GB Lubricants retains Gold Status for Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability

GB Lubricants has been blending high quality oils, lubricants and greases in Gateshead, UK for over 144 years. Over that time, it has always been important to the company to act responsibly and in the best interests of its customers, employees and the public.  In 2021 they have continued to demonstrate how important this is by successfully retaining the EcoVadis Gold rating in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and sustainability. Held by the company since 2019, the certification places the UK-based lubricant manufacturer within the top five percent of all companies in its sector evaluated worldwide. 

“I am delighted that we have not only retained our Gold award, but the auditors noted our ongoing improvement in key areas,” says GB Lubricants Managing Director, Paul Booth. “CSR and sustainability forms a fundamental part of the company’s long-term strategic plan and it’s important to have this independently audited and acknowledged.”

Referring to a company’s responsibility for its impact on society, the environment and its employee’s wellbeing, CSR is becoming increasingly important within the lubricants sector. Engaging with the United Kingdom Lubricants Association (UKLA) and the Union of the European Lubricants Industry (UEIL) on fundamental issues has been crucial to making the positive changes at GB Lubricants that have contributed to retaining the EcoVadis Gold rating. 

To determine this rating, EcoVadis, the leading global provider of business sustainability ratings, assessed the performance of GB Lubricants and its supply chain in four key areas; the environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. 

Supervised by an independent scientific committee of sustainability and supply chain experts, the EcoVadis methodology is based on international sustainability standards (Global Reporting Initiative, United Nations Global Compact, ISO 26000). This guarantees a reliable, third-party analysis.

The results, published in a written report, identify strengths as well as areas for improvement using a point-based system within each of the four areas investigated. In three of these four areas (environment, labour and human rights and ethics) GB Lubricants has been awarded ‘advanced’ status for its CSR practices. Overall, the company’s sustainability performance has increased since last year.

“This reflects the evolution of policies and procedures towards best practice at GB Lubricants and is a great achievement for the whole team at Gateshead,” says Emma Lynn, Health & Safety and Business Systems Manager. Emma was responsible for submitting evidence required by EcoVadis to carry out this external validation. 

Drawing attention to the company’s commitment to its staff through improving health and safety, working conditions and career management, as well as tackling issues such as discrimination, the most significant improvement was recorded in the labour and human rights results. GB Lubricants also performed particularly well in regards to its environmental practices. 

“This includes energy consumption during manufacturing, chemical use, water use, energy efficiencies related to product use and end of life issues such as recycling,” says Emma, who is already implementing an action plan to hit targets that have been set for next year’s EcoVadis assessment.

“Policies and procedures form part of our Integrated Management System (incorporating Quality, Health & Safety, Environment and Energy to ISO accreditation) which is an integral part of our day-to-day operations,” says Emma. “Continuing our improvement activities will ensure further commitment to the Ecovadis principles. I am proud to be leading GB Lubricants on their sustainability journey.”