Ontex : receives prestigious CDP ‘A’ top rating for transparency on climate action

Aalst (Belgium), December 13 2022 - Ontex (Euronext: ONTEX) has received a top 'A' rating for leadership in corporate transparency and performance on climate change from global environmental non-profit Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). Ontex improves on the scores achieved in 2021 and earlier. Based on data reported through CDP's 2022 Climate Change questionnaire, Ontex is one of a small number of companies that achieved the highest 'A' rating, out of more than 15,000 companies evaluated by CDP.

Ontex received its top climate action rating thanks to the transparency on its lean internal climate action governance, reducing carbon emissions from its operations by 40% between 2021 and 2020 and sourcing more than 90% of the electricity used in its plants worldwide - 100% in its European plants - from renewable sources.

Gustavo Calvo Paz, CEO of Ontex said: "This top rating from CDP is a great endorsement for us and our customers, who are decarbonizing supply chains to ensure long-term business success. We nearly halved our Scope 1-2 carbon emissions in one year, primarily use renewable electricity in our facilities, and have set science-based targets. We look forward to continuing our journey toward net zero emissions."

CDP's annual disclosure process is widely recognized as the gold standard of corporate environmental transparency. In 2022, over 680 investors with over US$130 trillion in assets and 280 major purchasers with US$6.4 trillion in procurement spend requested companies to disclose data on environmental impacts, risks and opportunities through CDP's platform.

Ontex's climate action efforts are part of the company's 2030 sustainability strategy, which also includes actions to improve forestry management and other measures to build consumer trust by improving transparency and sustainability in the supply chain. This year, Ontex reconfirms its positive CDP B score for sustainable forestry. Sustainable forestry is key to Ontex because forests provide the paper fluff and pulp for the company's personal care products. Ontex sources 100% of its fluff from controlled or certified sources. The company invests in a monitoring system to identify the sources of its agricultural raw materials. Monitoring sources enables Ontex to support suppliers with sustainable practices.

Note to editors

The full list of companies that made this year's CDP A List is available here: https://www.cdp.net/en/companies/companies-scores

CDP asks companies to fill out questionnaires to assess their progress towards environmental stewardship. Responding companies are assessed across consecutive levels which represent the steps a company moves through as it progresses towards environmental stewardship. The levels are No disclosure (F), Disclosure (D), Awareness (C), Management (B) and Leadership (A). The full methodology and criteria for the A List is available on CDP's website at: https://www.cdp.net/en/companies/companies-scores

For more information on Ontex' sustainability strategy and goals, go to https://ontex.com/sustainability or consult Ontex's latest annual report.