Cascades Ranks Among the World's Top 100 Most Sustainable Companies

KINGSEY FALLS, QC, Jan. 21, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - Toronto-based Corporate Knights, renowned for its contribution to promoting clean capitalism, has just released its annual list of the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World, following an in-depth analysis of over 7,000 international organizations with revenues exceeding $1 billion. In keeping with tradition, the announcement was made on the sidelines of World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. Cascades is pleased to announce that it has ranked 49th among this select group of companies that are committed to best practices in the environmental, social and governance arenas. Adding to this recognition is the fact that Cascades is the only Containers and Packaging company on the list and is one of 12 Canadian businesses.

"Cascades has always been proactive in communicating its results in a transparent manner. As early as 1996, we were disclosing our environmental and social data in our annual report. With our stakeholders in mind, we have been increasing the number of ESG projects over the years, and our results have been steadily improving. We are pleased that our efforts are paying off, and that they are also earning recognition from various third parties and through acknowledgments such as the Global 100 list. We are very proud of this achievement," said Mario Plourde, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cascades. Besides winning a number of social responsibility and sustainable development awards, Cascades has consistently ranked among Corporate Knights' Best 50 Corporate Citizens in Canada since 2007.

According to Toby Heaps, CEO and co-founder of Corporate Knights, "companies that put social responsibility and sustainable development at the core of their business model and their thinking endure over time and do better than their competitors. These are the conclusions that can be drawn from the description of companies found on the Global 100 list since 2005."

Delighted with this news, Alain Lemaire, Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors and co‑founder of Cascades, said, "I am very pleased with the things we achieve every day and the positive contribution we have made to the industry over the past 55 years. We work upstream to ensure quality input materials from suppliers who share the same values as us. Our dedicated teams are continually improving our processes, and our products are developed with the aim of reducing their environmental footprint to ensure that our customers are satisfied. For us, acting and behaving responsibly is always the right thing to do."

What makes this nomination remarkable
A variety of governance elements make it possible for Cascades to stand out: diversity on its board of directors, a high percentage of clean revenues from the sale of eco-friendly products, the CEO‑to‑employee pay ratio, and the inclusion of sustainable development objectives in performance evaluation.

About Cascades
Founded in 1964, Cascades offers sustainable, innovative and value-added solutions for packaging, hygiene and recovery needs. The company employs 11,000 women and men, who work in over 90 production units in North America and Europe. With its participatory management, half a century of experience in recycling, and continuous efforts in research and development as driving forces, Cascades continues to deliver the innovative products that customers have come to rely on, while contributing to the well-being of people, communities and the entire planet. Cascades' shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol CAS.

About Corporate Knights
Corporate Knights Inc. includes the sustainable-business magazine Corporate Knights and a research division that produces rankings and financial product ratings based on corporate sustainability performance.

About the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World
The Global 100 is an annual project initiated by Corporate Knights, the company for clean capitalism. Launched in 2005, the Global 100 is announced annually on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.

SOURCE Cascades Inc.

Media:
Hugo D'Amours
Vice-President, Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainable Development
Cascades Inc.
819-363-5164
hugo_damours@cascades.com

Information:
Jennifer Aitken, MBA, Director, Investors Relations
Cascades Inc.
514 282-2697
jennifer_aitken@cascades.com