Brambles, the leading supply-chain logistics company operating in more than 60 countries primarily through the CHEP and IFCO brands, has been ranked the top performing company by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) in the global Commercial Services and Supplies industry category for 2017. Brambles’ solutions and sustainable business model are based on the provision of approximately 590 million reusable pallets, crates and containers for shared use by multiple participants throughout the global supply chain.

Representing the ’gold standard‘ for corporate sustainability, the DJSI is the first global index to track leading sustainability-driven companies based on RobecoSAM’s analysis of financially material Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors and S&P Dow Jones Indices’ robust index methodology. The DJSI assessed 2,400 of the largest companies in the S&P Global Broad Market Index to find the (top 10%) most sustainable in each industry. Brambles was ranked second in its category in 2016.  In 2017, Brambles increased performance in key areas such as Customer Relationship Management, Environmental and Social Reporting, Corporate Governance and Code of Conduct.

Brambles CEO, Graham Chipchase, said: “We are extremely proud of this recognition. Brambles’ approach to sustainability is core to the long-term value we create for all our stakeholders. Through the successful combination of our circular, “share and reuse” business model, our global scale and supply-chain expertise, we are able to reduce operating costs and demand for natural resources, both in our own company and across the world’s supply chains.”

Key milestones for Brambles’ sustainability efforts in the 2017 financial year included:

• Saving more than 2.5 million tonnes of CO2, 1.4 million tonnes of waste and 1.6 million trees through its share and reuse circular business model;
• Obtaining 99.1% of its timber from certified sources globally, bringing Brambles closer to its 2020 target of 100%;
• Using Brambles’ human capital and supply-chain expertise to benefit more than 100 food banks worldwide; and
• Continuing to have a significant impact in global supply chains, through collaboration projects with more than 200 customers, helping them to reduce costs and deliver on their own sustainability commitments.

RobecoSAM’s annual Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA) measured the eligible companies based on a consistent, rules-based methodology to convert an average of 600 data points per company into one overall score. 

Manjit Jus, Head of Sustainability Application & Operations at RobecoSAM said: “Being a pioneer and thought leader in Sustainability Investing for over 20 years, we understand the right questions to ask in our CSA in terms of financially material sustainability aspects within the corporate world. This is what firms appreciate about the CSA. It brings them a big step ahead in terms of Corporate Sustainability and with this – a big step ahead of their competitors – getting a coveted spot in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index makes sure they continue to play in the premier league of companies.”

Brambles’ approach to sustainability has helped to establish the company as a supply-chain sustainability leader, recognised not only by customers, employees and investors, but also by the principal global sustainability and corporate social responsibility frameworks such as the United Nations Global Compact.

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