Symrise has received the highest ‘A’ rating in the CDP Supplier Engagement Assessment (SEA), recognising the company’s approach to sustainable supplier engagement and responsible sourcing.
The assessment places Symrise among the leading companies for supplier engagement on climate-related issues. The company said it is improving transparency across its supply chain by providing data down to raw material origin, helping customers make informed sourcing decisions.
“CDP’s top ‘A’ rating confirms our holistic approach. We combine procurement and sustainability with a clear focus on impact across our value chain,” said Dr Isabella Tonaco, Chief Sustainability Officer at Symrise. “We work closely with suppliers worldwide, embed climate criteria in sourcing decisions and create reliable transparency for our customers. This helps them better understand the carbon footprint of their products and the emissions they contain.”
Driving Supply Chain Decarbonisation
Symrise noted that a significant proportion of emissions occur within upstream supply chains. To address this, the company works closely with suppliers to improve transparency, establish shared climate targets and strengthen sustainable sourcing practices. Its initiatives include Scope 3 programmes and traceability projects designed to improve environmental, social and governance (ESG) data and support carbon reduction.
To improve emissions reporting, Symrise has developed a digital data platform in partnership with technology company CO2 AI. First presented at the UN Climate Change Conference in November 2025, the platform enables real-time emissions analysis, identifies opportunities for emissions reduction and supports lower-carbon decision-making throughout the value chain.
The company is also implementing its Low Carbon Transition Plan. Through cross-functional collaboration, Symrise identified propylene glycol as a strategic raw material that, when produced using renewable energy, can contribute to lower-carbon manufacturing processes.
In addition, the company’s ‘Essence of Carbon’ initiative supports collaboration across the value chain to develop scalable climate solutions through innovation.
“Because we actively involve our suppliers, strategy turns into measurable results in everyday operations,” said Kathy Ruhle, Senior Vice President Global Procurement at Symrise. “Together with our partners, we translate climate action step by step into concrete sourcing practices and achieve tangible progress across our supplier base. This strengthens global supply chains as well as quality and reliability. At the same time, our customers receive transparent data, lower-CO₂ options and a reliable basis for their own sustainability transformation.”
Future Plans
By 2028, Symrise aims to introduce a transformation plan for the use of sustainable raw materials and, from this year, develop a roadmap to improve their traceability. The company said its priorities include stronger supplier engagement, measurable carbon reduction pathways and the continued development of transparent, sustainable and resilient supply chains.
