Akzonobel achieves high status in global sustainability index

AkzoNobel, parent company of the UK's leading trade paint brand, Dulux Trade, has ranked highly in the global Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), coming in at second place in the Chemicals supersector.

The company has been consistently ranked in the top three of the DJSI for this supersector since 2007, and has been listed on the index for the last six years. Regarded as one of the world's most foremost sustainability indices, the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) benchmarks the sustainability performance of leading companies based on environmental, social and economic factors, including forward-looking indicators.

"This three-pronged approach is something that we've adopted as a business, working to a triple bottom line to ensure that the economic, social and environmental aspects of the organisation are all sustainably successful," explains Ann Noble, Head of Sustainability for the UK Trade market.

"Our sustainability programme is a very realistic one. Called 'Step Towards Greener,' it acknowledges that while we're really proud of everything we've achieved and the extent to which we've engaged employees when it comes to sustainability, this is a long term journey. Put simply, we continuously improve the sustainability of the products and services we offer, the way we behave towards the people and communities we interact with, the environmental impact of the energy we use, the way we transport our products and people, and the way we use the earth's resources."

AkzoNobel wants to build a sustainable future, but knows it can't do this in isolation. So as well as involving all of its employees, it works with suppliers, customers and external experts to build lasting sustainability plans. The organisation also wants its customers and its peers to know just how seriously it takes the sustainability agenda, so it publishes a 'Sustainability in Action' report every year to enable the industry to keep track of its progress, and ideally follow suit.

Within the last 18 months, Dulux Trade has launched a broad, credible portfolio of environmental products and services, including high performance interior and exterior paints, and innovative waste management systems such as the Environmental Wash System and the Paint Solidifier. Its award winning products, Ecosure and Light & Space, have been specified for major projects for organisations such as Marks & Spencer, and the sustainability credentials of the Dulux Trade core portfolio have also been improved with carbon reductions of up to 30 per cent.

Ann concludes: "Our consistent performance over the last few years is clear evidence of how successfully sustainability is being integrated into our global operations. This is fundamental to us as an organisation, and our commitment to sustainability is irreversible - we'll be striving for further improvement in all areas in order to maintain our status."