Crowley partners with EcoVadis to assess ESG impacts throughout its value chain

Image: Crowley

Crowley has become the first U.S.-based company in maritime and logistics to partner with international business sustainability ratings provider EcoVadis to assess its value chain for its suppliers’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) impacts.

Using EcoVadis’s technology capabilities, Crowley and its supplier-contractor base will be able to receive assessments of their current sustainability levels along with strategic guidance on how to set, improve and reach ESG goals.

Crowley has committed to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 through a science-based approach. It and detailed its strategy, and established a transparent reference point to measure progress toward its ESG goals in its inaugural sustainability report in June.

Crowley’s priorities include: adopting low- to zero-carbon fuels and supporting new energy development, increasing talent diversity, growth and retention, and supporting people and communities. The partnership with EcoVadis follows Crowley’s successful use of Salesforce’s Net Zero Cloud technology, with PwC, to measure and analyze emissions across its full value chain.

As part of its sustainability commitment, Crowley has elevated its commitments to diversity and equity in business through targets for 2030 to ensure 37% of suppliers are diverse and 27% of purchases come from small businesses.

“EcoVadis is the leading authority for assessing and improving sustainability in the value chain, and Crowley is excited to start using the platform to achieve our shared ambition for a cleaner, more sustainable planet using verified assessments,” said Crowley’s Jean Matthews, vice president, procurement. “By fostering more responsible business practices, together we can help our customers, contractors, vendors and our people in each of our communities have a better tomorrow.”

With EcoVadis’ capabilities, Crowley will be able to identify both high-performing and early adopters of ESG and bring more visibility to the sustainability results of its suppliers to help guide procurement choices. EcoVadis uses indicators across 21 sustainable criteria based on four themes: environment, labor and human risks, ethics, and sustainable procurement.

EcoVadis follows international sustainability standards such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

“Crowley has taken an essential step by including the value chain in their sustainability commitments,” said David McClintock, marketing director at EcoVadis. “We look forward to supporting the rollout and expansion of their sustainable procurement program to engage their supply base in realizing these goals.”