GB Lubricants Achieves Elite EcoVadis Platinum Award for Sustainability

Gateshead-based GB Lubricants’ mission to be recognised as a global industry leader for sustainability and minimising environmental impact has received a massive boost.

The company, which has been blending high quality oils, lubricants and greases since 1877, has achieved the highest possible EcoVadis Platinum rating in Sustainability and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).

Having achieved a gold rating since 2019, GB Lubricants now joins the elite top one per cent of companies that are evaluated from the industry worldwide.

EcoVadis independently audited GB Lubricants on the company’s business practices. These included environmental, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement assessments. GB Lubricants scored an impressive 81% overall, against an industry average of 50%.

Aiming to achieve net zero carbon manufacturing by 2030, the company’s long-term mission is to be as sustainable as possible in its purchasing of raw materials, manufacture of products and delivery of finished goods.

A series of projects implemented during 2023 contributed to GB Lubricants achieving the Platinum award. They include minimising waste, capital investment into new production facilities and infrastructure, as well as becoming the first private company to connect to green solar generated electricity and mine water heat provided by an award-winning Gateshead District Energy Scheme. This green electricity and heat are used throughout the production and administration process at their Gateshead, UK site.

In preparation to connect to the green energy, GB Lubricants had to make major investment in groundworks, large scale pipework, electrical infrastructure and, monitoring systems to ensure that the company utilises the electricity and heat in the most efficient way.

By signing up for 20 years, the company is demonstrating its commitment to sustainable electricity and heat to power the business in the future.

GB Lubricants’ Managing Director Paul Booth explained “For the company to achieve the highest award possible is certainly a highlight of my career to date. I could not be prouder of the team in working together to achieve this and it’s the culmination of incremental improvements in many areas of our business activities.” 

“A result like this doesn’t happen overnight and sustainability has been an integral part of our long-term strategic plan ever since I arrived in 2016. Our aim is to be at the forefront of low carbon, sustainable manufacturing for lubricants worldwide. The Platinum award further cements our position as the supply partner of choice for customers and potential customers wishing to improve the sustainability of their own supply chain.”

There is a strong emphasis on continuous improvement, so our targets get higher each year. The success in achieving the EcoVadis Platinum award is the culmination of cross departmental teamwork and incremental improvements in many areas of our business activities.” 

Richard Knowles, Health & Safety and Business Systems Manager, added: “Using such a globally respected auditor as EcoVadis, with its rigorous approach to continuous improvement, has really helped drive our sustainability strategy forwards.”

“We focused heavily on environmental and social values in 2023 and I’m delighted to see our scores for both of these areas rise significantly in reflection of this.”

“It’s has been a real team effort and personally it is pleasing to work for a company that is making tangible strides forward with respect to long term sustainable goals.  It is great the business has been recognised in this way. We are already planning further improvements for 2024 and beyond.”

GB Lubricants’ success over its long history has been built on a solid foundation of quality manufacturing processes, continual product innovation and excellent customer service.

The company’s long-term goal is to reduce its carbon footprint and improve the sustainability of all its operations and across its supply chain. This flows from raw material supply, production through to transportation and customer service, all underpinned by the EcoVadis rating.

Paul’s mission is to help ensure a positive, prosperous, and sustainable future for the company, its workforce and the local community, but also, it’s wider global network of both suppliers and customers. He continues,

“We have a responsibility not only to our local community, but to our environment as well as securing a sound future for the business and our diverse customer base across the globe,” he said. “Our customers rely on us for oil and lubrication products that ultimately help improve the efficiencies of a wide variety of vehicles, equipment and specialist machines.

“We all have a part to play. Businesses need to be flexible and forward-thinking when discussing aspects of sustainability and future strategy.”

GB Lubricants’ products, which are used in many industries, reduce friction, control heat and minimise wear, thereby helping to lower emissions, improve fuel efficiencies, increase reliability and reduce downtime of engines and mechanical equipment.”

GB Lubricants operates to numerous ISO standards, including 14001 (Environmental Management) and 50001 (Energy Management). The company identified the need to be externally audited and certified for sustainability in 2016 to benchmark its performance and help set strategy.

As a United Kingdom Lubricants Association (UKLA) Board member Paul believes the transition from traditional hydrocarbon fuelled internal combustion engines to alternative forms of drive presents the sector with an opportunity to spearhead sustainable solutions as new technologies emerge.

“The importance of forward-thinking research and development to incorporate the most sustainable formulations, which can crucially achieve full OEM approvals, is key for the lubricants sector in the next 10 years,” he said.

“We are already seeing signs of this coming through. However, there is a need for continued investment to accelerate these approvals and ensure more sustainable technology available to the market.”

With sales of the GB Lubricants’ biodegradable products having grown for each of the last six years, the company is proud to support customers, particularly in the plant and off-highway sector where end users work in sensitive areas and near water courses.

“The sophistication of the formulations we are manufacturing to match the increasingly higher levels of performance demanded by our customers is a major trend and it has been rewarding to be successful in achieving this,” concluded Paul.