for the future. As consumer demands and regulatory requirements multiply, we are committed to enhancing and growing our leadership position in the industry. We do this by addressing the needs of brand owners, customers, and consumers, improving the sustainability of our products, and refining the systems that measure the sustainability impacts of our business.”
David Maternowski, VP of quality and business management systems for INX, added that initially, many customers were not sure what type of information they needed from their ink suppliers. They knew sustainability is a growing field and a partnership with all brand owners was going to be expected.
“The United Nations Sustainability goals were finally getting some traction in the states and concerns were growing that the graphic arts industry was a little behind, but that’s changed recently,” Maternowski said.
Maternowski pointed out that customers are looking at real gains in greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from both suppliers and customers.
“Partnerships to take the sustainability journey are changing industrial priorities,” added Maternowski. “Discussions now take place to analyze and create real targets and goals ‘together’, and they are designed to make a real impact in the reduction of harmful climate emissions. This could include ink and coating reformulations that have a higher bio-renewable content, or a coating that takes less energy on the press and achieves the same outstanding results. The emphasis on sustainability gains is falling in line with price, quality and product recognition.”
Matthew Rowland-Jones, sustainability officer, Flint Group, noted that sustainability has always been a core element of Flint Group’s business model.
“We take a holistic approach to sustainability, covering social and governance topics and critical environmental issues,” said Rowland-Jones. “Our work falls into three key areas: designing products and services which help our customers reduce the impact of their products and facilitate the development of a circular economy; reducing our environmental footprint and that of our supply chain, focusing on carbon emissions, waste and water; and investing in the health, safety and well-being of our employees while creating a diverse working environment representing the regions in which we operate.”
Nikola M. Juhasz, Ph.D., global technical director of sustainability at Sun Chemical, observed that sustainability is core to Sun Chemical’s business practices and product development.
“We pride ourselves on being a global leader in eco-efficiency and are continuously innovating to design products or processes that reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to climate change; that conserve virgin resources; and/or that reduce accumulation of waste as compared to the products or processes that they replace,” Dr. Juhasz added.
“Using what we call “the five R’s” – reduce, reuse, recycle, renew, and redesign – we guide our sustainability practices through three pillars of our business: operations, product and service development, and cross-industry partnerships and collaborations. These approaches span across all our business units – inks, coatings, adhesives, pigments, and advanced materials – and they guide the way we develop, manufacture, and distribute products.”
Dr. Juhasz reported that Sun Chemical is advancing sustainability of its supply chain using the EcoVadis platform.
“So far, we have gathered data from nearly 80% of our suppliers and are working to reach 90% and beyond,” she noted. “Through this program, we have identified areas to drive continuous improvement and excellence in sustainable procurement. Sun Chemical and DIC Corporation have set long-term sustainability goals to achieve within the coming years. By 2030, we aim to reduce our CO2 emissions by 50%, and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. To achieve these goals, we are fundamentally rethinking our operations and looking at greener energy and fuel sources.”
Jeevaraj Pillai, joint president – Flexible Packaging Business and new product development, UFlex Limited, said that UFlex is placing a great deal of emphasis on sustainability.
“Our commitment to the environment is ever-increasing,” Pillai said. “As a leader in the industry, UFlex upholds its responsibility towards the planet and the environment with utmost dedication.
“While we are in the business of packaging, we place significant importance on reducing the waste we generate by recycling and upcycling it,” Pillai added.” In 1995, at the Davos Recycling Forum, we were recognized as the first company in the world to recycle mixed plastic waste from our recycling facilities in Noida, India, and our efforts have also been acknowledged by the government of India. We have recycling facilities at Noida, Poland and Mexico to recycle and upcycle post-consumer multi-layer mixed plastic waste (MLP) into value-added household and industrial plastic products such as dustbins, outdoor furniture, and more.
“Today, decorative, functional, engineering parts, household and office products, and hundreds of other articles are being manufactured with recycled granules at UFlex’s recycling facilities,” Pillai continued. “UFlex has recycled more than half a million tons of MLP so far and has spent more than $20 million in the last financial year at its Poland and Mexico sites. One of our strategic goals has always been to develop a robust portfolio of innovative and sustainable offerings, where material is sourced responsibly.”
