Beyond Policy: How Top Firms Redefine Sustainable Supply Chains

PARIS, France – March 02, 2026 – As the global business community gathered for the EcoVadis Sustain 2026 conference, a clear and powerful message emerged: the era of treating sustainability as a checkbox exercise is over. At its tenth annual Sustainability Achievement Awards, EcoVadis, a global standard for supply chain sustainability intelligence, honored companies and individuals who are embedding environmental and social governance not just into policy, but into performance, resilience, and long-term value.

Winners announced today include industry giants Schneider Electric and Siegwerk, alongside individual leaders Vitanya Keary of Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Filip Orlinski of Caldic BV. Their achievements signal a pivotal maturation of sustainable procurement, moving it from the periphery of corporate social responsibility to the very core of strategic operations.

"This year's winners demonstrate that sustainable procurement is no longer about policy — it's about performance," said Pierre-François Thaler, co-founder and co-CEO of EcoVadis. "From bold transparency and human rights integration to scaling impact across global supply networks, these leaders are proving that sustainability, when embedded into core business strategy, becomes a powerful driver of resilience and long-term value."

A New Benchmark for Performance

The awards highlight a landscape where verifiable data and measurable impact have become the new currency of corporate sustainability. With over 150,000 businesses relying on its evidence-based assessments, EcoVadis has established itself as a critical tool for companies navigating this complex terrain. The platform's methodology, which evaluates companies across Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement, provides a standardized framework for measuring what was once considered intangible.

This shift towards data-driven evaluation is crucial. Industry analysts have recognized EcoVadis as a leader in ESG ratings for suppliers, specifically for its ability to provide actionable corrective action plans. This focus on continuous improvement, backed by rigorous analysis of policies, actions, and results, allows companies to move beyond mere compliance and actively manage their supply chain's footprint. The awards, therefore, are not just accolades but markers of a proven ability to execute and deliver tangible progress in a world demanding accountability.

Leaders in Practice: From Mature Programs to Bold Newcomers

Recognized for Best Mature Program in Sustainable Procurement, Schneider Electric exemplifies long-term strategic commitment. An independent jury praised the company for the impressive scale and consistency of its program, which integrates an ambitious supplier roadmap with rigorous public disclosure. Schneider Electric has demonstrated how a global organization can embed sustainable procurement into its core business processes, driving measurable progress across its vast supplier network while maintaining accountability through public commitments.

"This recognition means a great deal to us because it celebrates something fundamental to who we are – our belief that sustainable procurement is essential to build a better future," said Christophe Quiquempoix, VP Sustainable Procurement at Schneider Electric. The company's success underscores how years of investment in systems, supplier engagement, and transparency can create a deeply resilient and responsible value chain.

In contrast, Siegwerk's win for Best New Program in Sustainable Procurement demonstrates that impactful change is possible even in the formative years of an initiative. The printing ink manufacturer was celebrated for launching a strategy that prioritizes operational depth over simple compliance. Most notably, the program has established human rights as a foundational pillar of its procurement strategy—a bold move in an industry with complex global supply chains. The jury highlighted Siegwerk’s willingness to openly navigate difficult supplier realities, setting a new standard for transparency and proving that meaningful impact can be achieved from the outset.

"Driving sustainability in supply chains has become a business imperative—not only due to customer expectations and legislation, but also because it is one of the most effective ways to build the resilience needed in today's rapidly changing world," commented Cathleen Hansohm, Global Supplier Sustainability Manager at Siegwerk.

The Architects of Change: Individual Leadership in ESG

Beyond corporate programs, the awards underscored the critical role of individual champions in driving transformation. Vitanya Keary, Global Procurement Sustainability Manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, received the Outstanding Program Management award for her exceptional leadership. Since 2018, Keary has guided the company's EcoVadis implementation, navigating a complex post-merger integration while simultaneously strengthening supplier enablement and fostering internal collaboration. Her ability to align diverse stakeholders around a shared vision demonstrates how dedicated leadership is essential to operationalizing sustainability within a massive, multinational corporation.

"Managing the EcoVadis program through a period of significant business transformation has strengthened our ability to embed sustainability, human rights practices, and governance considerations into our procurement decisions," said Ralf Peters, VP Procurement at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, on behalf of the company.

Filip Orlinski, ESG Director at Caldic BV, was honored with the Outstanding Sustainability Leadership award for his role in accelerating ESG advancement across the global organization. Orlinski's leadership was instrumental in delivering Caldic's first comprehensive greenhouse gas inventory (Scopes 1–3), introducing climate and biodiversity risk assessments, and publishing an externally assured Sustainability Report. His work showcases how a strategic leader can build robust governance, enhance transparency, and translate high-level ESG goals into measurable progress at every level of the business.

"This recognition is a testament to the dedication and collaboration of our teams across all regions and to the strong partnerships we've built with suppliers and customers," stated Filip Orlinski.

Regulatory and Market Forces Driving the Shift

The successes celebrated at Sustain 2026 are not happening in a vacuum. They are a direct response to powerful regulatory and market forces that are fundamentally reshaping global commerce. The European Union's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the forthcoming Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) are creating non-negotiable legal requirements for companies to report on and manage the environmental and human rights impacts of their entire value chains. These regulations necessitate the kind of deep, data-driven supplier engagement that platforms like EcoVadis facilitate.

Simultaneously, pressure from the market is intensifying. Investors, now managing trillions of dollars in sustainable funds, are demanding verifiable ESG performance as a proxy for good governance and long-term risk management. Consumers, too, are increasingly scrutinizing the origins of their products, rewarding brands that can demonstrate a genuine commitment to ethical and sustainable practices. In this new landscape, a resilient and responsible supply chain is no longer just a competitive advantage—it is a foundational requirement for doing business.