STG’s Journey to EcoVadis Bronze

At STG Aerospace, sustainability is more than a buzzword. It's a commitment we have made to responsible business practices and an area we aim to continuously improve upon.

We are proud to share that we have achieved the EcoVadis Bronze sustainability medal, a significant milestone in our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) journey. This accomplishment puts STG among the top 35% of more than 130,000 businesses rated by EcoVadis across the globe and reflects the work we have done to formalise all processes within the business, and confirms that we are meeting rigorous standards. It is important for us to do our part to support the Aerospace Industry commitment to NetZero by 2050.

We recently spoke to our Head of Technical, Compliance & Quality, Simon Taylor, about the process of achieving EcoVadis Bronze and future goals.
 

How did the process begin?

The driving force behind aiming for the EcoVadis Bronze Medal was the International Aerospace Environment Group (IAEG), which has a sustainability program that flows down to companies like STG. Some of the major players in aerospace, like Airbus, Rolls Royce, and Leonardo, have aligned with this initiative and are starting to make EcoVadis assessments a requirement. For us, it’s about doing our bit for the planet and remaining competitive in the market.

This year has been a milestone year for eco innovations with the launch of our saf-Tglo® eco E1™ product, the world’s first sustainable emergency floor path marking system. We also rolled out sustainable packaging for all floor path marking products, so sustainability has been a key focus for the business in 2024.

 

What steps did STG Aerospace take to achieve the Bronze Medal?

We did our homework on what was needed and were reassured that we didn’t need to change much about how we operate. The focus was on properly documenting processes that we already carried out daily, so they were officially recorded. For example, we enhanced how we report on environmental performance and aligned our documentation with STG Aerospace branding to make everything more cohesive. Having these documents has helped us to share our performance with stakeholders, including employees.

In terms of scoring for the rating, a significant boost came from our ISO 14001 certification, the recognised global environmental standard, which had already laid the groundwork for strong environmental policies and procedures. But EcoVadis takes things a step further, pushing us to consider additional factors like labour practices and sustainable procurement. A benefit of going through the process has highlighted areas we can improve on, and it keeps us accountable too.

 

Were there any particular challenges along the way?

 For a manufacturing company like STG, finer details of processes can be challenging because we deal with unique complexities compared to service-based businesses. The main challenge wasn’t necessarily the practices themselves, but how we communicate and organise them. We were already doing the right things, but EcoVadis requires you to package and present this information in a specific way. For example, we needed to link internal policies to measurable outcomes and create a more cohesive narrative about what we’re doing as a company.

One area where we need to continue improving is our reporting. While we’ve implemented many effective practices internally, we haven’t consistently communicated them externally or internally in a structured way. That will be one of our key focus areas moving forward.

 

What are STG’s future plans?

Now that we’ve achieved Bronze, the goal is to aim higher. During our 2025 strategy review, we’ll be aiming for a Silver Medal. We already have most of the pieces in place, so it’s about refining our policies and enhancing our reporting to meet the next level of requirements.

For example, Labour and Human Rights is a key area where we can make significant gains in terms of how we document and report our approach, so this will be a focus in our 2025 ESG strategy. We’ll be looking at how to raise the bar in these areas. Keep an eye on our social media channels for updates on our sustainability journey.