Asahi Photoproducts Wins EcoVadis Silver Medal in First Sustainability Assessment

Asahi Photoproducts has been awarded an EcoVadis Silver Medal following its first participation in the global sustainability assessment program. The recognition applies to the company’s flexographic plate manufacturing operation in Japan and reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen environmental performance, responsible manufacturing practices, and sustainability governance throughout the organization.

The Silver Medal is a meaningful result for a first-time entrant. EcoVadis evaluates companies across four major categories: environmental performance, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. To place among Silver Medal recipients on a first attempt is a strong signal that the underlying sustainability management systems are already mature.

What the Silver Medal reflects

EcoVadis is widely used by procurement teams, brand owners, and supply chain managers to benchmark the sustainability performance of suppliers. A Silver Medal places Asahi Photoproducts in a recognized tier of organizations that have demonstrated strong sustainability management systems and measurable progress in responsible business practices.

For the flexographic printing industry, where converters and brand owners are under increasing pressure to reduce waste and lower environmental impact, the achievement is more than a corporate badge. It is a signal to customers that Asahi’s manufacturing operation is being held to the same sustainability standards they are being asked to meet.

“Achieving an EcoVadis Silver Medal in our first participation is an important milestone for our organization,” said Masaki Matsumoto, Managing Director of Asahi Photoproducts. “It reflects the strong efforts of our teams to further strengthen responsible manufacturing practices across our operations and supports our long-term vision of Leading the Way to Solvent ZERO.”

The company emphasized that the award represents a step in an ongoing process of continuous improvement, not a final destination.

Why this matters for flexo

Sustainability has become a central theme across the flexographic printing industry. Converters, brand owners, and packaging producers are all looking for technologies that reduce waste, lower environmental impact, and support evolving regulatory requirements. The conversation has moved well beyond a single environmental metric. It now spans carbon footprint, water usage, chemical management, and end-of-life recyclability.

Asahi Photoproducts has been a long-time advocate for water-wash flexographic platemaking technologies and solvent reduction initiatives. The company’s product portfolio is built around the premise that flexo plate production can move away from the volatile organic compounds that have historically defined the process. The Solvent ZERO vision, articulated years ago, has been the strategic frame for that work.

By earning a Silver Medal in its first EcoVadis assessment, Asahi is giving that vision a third-party validation. For converters evaluating plate suppliers, the result is a data point they can use in their own sustainability reporting.

What comes next

The company has signaled that the EcoVadis Silver Medal is a starting point. Plans include expanding sustainability programs, participating in future EcoVadis assessments to track progress over time, and continuing to advance technologies that support more efficient and environmentally responsible flexographic printing operations.

For the broader flexo industry, the Asahi result is a useful reminder that sustainability performance is increasingly a competitive differentiator. Plate makers, ink suppliers, press manufacturers, and converters are all being asked the same question by their customers: how do you measure, manage, and reduce your environmental footprint? Companies that can answer that question with third-party data are in a stronger position than those that cannot.

Asahi Photoproducts’ first EcoVadis Silver Medal is a credible first step. The next assessment will tell the story of how far the company can go from here.