The continuous pursuit of greater sustainability in our business practices is one of the main ambitions that drives us forward. We are always looking for new ways to innovate and instigate change for the greater good of our employees, clients, communities and planet.
In 2019, a client introduced us to the EcoVadis sustainability rating system, considered the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings. We were inspired by the comprehensive nature of the organization’s sustainability audit, the pillars upon which it bases its ratings, and the scorecard provided at the end of the yearly process that not only details what companies are doing well but highlights areas for improvement.
Most of all, we were motivated to participate because we could see the value it would add to our organization in strengthening our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices, and our clients’. EcoVadis also provides a variety of exceptional resources to help bolster our sustainable practices and the yearly conference is extremely powerful.
In 2021, we were excited to receive an EcoVadis Sliver Medal for our Toronto (Finchdene) location – a recognition given to the top 25% of EcoVadis-audited companies. In 2022, our Owen Sound location joined us on the EcoVadis Silver podium. Now, in 2023, we are delighted to announce that Toronto has been awarded an EcoVadis Gold Medal, which puts us in the top 5% globally. We are very proud of the progress we have made within a very short timeframe, and the positive impact experienced throughout our corporate ecosystem.
How does the EcoVadis rating system work?
EcoVadis’ objective is to measure the quality of a company’s CSR management system through its policies, actions and results. The CSR rating methodology is based on EcoVadis’ seven founding principles:
- Evidence-Based – Bellwyck must provide proof (policies, certificates, reporting, etc.) for all our sustainability claims.
- Industry, Location & Size Matter – Context is a must. The rating system takes into account our industry, footprint in countries considered “at risk” and the size and geographical span of our company.
- Diversification of Sources – EcoVadis doesn’t just want to see our internal paperwork but supporting documents published by external NGOs, trade unions, local authorities and other third-party organizations.
- Technology Is a Must – Because technology facilitates industrialization, which enables fast learning, growth and scalability.
- Assessment by International CSR Experts – Supporting documents are analyzed by a team of the world’s top CSR experts.
- Traceability and Transparency – Every document used in the rating process must be stored securely and can be traced back.
- Excellence Through Continuous Improvement – The rating system undergoes its own internal assessment and improvement process by a client advisory board and scientific community to ensure it remains relevant in perpetuity.
The assessment then considers a range of CSR issues, which are grouped into four themes:
- Environment – Operations (e.g., energy consumption, biodiversity, waste generated) and Products (e.g., product use and product end-of-life, customer health and safety, environmental advocacy).
- Labour and Human Rights – Human Resources (e.g., employee health and safety, working conditions, social dialogue) and Human Rights (e.g., diversity, external stakeholder human rights).
- Ethics – (e.g., corruption, anti-competitive practices, responsible information management).
- Sustainable Procurement – (e.g., supplier environmental practices, supplier social practices).
Each of these four themes is then scored based on the evidence we provide and weighted according to Policies (25%), Actions (40%) and Results (35%).
Sustainability has always been at the forefront of our operations; when we started with EcoVadis, we observed that many of the items on our sustainability scorecard were actions we were instinctively doing.
From EcoVadis to ISO
In the fall of 2022, Bellwyck was audited for IS0 45001 Occupational Health & Safety Management. Our existing initiatives, procedures, and policies assisted us in achieving our goal of obtaining this certification. Our follow-up surveillance audit in the spring of 2023 had no findings.
“At the end of the day, I believe every sustainable initiative starts with one idea and evolves into a group initiative driven by a mutual determination for improvement,” said Emma McCann, Bellwyck’s Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) Specialist and the individual in charge of our EcoVadis submission. “It involves everyone working together for the greater good of the environment. Our participation in EcoVadis has kicked our sustainable business practices into high gear.”
The collaboration between Bellwyck and our business partners promotes how a single act can end up making a huge difference.
Contact us today
Are you motivated to improve your company’s sustainable footprint? We would be delighted to consult with you on the use of eco-friendly packaging materials, reducing the size and volume of materials used, lightweighting solutions and more.
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