For the third year running, Oleon achieved a platinum rating from EcoVadis in recognition of its advanced sustainability practices, placing it in the top 1% of companies globally.
As part of the Avril Group, Oleon specializes in converting natural fats and oils into a wide range of oleochemical products such as fatty acids, glycerin, esters, dimers, and technical oils.
“As sustainability requirements are expanding, it is critical that companies are prepared to meet objectives around environmental, social, and ethical performance. This is an essential requirement for doing smart business as more companies, including trading partners, are under immense pressure to improve their sustainability and transparency practices,” Sébastien Busschaert, Business Manager Life Sciences at Oleon explains.
Oleon has a successful history of implementing ‘green’ technologies that could have a positive impact on the sustainability of the chemicals market.
“In 1988, we were the first to use low-pressure technology to produce linear fatty alcohols, while more recently, in 2012, we converted our fatty alcohol plant to produce renewable monopropyleneglycol (MPG) out of glycerol. This was the first initiative to make renewable MPG for use in the cosmetics industry,” Cathérine Sieben, Business Manager Glycerine & MPG points out.
The EcoVadis program assesses a company’s performance on topics such as the environment, labor practices, human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.
For the 2022 award, Oleon upped its rating from its previous platinum medals in 2020 and 2021 by a total score of 6 points to a stellar 82/100 by focusing on its advanced sustainability approach.
“We improved our score thanks to our new and improved HSE policy and internal awareness training on information security. As we move forward, we will continue to drive sustainability improvement practices, thereby maintaining our platinum status in the future.
“When it comes to the production of chemicals based on natural fats and oils, we are one of the leaders in Europe and it is our aim to continue our focus on finding a balance between technical performance and environmental awareness, while remaining compliant with stringent market requirements.” Busschaert concluded.
Want to learn more about Oleon’s sustainability journey? Do not hesitate to contact the Corporate Social Responsibility team at csr@oleon.com