Dr. Juhasz pointed out that Sun Chemical’s approach to sustainability helps build the foundation of how it works with its primary customer base, packaging converters, as well as the brands and retailers selling to the consumer market.
“Across the board, most businesses are now prioritizing sustainability,” Dr. Juhasz said. ‘While the specific areas of interest may vary in our discussions with customers, they are responding to the fact that many consumer packaged goods companies have set and communicated ambitious goals to be delivered as early as 2025. Common themes are around increasing recyclability of packaging, to promote circularity and to minimize waste, and around increasing renewable content, which allows immediate reductions in carbon footprint.
“As a raw material supplier, Sun Chemical, as part of the DIC Group, has been part of the United Nations Global Compact since 2010, and we are most closely aligned with nine of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” Dr. Juhasz added. “These include those impacting climate change and resource conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, and food, safety, and health.”
Pillai observed that in the present time, sustainable packaging has become a rule rather than a norm.
“Research has shown that the end consumer is more likely to spend on sustainable brands or brands that adopt sustainable practices in their business,” Pillai said. “Hence, brand owners across industries are also keen to work with partners that innovate and manufacture products keeping sustainability in mind. Subsequently, sustainability is a topic that comes up in initial discussions with customers, either as a requirement by the client or a suggestion by us.
“As a socially responsible organization leading the way in sustainable solutions, we think it is our responsibility to encourage more businesses to adopt sustainable practices and always bring up the subject, even if the customer hasn’t raised it,” Pillai added. “Additionally, as leaders in packaging, clients look to us for our expertise. When we discuss packaging solutions, we also provide customers with advice on greener options, offering them the knowledge and opportunity so that they can integrate sustainable goals into their business practices.”
“Sustainability is a huge topic,” said Klokkers. “For many of our customers, sustainability is now a decisive argument when choosing inks and varnishes. Thus, designing sustainable, recyclable packaging solutions is a major topic in discussions with our customers.”
“Increasingly customers are engaging suppliers on sustainability topics,” said Mah. “There are dedicated supplier engagement meetings, audits and assessments regarding various key system change topics e.g. decarbonization, increasing circular economy and biodiversity.”
Maternowski said that most of INX’s customers are searching for information and a commitment from INX to help them achieve successes in various sustainability initiatives.
“Generally, the interest can be as simple as involvement in community initiatives, or as robust as a commitment for a 3% reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs) every year until a 50% reduction - or better - can be achieved by the year 2030,” said Maternowski. “Sustainable sourcing, environmental impacts, life-cycle analysis, recyclability, compostability, biodegradability of ink, and energy friendly inks are many of the topics discussed when we partner with our customers.”
Rowland-Jones reported that many of Flint Group’s customers have sustainability commitments, particularly related to reducing carbon emissions and the recyclability of their products.
“To deliver on these commitments, they need to engage with their supply base and ensure alignment in their value chain,” Rowland-Jones continued. “What is clear from customers is that sustainability is paramount. There are three key areas that customers are interested to learn more about:
• Circular Economy: What solutions can suppliers offer that support a circular economy in packaging and recyclability of their products and responsible sourcing of materials.
• GHG emissions: The carbon footprint of their suppliers’ products, operations, and raw material suppliers, and how these might impact their carbon footprint.
• Suppliers’ overarching sustainability ethos: Focusing attention on the environmental aspects as well as health & safety, societal impacts, employee development, workforce diversity, and inclusion.”
As an example, Pillai pointed out that new generation polymers certainly help in source reduction by way of reducing the thickness of the packaging material by retaining the functionality as well as substituting difficult to recycle materials.
“This has been our pursuit and demand from our raw material suppliers,” Pillai said. “UFlex has always paved the way for organizations and brands to create a circular economy by being the first company in the world to recycle mixed waste plastic.
