Sustainability continues to become an increasing draw to consumers, brand owners and businesses alike. When it comes to sustainability measures, EcoVadis has become a leading standard in the business world.

Back in 2022, I co-wrote a feature on EcoVadis and the ink industry, looking at the companies throughout the supply chain that earned EcoVadis recognition for their environmental, social and governance (ESG) efforts. The ratings range from Platinum, the highest, through Gold, Silver and Bronze.

Ink industry executives point to the continuing emphasis on sustainability, and EcoVadis certification is proving to be a popular approach. Looking at recent certifications, there has been more emphasis among ink companies to earn EcoVadis ratings.

Back in 2022, the following five companies that manufacture inks had earned EcoVadis ratings:

• Doneck Network – Silver

• Epson – Platinum

• Flint Group – Silver

• Ricoh – Gold

• Siegwerk – Silver

After looking at the information I have, there are now 12 ink and ink-producing companies that have earned rankings from EcoVadis. As for the original five, all but Epson have earned higher rankings; of course, Epson was already at the top of the scale.

In alphabetical order, here are some of the ink industry leaders that have earned EcoVadis certification in the past year:

ALTANA

ALTANA earned the Platinum Medal from EcoVadis. Across all industries, ALTANA AG, with its business divisions BYK, ECKART, ELANTAS, and ACTEGA, ranks among the top 1% of all companies worldwide with a total score of 84 out of 100 points. ALTANA also places among the top 1% in the categories of Labor & Human Rights and Sustainable Procurement, the top 3% in Environment, and the top 4% in Ethics.

“We are delighted with this result,” says Dr. Tammo Boinowitz, a member of ALTANA‘s Management Board. “It shows that we not only set ambitious goals but also implement them effectively – today and in the future.”

Doneck Euroflex

Doneck Euroflex has been awarded Platinum status by EcoVadis. Doneck Euroflex is a medium-sized, international manufacturer of water- and solvent-based printing inks. The coveted EcoVadis Platinum Medal is the highest award given by EcoVadis for sustainability performance. This puts Doneck in the top 1% of companies worldwide that have been assessed by EcoVadis in the last 12 months.

“We launched our sustainability strategy 2Bsustainable! in 2022. This success follows on from the gold medal we already achieved in 2023 and underlines Doneck’s continuously increasing excellence in sustainability and environmental protection,” says CEO Arndt Breitbach.

DuPont

DuPont received the Silver Medal from EcoVadis in recognition of the company’s continued advancement and progress on its sustainability performance. DuPont received an overall score of 71, placing it in the 91st percentile and among the top 15% of all companies evaluated globally. The company achieved its highest scores in the Environment and Sustainable Procurement categories and significantly increased its scores in the Labor & Human Rights and Ethics.

“We are honored to receive a Silver medal from EcoVadis for efforts to drive sustainability across our operations and the value chain,” says Alexa Dembek, DuPont chief technology and sustainability officer. “This recognition is a testament to our unwavering commitment to sustainability and the tireless work of our teams around the world to meet the needs of our customers.”

Epson

Epson has earned a Platinum rating for sustainability from EcoVadis. This recognition highlights Epson’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards across environmental practices, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.

The platinum rating places Epson in the top 1% of all companies and industries assessed by EcoVadis, reflecting continuous progress in the company’s sustainability efforts. Epson increased its overall score from 77 to 83 points out of 100, despite EcoVadis implementing stricter evaluation criteria.

“This platinum certification follows our continuous implementation of measurable initiatives aimed at identifying and resolving societal and environmental challenges,” says Takanori Inaho, president of Epson Europe.

Flint Group

Flint Group reaffirms its commitment to sustainability and social responsibility by achieving the prestigious Gold Rating from EcoVadis. This Gold Rating, an upgrade from the Silver status Flint Group has held since 2022, places the company among the top 5% of EcoVadis-rated companies in the printing ink manufacturing sector.

“This milestone represents a significant step forward in Flint Group’s sustainability journey, solidifying our position as an industry leader dedicated to environmental stewardship and social responsibility,” Pepyn Dinandt, CEO of Flint Group, says. “Achieving the Gold Rating from EcoVadis not only validates our structured approach to sustainability but also reinforces our commitment to delivering measurable, positive outcomes for both our customers and the communities we serve.”

INX International Ink Co.

