DELAWARE, Ohio (News release) -- Greif, Inc. announced it earned two prestigious recognitions in December 2019 for its continued corporate social responsibility efforts.

In its December 23, 2019 rating, MSCI recognized Greif with an "A" rating in sustainability performance. The "A" rating reflects Greif's concerted efforts towards reducing the Company's environmental impact and advancing responsible business practices.

MSCI ESG Research provides ratings to measure a company's resilience to long-term environmental, social and governance risks. Companies are scored on an industry-relative AAA-CCC scale across the most relevant key issues based on a company's business model. This most recent "A" rating is Greif's best score to date and represents an improvement over the "BBB" score received in 2018.

In addition, in December Newsweek recognized Greif on its premiere list of America's Most Responsible Companies 2020. The list of 300 companies was compiled from a detailed analysis of more than 2,000 public companies, honoring businesses that give back to the communities in which they operate and excel in corporate social responsibility and citizenship efforts.

These latest recognitions build upon the Gold Rating Greif received from EcoVadis for sustainability leadership in August 2019. That EcoVadis rating placed Greif in the top four percent of all companies evaluated by the firm.

"We are proud that Greif was again recognized for our leadership in corporate social responsibility," said Pete Watson, Greif's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Our global team is focused on being a leader in sustainable business performance and we appreciate that our progress is being recognized by respected outside organizations."

Greif reports its corporate responsibility efforts and progress in accordance with the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards and fulfills UN Global Compact requirements. Greif's sustainability achievements can be seen in its annual Sustainability Report.