Pillai noted that sustainability is definitely a subject that comes up with raw material suppliers to impress the importance of using sustainable substances upon them.
“While the discussion of sustainable solutions come up when we speak to brands, we also ascertain we bring them up with raw material suppliers,” Pillai added. “To create a sustainable product, organizations need to source sustainable materials, which makes it increasingly essential to educate suppliers on the importance of reducing plastic/carbon footprint.”
“As we aim at offering our customers environmentally friendly solutions, sustainability is a key criterion for us when it comes to sourcing and selecting raw materials,” said Klokkers. “Wherever possible, we source our raw materials from our division hubergroup Chemicals because we can be sure here that the products were manufactured under the highest environmental standards.”
“We have a target that 100% suppliers committed to the principles of the UN Global Compact, therefore we proactively engage with suppliers if they are adhering to the global compact and the 10 principles which are aligned with almost all sustainability agendas,” said Mah. “Additionally due to our SBTi commitment and our scope 3 target, we are working with engaging suppliers to reduce our supply chain scope 3 carbon footprint.”
Maternowski noted that since the calculation of GHGs per pound of printing ink manufactured relies on the calculation of three scopes, it is important to understand what the product contributes to that coefficient.
“For example, scope III coefficients account for over 80% of the emissions of a printing ink,” added Maternowski. “Thus, it is vital that the collection of this raw material information is as accurate as possible since they account for the bulk of scope III materials. Therefore, partnering with our vendors to get a further breakdown of the components of their formulations is completely essential and ongoing. The sustainability journey truly depends on partnering with all vendors for the data to be meaningful.”
Rowland-Jones stated that similarly to its customers, Flint Group can only deliver its sustainability commitments by engaging its supply chain.
“We manage our suppliers by following our environmental, compliance, and social objectives,” Rowland-Jones said. “All raw material suppliers must comply with relevant national and international environmental legislation concerning sustainability issues. Flint Group’s suppliers are requested to comply with the Flint Group Supplier Code of Conduct and with the UN Global Compact principles related to human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption.
“Flint Group is committed to reducing its environmental impact throughout its value chain and the life cycle of its products,” Rowland-Jones noted. “Therefore, Flint Group is regularly evaluating its overall sourcing policy to ensure responsible and ethical sourcing and procurement. We are also actively partnering with key suppliers in specific segments to improve their sustainability performance.”
Dr. Juhasz noted that sustainable procurement is an increasing area of emphasis, and Sun Chemical is partnering with EcoVadis to monitor and improve social and environmental performance in its supply chain.
“Understanding that the largest proportion of our environmental impact comes from our upstream raw materials suppliers, Sun Chemical is working collaboratively and proactively with them to quantify and reduce these impacts, and to ensure that they deliver the materials we need to achieve our and our customers’ sustainability requirements,” said Dr. Juhasz. “For example, this may involve moving from fossil-derived raw materials to responsibly sourced bio-based raw materials.”
For the ink industry, discussion usually centers on raw materials and manufacturing using more environmentally friendly ingredients. Heiner Klokkers, chairman of the management board of hubergroup, noted that hubergroup has placed a great deal of emphasis on sustainability for many years and has been a pioneer for many eco-friendly solutions.
“We have been the first manufacturer that produced cobalt-free inks in 2016 and have launched several barrier coatings in recent years,” said Klokkers. “In the future, we will continue to concentrate on how we can make our products and processes even more sustainable – because we believe this is the right way to go.”
Sarah Mah, global sustainability manager at Siegwerk, observed that Siegwerk’s sustainable business strategy, approach and organization makes sustainability a driving force in everything the company does.
“This shows our full commitment to continuously reduce our impact and maximize our positive impact from planet to people,” said Mah. “We are fully committed to our responsibilities for our owner, employees, neighbors and customers, and to the society and communities in which we operate.”
Mah noted that embedding sustainability into Siegwerk’s business agenda was a deliberate action upon renewing its sustainability targets and program in 2021.
“We look at our generated impact, produced impact, and exported impact along economic, social, environmental and governance areas,” added Mah. “We have a dedicated sustainability organization that includes top management, a global change agent team, and dedicated resources working on sustainability and circular economy topics.”
