Yorkshire firm Sewtec rated among the best in the world

The Dewsbury and Wakefield-based automation engineering company was awarded a gold corporate social responsibility (CSR) rating by global independent assessment agency EcoVadis.

Other businesses in EcoVadis’ top band include car manufacturer Renault-Nissan, electronics company Epson and digital transformation group Atos.

In 2019, EcoVadis analysed the sustainability performance of 55,000 companies in 155 countries across the global supply chain. The assessment covered four themes of environment, ethics, sustainable procurement and labour and human rights.

Sewtec achieved the highest possible award due to its focus on energy-efficient manufacturing processes, design of environmentally friendly automation systems and creation of highly skilled jobs. The company was awarded a silver rating in its first assessment last year.

Sewtec business support director, Mark Atkins, said: “Sewtec is a major exporter, with 85 per cent of our sales coming from 17 markets outside the UK. This internationally recognised rating gives our customers assurance that we are a sustainable supplier across all areas. We continue to implement our CSR strategy to further enhance our reputation with customers and, ultimately, gain competitive advantage.”

Last year, the company stated its intention to double turnover to £32m by 2022. Following the announcement of a record £25m order book in August 2018, the company is well-placed to achieve that objective.

Sewtec’s headcount is 127 andit plans to create an additional 60 jobs in the region within the next three year