This is the first time Sonoco has been named a Sector Leader, a distinction awarded to the company with its sector's highest sustainability score. SAM is an investment boutique focused exclusively on sustainability investing that annually invites the world's largest 2,500 companies, as reflected in the Dow Jones Global Total Stock Market Index, to participate in its Corporate Sustainability Assessment.
"We are extremely pleased to be named the packaging industry's sustainability leader because it recognizes our commitment to setting the standard for sustainability in our industry and to providing recycling services and innovative waste reduction programs to many of the largest consumer brands in the world," said Harris E. DeLoach Jr., Sonoco's chairman and CEO.
SAM assessed 10 packaging and container companies using economic, environmental, and social criteria. The economic criteria included corporate governance, customer relationship management, risk and crisis management, and codes of conduct. SAM's environmental assessment examined the companies' product stewardship, environmental reporting, environment policy/management system, and climate strategy. Social dimension criteria focused on talent attraction and retention, human capital development, stakeholder engagement, and standards for suppliers.
The company with the highest score in each sector is named the SAM Sector Leader. SAM considers a Sector Leader the company in its industry that is best prepared to seize the opportunities and effectively manage the risks associated with economic, environmental and social developments. SAM Sector Leaders also receive SAM Gold Class status for that year.
The SAM Sector Mover award is given to the company in a sector that has achieved the largest proportional improvement in its sustainability performance compared with the previous year. Sonoco was named a SAM Sector Mover in 2010 and again in 2012.
TAPPI
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