Mah pointed out that the emphasis on sustainability is continually increasing; Siegwerk’s first sustainability agenda was created in 2015 with its first sustainability report and operational targets, and was further embedded into the business agenda in 2019 with the introduction of the circular economy strategy and again in 2021 with the renewal of the sustainability strategy.
Renee Schouten, VP of marketing for INX International Ink Company, observed that there has never been more attention to embrace and embed sustainability within a business’ products, services, and culture than it is today.
“This isn’t new to INX; we have always held sustainability in high regard,” said Schouten. “We recognize that in the course of delivering high quality products and services, we do it in a manner that is sustainable and socially responsible. Sustainability is rooted in our company’s vision and mission for the future. As consumer demands and regulatory requirements multiply, we are committed to enhancing and growing our leadership position in the industry. We do this by addressing the needs of brand owners, customers, and consumers, improving the sustainability of our products, and refining the systems that measure the sustainability impacts of our business.”
David Maternowski, VP of quality and business management systems for INX, added that initially, many customers were not sure what type of information they needed from their ink suppliers. They knew sustainability is a growing field and a partnership with all brand owners was going to be expected.
“The United Nations Sustainability goals were finally getting some traction in the states and concerns were growing that the graphic arts industry was a little behind, but that’s changed recently,” Maternowski said.
Maternowski pointed out that customers are looking at real gains in greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions from both suppliers and customers.
“Partnerships to take the sustainability journey are changing industrial priorities,” added Maternowski. “Discussions now take place to analyze and create real targets and goals ‘together’, and they are designed to make a real impact in the reduction of harmful climate emissions. This could include ink and coating reformulations that have a higher bio-renewable content, or a coating that takes less energy on the press and achieves the same outstanding results. The emphasis on sustainability gains is falling in line with price, quality and product recognition.”
Matthew Rowland-Jones, sustainability officer, Flint Group, noted that sustainability has always been a core element of Flint Group’s business model.
“We take a holistic approach to sustainability, covering social and governance topics and critical environmental issues,” said Rowland-Jones. “Our work falls into three key areas: designing products and services which help our customers reduce the impact of their products and facilitate the development of a circular economy; reducing our environmental footprint and that of our supply chain, focusing on carbon emissions, waste and water; and investing in the health, safety and well-being of our employees while creating a diverse working environment representing the regions in which we operate.”
Nikola M. Juhasz, Ph.D., global technical director of sustainability at Sun Chemical, observed that sustainability is core to Sun Chemical’s business practices and product development.
“We pride ourselves on being a global leader in eco-efficiency and are continuously innovating to design products or processes that reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to climate change; that conserve virgin resources; and/or that reduce accumulation of waste as compared to the products or processes that they replace,” Dr. Juhasz added.
“Using what we call “the five R’s” – reduce, reuse, recycle, renew, and redesign – we guide our sustainability practices through three pillars of our business: operations, product and service development, and cross-industry partnerships and collaborations. These approaches span across all our business units – inks, coatings, adhesives, pigments, and advanced materials – and they guide the way we develop, manufacture, and distribute products.”
Dr. Juhasz reported that Sun Chemical is advancing sustainability of its supply chain using the EcoVadis platform.
“So far, we have gathered data from nearly 80% of our suppliers and are working to reach 90% and beyond,” she noted. “Through this program, we have identified areas to drive continuous improvement and excellence in sustainable procurement. Sun Chemical and DIC Corporation have set long-term sustainability goals to achieve within the coming years. By 2030, we aim to reduce our CO2 emissions by 50%, and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. To achieve these goals, we are fundamentally rethinking our operations and looking at greener energy and fuel sources.”
Jeevaraj Pillai, joint president – Flexible Packaging Business and new product development, UFlex Limited, said that UFlex is placing a great deal of emphasis on sustainability.
“Our commitment to the environment is ever-increasing,” Pillai said. “As a leader in the industry, UFlex upholds its responsibility towards the planet and the environment with utmost dedication.
