Fibre‑based speciality materials supplier Ahlstrom has received a platinum medal in the EcoVadis sustainability assessment after achieving an overall score of 86 out of 100.

The score represents an improvement on the company's 2024 result and places Ahlstrom among the top 1% of companies assessed by EcoVadis since October 2024.

EcoVadis' assessment evaluates sustainability management systems across four areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics and sustainable procurement. Platinum is the highest recognition level the rating body awards.

The EcoVadis ratings draw on international standards including the UN Global Compact's Ten Principles, International Labour Organization conventions, Global Reporting Initiatives standards and ISO 26000 [an international guidance standard providing frameworks and recommendations for organisations to operate in a socially responsible way], and are intended to provide evidence‑based analysis and an actionable roadmap for improvement.

Ahlstrom's Platinum rating highlights its continued focus on advancing sustainable practices across its operations and value chain.

In May 2025, the company brought into service a new parchmentiser, PMZ5, at its Saint‑Séverin plant in France, following a €15m ($17.4m) investment. The parchmentiser is used to produce durable grease and water‑resistant vegetable parchment by applying the parchmentisation process to cellulose‑based paper.

In the same year, Ahlstrom also launched LamiBak Flex, an addition to its LamiBak range of base papers. LamiBak Flex is intended for further processing such as coating, metallisation or extrusion, and offers barrier properties for food applications such as pouches, sachets and flow packs.