Decorating sundries manufacturer Bartoline has achieved a Bronze EcoVadis Sustainability rating following the business’ first external assessment, this places the company in the top 33 per cent globally for sustainability commitment and performance. The well-known UK decorative sundries brand has now set its sights on Gold within two years.

Bartoline products, include white spirits, ready-mix and powder fillers, wallpaper adhesives, decorator’s caulk and sanitary and frame sealants. Bartoline is launching a new product range formulated for professional decorators called ‘1876 The Professional Range’ for distribution through builders’ merchants.

EcoVadis is a global provider of business sustainability ratings – more than 85,000 companies globally have been rated by EcoVadis. Its ratings are based on international standards, such as the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact, the International Labour Organization conventions, the Global Reporting Initiative standards and the ISO 26000 standard.

“Integrating best environmental, social and governance practice into our operations is central to Bartoline’s transformational growth strategy,” said MD Paul Robbins. “A Bronze sustainability rating following a first EcoVadis assessment is a good starting point. However, we see this as the beginning of our journey.  We have set ambitious targets to achieve Gold in 24 months and have a clear roadmap in place.”

The EcoVadis assessment evaluated Bartoline on 21 sustainability criteria across four core themes: environment, labour & human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement.

The Bronze Sustainability rating is classed as being ‘Good’ and confirms that Bartoline has ‘a structured and proactive sustainability approach.’ The outcome follows an assessment in March.

Moving forward, Bartoline plans to improve its sustainability performance by implementing a system based around the ISO 26000 Social Responsibility Standard.

For products, Bartoline has introduced a sustainability matrix. The matrix encompasses raw materials, end of use, societal concerns, supply chain, product performance and product in use. All new Bartoline eco-value products are to be at least 10 per cent more sustainable than products they replace. This includes packaging initiatives to replace single use plastics where feasible and replace 30 per cent of virgin plastics with recycled content by the end of 2022.

“We are making strides forward with sustainable product initiatives,” said Alan Garrigan, Bartoline’s business systems manager and sustainability lead, “but our commitment goes beyond regulatory compliance and cuts right across our business to manage our economic, social and environmental impact and involve our stakeholders, suppliers and customers.”

An established UK decorative sundries supplier, Bartoline’s history stretches back to 1876.  Bartoline products are developed and manufactured in the UK at its two production plants in Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, one of which has the largest production capacity for liquid filling in Europe.

For more information, please visit www.bartoline.co.uk