Monadnock Paper Mills, Inc., the oldest continuously operating paper mill in the United States, has announced that it has earned a gold rating in the EcoVadis Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) assessment. This achievement places the company in the top eight percent of the 90,000 companies ranked by EcoVadis. The company has achieved a 30% increase in its performance level since earning a silver rating in its assessment in 2015.

EcoVadis is the world’s most trusted independent provider of business sustainability ratings, intelligence, and collaborative performance improvement tools for global supply chains. Over 90,000 companies from over 160 countries across more than 200 purchasing categories have been assessed. Companies are evaluated for their performance in terms of a total of 21 criteria, which in turn are divided into four general areas: environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.

Monadnock is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified (FSC C018866) ensuring that the fiber it sources comes from responsibly managed forests and recycling facilities that meet the highest environmental and social standards. Its products are manufactured carbon neutral, and they use 100% renewable Green-e certified wind-powered electricity, all under a third-party certified ISO 14001 Environmental Management System.

“Through our years of sustainability leadership, we know that it’s a hard-fought journey where the gains are well worth it – for our employees, communities and our customers,” says Richard G. Verney, Chairman and CEO, Monadnock Paper Mills. “We will continue to innovate in-house and with our many supply-chain partners to create value, continue to lessen our environmental impact, and deliver sustainably advantaged paper and packaging.”

Among the key strengths identified by EcoVadis:

Environment
The report lauds the company’s policies on environmental impacts including materials, chemicals and waste, as well as energy consumption and GHGs; management of water efficiency and on-site wastewater treatment facilities; generation of renewable electricity; ISO 14001 Environmental Management System; and demonstration of consistent reporting practices across a broad range of environmental impacts including water, energy, waste, and recycling

Labor & Human Rights
The company’s comprehensive policy covering employee health and safety, working conditions, conflicts and resolutions was highlighted.

Ethics
Monadnock’s policies on the majority of ethics criteria and its whistleblower procedures for stakeholders were acknowledged.

Sustainable Procurement
The report also singled out the company’s sustainable procurement policies on supplier environmental practices and responsible sourcing as demonstrated by its FSC certification.

“The EcoVadis assessment is a powerful tool that will help us to continuously improve what we make, how we make it, and how we can further engage with our supply chain partners,” adds Verney. “Our commitment to sustainability continues and we appreciate this gold seal of approval and, more importantly, the roadmap it provides for the future.”