Gold label is a milestone for Vebego Switzerland

In 2022, Vebego AG received a Gold rating by EcoVadis. We talk to Maya Kothathil, Quality and Environmental Management Specialist, about the effort she had to make for this and its impact on the company itself, the customers and the environment.

What exactly does an EcoVadis’ Gold rating mean? ‘EcoVadis is the largest supplier of sustainability rankings in the world. EcoVadis measures a company’s efforts in the areas of Environment, Labour & Human Rights, Ethics and Sustainable Procurement. Vebego AG achieved an overall score of 67 points in 2022, propelling us from silver to gold. This award places us in the top 5% of companies in the market. This shows that we are doing everything we can to work fully carbon neutral by 2030. For ourselves, it is a reward for and recognition of the efforts our teams have made and the quality of our CSR management system. It is an important milestone for our commitment to making a sustainable impact.’ What did Vebego have to do to achieve this? ‘We already do a lot in the area of sustainability, but had not recorded this. For EcoVadis, not only do you have to indicate for each subject what your plans are, but you also have to present the actions and results in a structured way, according to EcoVadis guidelines. Especially the latter is a lot of work. But we did it, with a great result!’ How does it benefit Vebego in its relationship with (potential) clients? ‘As a family business, we are mainly concerned with social aspects, but we think not only socially but also environmentally consciously. We want to be a fair and sustainable partner for our customers. With this award, we prove that we take and carry out our economic, social and ecological responsibility. This is important for customers. They want to do business with companies that are sustainable, diverse and inclusive.’ What is the value of the assessment when looking at the positive environmental impact? ‘The EcoVadis structure helps us to see what we are still missing and where we can improve. That we received the Gold label this year doesn’t automatically mean we’ll succeed next year. You have to be better every year. Based on all the data we have retrieved, we will draw up a roadmap this year, so that by 2030 we will be fully carbon neutral.’