UNILIN, which describes itself as a global reference in interior design and building materials, has achieved the EcoVadis gold medal, a ‘significant milestone’ said to have placed the company among the top 5% of companies assessed worldwide for their sustainability performance.
The achievement reflects substantial progress across all four EcoVadis assessment areas and confirms Unilin’s commitment to continuously improving its environmental, social and governance performance.
EcoVadis, described as one of the world’s leading sustainability assessment platforms, evaluating about 90,000 companies across 250 industries and 150 countries. Companies are assessed on four key themes: environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.
Compared to last year, Unilin is said to have significantly improved its overall EcoVadis score from 64 to 81 points, resulting in a leap from bronze to gold. The company achieved strong progress across all assessment categories.
The gold medal places Unilin among the top 5% of about 90,000 companies assessed by EcoVadis worldwide and reflects strong progress across all assessment categories.
‘Achieving EcoVadis gold is a major milestone for Unilin and a recognition of the efforts made across the entire organisation,’ says Lasse Six, group sustainability manager.
‘This achievement is the result of the dedication of colleagues throughout the company who contribute every day to making our business more sustainable and responsible. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made together.’
The gold medal reflects years of investments and innovation across the business. Circularity has long been a cornerstone of Unilin’s approach, says the company.
‘In 2021, the company developed the world’s first industrial-scale technology capable of recycling MDF, HDF and laminate, which were previously considered impossible to recycle. More recently, Unilin also invested in recycling technologies for PIR insulation boards, helping to keep valuable raw materials in circulation and reduce reliance on virgin resources.’
At the same time, the company says it continues to make significant progress in reducing the environmental footprint of its operations. Today, 70% of Unilin’s energy consumption reportedly comes from renewable sources, with the vast majority generated nearby its production facilities through renewable energy installations and waste-to-energy partnerships. The company is on track to reach its science-based climate targets that were validated by the science based targets initiative (SBTi).
Continues Unilin: ‘Sustainability is also embedded in the products Unilin brings to market. From insulation solutions that help reduce energy consumption in buildings to flooring and panel products that contribute to healthy and comfortable living spaces, the company aims to improve people’s quality of life while reducing environmental impact.
‘Beyond its environmental and product-related initiatives, Unilin continues to invest in its people. The company focuses on creating a safe, engaging and stimulating work environment for its more than 7,600 employees worldwide. Recent years have seen continued progress in workplace safety through the internal zero-harm programme, alongside investments in employee well-being, leadership development and lifelong learning initiatives such as their state-of-the art training centre ‘The Dive’.’
‘While we are celebrating this achievement today, we see it as another step in our sustainability journey rather than a final destination,’ adds Lasse Six. ‘Together, we’ll continue building on this momentum and further strengthen our sustainability performance in the years ahead.’