“While we are in the business of packaging, we place significant importance on reducing the waste we generate by recycling and upcycling it,” Pillai added.” In 1995, at the Davos Recycling Forum, we were recognized as the first company in the world to recycle mixed plastic waste from our recycling facilities in Noida, India, and our efforts have also been acknowledged by the government of India. We have recycling facilities at Noida, Poland and Mexico to recycle and upcycle post-consumer multi-layer mixed plastic waste (MLP) into value-added household and industrial plastic products such as dustbins, outdoor furniture, and more.
“Today, decorative, functional, engineering parts, household and office products, and hundreds of other articles are being manufactured with recycled granules at UFlex’s recycling facilities,” Pillai continued. “UFlex has recycled more than half a million tons of MLP so far and has spent more than $20 million in the last financial year at its Poland and Mexico sites. One of our strategic goals has always been to develop a robust portfolio of innovative and sustainable offerings, where material is sourced responsibly.”
Sustainability and Customers
Much of the drive toward sustainability derives from conversations with converters, who are taking their cues from brand owners and consumers. There are also economic drivers involved.Dr. Juhasz pointed out that Sun Chemical’s approach to sustainability helps build the foundation of how it works with its primary customer base, packaging converters, as well as the brands and retailers selling to the consumer market.
“Across the board, most businesses are now prioritizing sustainability,” Dr. Juhasz said. ‘While the specific areas of interest may vary in our discussions with customers, they are responding to the fact that many consumer packaged goods companies have set and communicated ambitious goals to be delivered as early as 2025. Common themes are around increasing recyclability of packaging, to promote circularity and to minimize waste, and around increasing renewable content, which allows immediate reductions in carbon footprint.
“As a raw material supplier, Sun Chemical, as part of the DIC Group, has been part of the United Nations Global Compact since 2010, and we are most closely aligned with nine of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” Dr. Juhasz added. “These include those impacting climate change and resource conservation, sustainable use of natural resources, and food, safety, and health.”
Pillai observed that in the present time, sustainable packaging has become a rule rather than a norm.
“Research has shown that the end consumer is more likely to spend on sustainable brands or brands that adopt sustainable practices in their business,” Pillai said. “Hence, brand owners across industries are also keen to work with partners that innovate and manufacture products keeping sustainability in mind. Subsequently, sustainability is a topic that comes up in initial discussions with customers, either as a requirement by the client or a suggestion by us.
“As a socially responsible organization leading the way in sustainable solutions, we think it is our responsibility to encourage more businesses to adopt sustainable practices and always bring up the subject, even if the customer hasn’t raised it,” Pillai added. “Additionally, as leaders in packaging, clients look to us for our expertise. When we discuss packaging solutions, we also provide customers with advice on greener options, offering them the knowledge and opportunity so that they can integrate sustainable goals into their business practices.”
“Sustainability is a huge topic,” said Klokkers. “For many of our customers, sustainability is now a decisive argument when choosing inks and varnishes. Thus, designing sustainable, recyclable packaging solutions is a major topic in discussions with our customers.”
“Increasingly customers are engaging suppliers on sustainability topics,” said Mah. “There are dedicated supplier engagement meetings, audits and assessments regarding various key system change topics e.g. decarbonization, increasing circular economy and biodiversity.”
Maternowski said that most of INX’s customers are searching for information and a commitment from INX to help them achieve successes in various sustainability initiatives.
“Generally, the interest can be as simple as involvement in community initiatives, or as robust as a commitment for a 3% reduction of greenhouse gases (GHGs) every year until a 50% reduction - or better - can be achieved by the year 2030,” said Maternowski. “Sustainable sourcing, environmental impacts, life-cycle analysis, recyclability, compostability, biodegradability of ink, and energy friendly inks are many of the topics discussed when we partner with our customers.”
Rowland-Jones reported that many of Flint Group’s customers have sustainability commitments, particularly related to reducing carbon emissions and the recyclability of their products.
