FIRMENICH RATED GOLD BY ECOVADIS FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Geneva, Switzerland, March 30, 2016 – For the second consecutive year, Firmenich has been awarded a gold rating from EcoVadis, positioning the company among the top 2% of all suppliers assessed with regards to sustainability performance.

“I am very proud that Firmenich is amongst the top 2% of all suppliers, with an EcoVadis score of 70% for our sustainability performance and supply chain transparency,” says Gilbert Ghostine, CEO Firmenich. “This recognition and top ranking are another endorsement for our vision to become a carbon neutral company.”

EcoVadis is a leading, independent platform that aims to improve environmental and social practices of companies by leveraging the influence of global supply chains. EcoVadis assessed Firmenich’s sustainability initiatives on 21 corporate social responsibility (CSR) criteria regrouped under four themes: environment, labor, fair business and sustainable procurement practices. EcoVadis analyzed Firmenich’s policies, initiatives and results following international CSR standards including the Global Reporting Initiative, United Nations Global Compact, and ISO 26000.

Particular praise was given to Firmenich for its achievements in the area of environmental protection. From 2010 to 2015, Firmenich has reported a:

• 20,000 tonne decrease in absolute Scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions;


• 12 percent decrease in energy use; and a


• 13 percent decrease in water use.


• In 2015, the company spent more than CHF 8 million on 57 environmental performance improvement projects spanning, significant investments in renewable energy and energy reduction programs.

About Firmenich

Firmenich is the world’s largest privately-owned company in the fragrance and flavor business. Founded in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1895, it has created many of the world’s best-known perfumes and flavors that billions of consumers enjoy each day. Its passion for smell and taste is at the heart of its success. It is renowned for its world-class research and creativity, as well as its thought leadership in sustainability and exceptional understanding of consumer trends. Each year, it invests 10% of its turnover in R&D, reflecting its continuous desire to understand, share and sublimate the best that nature has to offer. Firmenich had an annual turnover of 3.0 billion Swiss Francs at end June 2015.

About EcoVadis

EcoVadis is the first collaborative platform providing sustainability ratings and performance improvement tools for global supply chains. EcoVadis’ easy-to-use CSR scorecards help companies to monitor suppliers’ environmental, ethical, and social practices across 150 purchasing categories and 110 countries. Over 120 industry leaders use EcoVadis to reduce risk, drive innovation and foster transparency and trust among over 20,000 trading partners.