RS Group awarded EcoVadis platinum medal for sustainability

RS Group has been awarded a platinum medal for the second year in a row by EcoVadis, the independent provider of global sustainability ratings used by many large organisations to help support sustainable purchasing decisions.

The platinum medal puts RS Group in the top 1% of the 100,000-plus rated companies assessed by EcoVadis with each company rated on the material sustainability risks and issues for their size, location and industry. This achievement is further heightened, as the criteria for attaining the platinum standard in 2023 are even more rigorous than in previous years.

The objective of the EcoVadis methodology is to measure the quality of a company’s sustainability management system through its policies, actions and results. The assessment focuses on 21 sustainability criteria that are grouped into four themes: environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. One example of a key achievement for RS over the past year is the 10% reduction in direct carbon emissions from 2,000 tCO2e in H1 2022/23 to 1,800 tCO2e in H1 2023/24 due to energy savings, switching to renewable electricity, and a net zero fleet.

“We are delighted to have attained the EcoVadis platinum medal for the second successive year and believe this is a reflection of our strong commitment to the implementation of our 2030 ESG action plan,” said Andrea Barrett, VP of social responsibility and sustainability at RS Group. “Of particular note is the progress made by our People and Ethics teams to further improve our policies, performance, and disclosure in the area of labour and human rights.

“We are pleased with our progress but will not stand still. We remain focused on our commitment to raise ESG standards across our business and wider value chain. We know this is critical to deliver a positive impact for the environment, society, and the economy, as well as generating more long-term value for all our stakeholders.”

EcoVadis is the world’s most trusted business to business sustainability rating. The platinum medal achieved by RS provides stakeholders with confidence in the company’s ESG approach. Many RS customers use EcoVadis to screen and select their strategic procurement partners, and RS in turn requests its strategic supplier partners to undertake an EcoVadis assessment as part of its ESG action plan.

Currently, over 50% of RS’ suppliers by spend are EcoVadis screened with an average silver medal rating. This gives RS' customers further confidence about the role RS plays in helping to ensure a responsible supply chain.