“To deliver on these commitments, they need to engage with their supply base and ensure alignment in their value chain,” Rowland-Jones continued. “What is clear from customers is that sustainability is paramount. There are three key areas that customers are interested to learn more about:
• Circular Economy: What solutions can suppliers offer that support a circular economy in packaging and recyclability of their products and responsible sourcing of materials.
• GHG emissions: The carbon footprint of their suppliers’ products, operations, and raw material suppliers, and how these might impact their carbon footprint.
• Suppliers’ overarching sustainability ethos: Focusing attention on the environmental aspects as well as health & safety, societal impacts, employee development, workforce diversity, and inclusion.”
Sustainability and Raw Materials
As is the case with discussions with printers and brand owners, ink companies are also discussing their own sustainability goals with their suppliers.As an example, Pillai pointed out that new generation polymers certainly help in source reduction by way of reducing the thickness of the packaging material by retaining the functionality as well as substituting difficult to recycle materials.
“This has been our pursuit and demand from our raw material suppliers,” Pillai said. “UFlex has always paved the way for organizations and brands to create a circular economy by being the first company in the world to recycle mixed waste plastic.
Pillai noted that sustainability is definitely a subject that comes up with raw material suppliers to impress the importance of using sustainable substances upon them.
“While the discussion of sustainable solutions come up when we speak to brands, we also ascertain we bring them up with raw material suppliers,” Pillai added. “To create a sustainable product, organizations need to source sustainable materials, which makes it increasingly essential to educate suppliers on the importance of reducing plastic/carbon footprint.”
“As we aim at offering our customers environmentally friendly solutions, sustainability is a key criterion for us when it comes to sourcing and selecting raw materials,” said Klokkers. “Wherever possible, we source our raw materials from our division hubergroup Chemicals because we can be sure here that the products were manufactured under the highest environmental standards.”
“We have a target that 100% suppliers committed to the principles of the UN Global Compact, therefore we proactively engage with suppliers if they are adhering to the global compact and the 10 principles which are aligned with almost all sustainability agendas,” said Mah. “Additionally due to our SBTi commitment and our scope 3 target, we are working with engaging suppliers to reduce our supply chain scope 3 carbon footprint.”
Maternowski noted that since the calculation of GHGs per pound of printing ink manufactured relies on the calculation of three scopes, it is important to understand what the product contributes to that coefficient.
“For example, scope III coefficients account for over 80% of the emissions of a printing ink,” added Maternowski. “Thus, it is vital that the collection of this raw material information is as accurate as possible since they account for the bulk of scope III materials. Therefore, partnering with our vendors to get a further breakdown of the components of their formulations is completely essential and ongoing. The sustainability journey truly depends on partnering with all vendors for the data to be meaningful.”
Rowland-Jones stated that similarly to its customers, Flint Group can only deliver its sustainability commitments by engaging its supply chain.
“We manage our suppliers by following our environmental, compliance, and social objectives,” Rowland-Jones said. “All raw material suppliers must comply with relevant national and international environmental legislation concerning sustainability issues. Flint Group’s suppliers are requested to comply with the Flint Group Supplier Code of Conduct and with the UN Global Compact principles related to human rights, labor, environment, and anti-corruption.
“Flint Group is committed to reducing its environmental impact throughout its value chain and the life cycle of its products,” Rowland-Jones noted. “Therefore, Flint Group is regularly evaluating its overall sourcing policy to ensure responsible and ethical sourcing and procurement. We are also actively partnering with key suppliers in specific segments to improve their sustainability performance.”
Dr. Juhasz noted that sustainable procurement is an increasing area of emphasis, and Sun Chemical is partnering with EcoVadis to monitor and improve social and environmental performance in its supply chain.
“Understanding that the largest proportion of our environmental impact comes from our upstream raw materials suppliers, Sun Chemical is working collaboratively and proactively with them to quantify and reduce these impacts, and to ensure that they deliver the materials we need to achieve our and our customers’ sustainability requirements,” said Dr. Juhasz. “For example, this may involve moving from fossil-derived raw materials to responsibly sourced bio-based raw materials.”