EcoVadis, a global leader in ESG assessments, chooses Fedrigoni as a successful case for sustainable sourcing
For Fedrigoni, the concept of sustainability is not limited to its own production processes but instead extends to the entire supply chain — fostering the spread of concrete, ethical practices along the entire value chain and driving change in the industry, including anticipating the evolution of regulatory frameworks. Fedrigoni, among the world's largest players in special papers for packaging and other creative solutions, labels and self-adhesive materials, and RFID solutions, requires suppliers to subscribe to a Code of Conduct that covers environmental, social and governance issues. The company's procurement policy document was also updated in 2023 to include a mechanism for periodic review of business partners' ESG performance, and criteria for identifying high-risk partners, alongside other key elements.
Fedrigoni has been working on this framework with EcoVadis, a world leader in sustainability ratings, since 2020. EcoVadis has developed its intelligence platform to measure procurement practices according to ESG criteria, with the aim of improving performance throughout the supply chain. Thanks to this partnership, Fedrigoni has introduced ESG parameters as a part of its supplier evaluation criteria. The most relevant and strategic ones have been invited to participate in the EcoVadis assessment through constantly updated questionnaires that align with evolving regulations and ensure constant analysis of performance, as well as offering a dynamic benchmark that compares values over time and with respect to their industry sector. Among the tools available to suppliers is the EcoVadis Academy, providing courses dedicated to improving ESG skills.
The effectiveness of the sustainable procurement program is demonstrated by the excellent score achieved by the company in 2024 in the Sustainable Purchasing section, which improved by 10 points compared to the previous year, reaching a score of 90/100.
“Thanks to continuous dialogue with our suppliers, we are developing several concrete, sustainable procurement initiatives together, with the aim of implementing shared ESG strategies. This constant collaboration and exchange of experiences, together with the integration of ESG criteria into our purchasing and evaluation strategy, are the key elements behind the success of our sustainable procurement programme,” said Alessandro Gaiati, Chief Procurement Officer of the Fedrigoni Group.
Fedrigoni is implementing several initiatives, including round tables and informative workshops, to encourage partners to develop their own sustainability strategies and help drive them towards continuous improvement, particularly in the critical areas also identified through EcoVadis’ scorecards. And the impact was quickly apparent. Out of 353 companies that re-evaluated, 241 (68%) improved their ESG score, with an average growth of 4.5 points compared to the previous score. Engaging suppliers upstream and promoting sustainable practices downstream proves to be a winning strategy for generating shared value and positively impacting the entire ecosystem.
Fedrigoni itself sets clear and measurable goals that progress over time, equips itself with monitoring tools, and submits to verification by third-party authorities that certify its progress in terms of environmental, social and governance performance. One of these is EcoVadis, which plays a crucial role in Fedrigoni's journey toward achieving the 2030 goals, measuring sustainability performance in relation to Environment, Labor and Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Sourcing: for 3 consecutive years Fedrigoni has been awarded a platinum medal, ranking in the top 1 percent of the most virtuous companies and achieving a score of 90/100 in 2024. Fedrigoni has renewed its partnership with EcoVadis for the coming years as well.
With approximately 6,000 people in 28 countries and 25,000 products, Fedrigoni sells and distributes in 132 countries and, thanks in large part to recent acquisitions, has gained the positions of first global player in wine labels and specialty papers for luxury packaging, second in art and design papers, and third in premium self-adhesive materials. Sustainability is embededed in the Group's entire strategy, which is committed to monitoring progress in reducing CO₂ emissions, water consumption, waste management, accelerating sustainability-focused innovation, preventing accidents, promoting an inclusive learning environment, and creating value with the communities in which it operates.
“Making Progress” is the company's approach, which assumes transparency, objective data, third-party certified results, and shared responsibility by its entire supply chain in achieving ESG goals for 2030. This includes 100% of materials designed for optimal recyclability and end-of-life recovery, with LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) on demand and supported by accredited external certifications. This is a long-term corporate vision that has led Fedrigoni to devise innovative projects to facilitate, for example, the replacement of single-use plastics with paper solutions or to devise solutions for self-adhesive labels with the goal of improving the recyclability of primary containers at the industrial level.