INX International Ink Co. has earned its first company-wide honor from EcoVadis, the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings. The organization issued INX a 2025 rated Bronze medal, which is directly related to the overall sustainability performance at all of its facilities in Europe and the Americas. In 2022, subsidiary INX International UK was recognized by EcoVadis with a Silver medal for sustainability.

“The impact of an EcoVadis medal is significant in several ways. It signals credible, third party validation of INX’s commitment to sustainability and speaks volumes about our reputation,” said Peter Paul Obijaju, INX director of ESG.

LEIBINGER

LEIBINGER was awarded a bronze medal by the EcoVadis CSR rating agency in April 2025. The company also successfully completed the Sedex Group’s SMETA audit standard for the second time.

The EcoVadis bronze medal attests to the fact that LEIBINGER is among the top 35% of companies across all industries that have been rated over the last 12 months. LEIBINGER achieved the best results in the categories of environment, ethics, and labor and human rights.

“I am very pleased that our sustainability measures are proving so successful and visible,” said Christina Leibinger, CEO and company owner. “This positive feedback encourages us to continuously develop our processes, products and services. Our long-standing commitment to sustainable business practices is proving its worth – we are ideally positioned to offer our customers an attractive and future-proof comprehensive solution. This lays the foundation for us to tap into further growth potential.”

Nazdar

Nazdar once again has been awarded the Silver EcoVadis Medal for sustainability. As an EcoVadis silver medalist, Nazdar now ranks among some of the leading companies in the world in terms of sustainability and environmental protection.

“We are absolutely delighted to have been recognized for our sustainable efforts,” says Evan Benbow, VP of R&D at Nazdar. “We are very proud of our various environmental programs and how they have helped both the business and our customers; to have this commitment recognized by a leading global organization such as EcoVadis is a significant endorsement.”

Ricoh

Ricoh has been awarded the highest Platinum rating from EcoVadis. Placing Ricoh among the top 1% of companies assessed, this is Ricoh’s first Platinum rating, following 10 consecutive years of Gold ratings from 2014 to 2024.

This year, Ricoh achieved an overall score of 82 out of 100—an increase of 5 points from last year—with particularly strong recognition in the Environment category, along with notable improvements in the Labor & Human Rights and Ethics categories.

“We are immensely proud of this milestone, which underscores our long-standing commitment to sustainability,” said Mikako Suzuki, corporate officer in charge of ESG and risk management at Ricoh Company, Ltd. “The 2025 Platinum rating is a testament to Ricoh’s active promotion of ESG risk management in our supply chain, including improvements in labor conditions and human rights. It also reflects our ongoing efforts to deepen our environmental policies and targets, expand information disclosure, and advance environmental management.”

Sakata INX Vietnam Co., Ltd.

SAKATA INX Corporation’s Vietnamese subsidiary Sakata INX Vietnam Co., Ltd. has become the first SAKATA INX Group company in Asia to be awarded a bronze medal in a sustainability assessment by EcoVadis.

Siegwerk

Siegwerk has been awarded the EcoVadis Gold Medal, marking a new milestone in the company’s sustainability journey. With an overall score of 78 out of 100, Siegwerk now ranks in the 96th percentile. It places it among the top 5% of all companies assessed by EcoVadis worldwide. Compared to the company’s previous assessment in 2023, Siegwerk improved its overall score by 15 points. This shows the accelerating pace of its sustainability momentum.

“We are proud to see our continued efforts pay off so clearly – again,” says Alina Marm, head of global sustainability & circular economy at Siegwerk. “EcoVadis Gold underlines that consistency and dedication to a sustainable business transformation pays off – not only when it comes to reducing our footprint but also in building stronger foundations across our supply chain, labor practices, and ethical standards. This prestigious recognition energizes us to go even further.”

“Our new gold rating not only reflects the continuous progress we are making toward our sustainability goals but also proves the effectiveness of our holistic sustainability agenda. Being in the 96th percentile – in other words being ahead of 96% of all companies assessed – is a powerful endorsement of our efforts,” adds Marm.

Sun Chemical

Sun Chemical has earned a silver rating for its sustainability performance from EcoVadis. This recognition places Sun Chemical in the top 15 percent of rated companies within its business sector.

“At Sun Chemical, sustainability is not just a responsibility, it is a catalyst for innovation,” said Mike Simoni, global sustainability director, Sun Chemical. “This recognition from EcoVadis validates our efforts to embed sustainability into every facet of our operations, from product development to global partnerships.”