Esker, a global cloud platform and leader in AI-driven process automation solutions for finance and customer service functions, today announced that it has received two awards for its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitments. Business sustainability rating platform EcoVadis awarded Esker the Platinum Medal for achievements in corporate sustainability management, thereby placing it in the top 1% of companies evaluated across all industries. EthiFinance's Gaïa Index, a non-financial analysis and consulting agency that supports businesses in managing risks and opportunities related to sustainable development, ranked Esker among the most exemplary businesses by awarding an overall score of 76/100. These two achievements underline Esker’s continuous commitment and leadership in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance and reflect its exemplary approach to sustainable development.

CSR weaves through all of Esker’s operations and solutions

Positive-sum growth, the concept that a company’s economic development must have a beneficial impact on its entire ecosystem, society and the environment, constitutes the foundation for Esker’s long-standing commitment to social and environmental sustainability. Beyond the impact of Esker’s business operations, the company is focused on business process automation and digital transformation, which benefits the environment as much as it enhances the human capital of its customers.

“On a daily basis, we are committed to optimizing our entire organization in terms of social, environmental and governance issues,” said Jean-Michel Bérard, CEO at Esker. “Our growth strategy and position consist of bringing innovative and responsible solutions to companies and delivering a positive impact on their stakeholders and society in general.”

Continually striving to improve CSR performance

The Gaïa Index and EcoVadis awards round out this year’s CSR efforts at Esker. Along with being presented with a third-place ranking for ChooseMyCompany’s ESG ImpactIndex^®, the company has also implemented proactive measures to strengthen gender equality and inclusion in the workplace, established a shared ownership plan accessible for all employees and obtained the employee health and safety ISO 45001 certification. Esker’s relationships with its suppliers are governed by a Sustainable Procurement Policy, including a CSR questionnaire that facilitates the evaluation of suppliers, helping them develop a more engaged CSR approach.

The Platinum Medal is the highest distinction awarded by EcoVadis for efforts in environment, social, human rights and responsible purchasing. With an overall score of 74/100, Esker’s CSR performance increased by six points compared to last year and now ranks in the top 1% of evaluated companies. Among other efforts, Esker is placing a strong focus on sustainable transportation, employing a fleet of hybrid vehicles and encouraging bicycle and public transportation use for its employees. 2020 also saw Esker’s first “Green Week,” an occasion for events and special training sessions for employees focusing on ecology and energy use both at work and in private life.

EthiFinance’s Gaïa Index for ESG performance of European SMEs and SMIs rated Esker with an overall sixth-place score of 76/100. This ranking, which has been steadily increasing over the last few years, places Esker above the national benchmark average of 59/100. The company obtained this outstanding assessment by formalizing a demanding environmental policy. As proof of its commitment to transparency, Esker annually publishes the company’s greenhouse gas emission values (direct and indirect, including Scope 3). Another performance factor includes Esker’s ability to attract and retain talent, exhibiting a low employee turnover rate of 8.76% as compared to other companies active in the software field.

“It is an honor to have our efforts recognized by EcoVadis and Gaïa Research, and I would like to congratulate all Eskerians for our collective success,” concluded Bérard. “In the face of the continuing challenges of addressing climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to be a leader and a model in terms of sustainability for our employees, customers, suppliers and the planet.”

To learn more about Esker’s CSR strategy, visit www.esker.com/csr

About EcoVadis

EcoVadis is the world's most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings. Global supply chains, financial institutions and public organizations rely on EcoVadis to monitor and improve the sustainability performance of their business and trading partners. Backed by a powerful technology platform, EcoVadis’ evidence-based ratings are validated by a global team of experts, and are adapted to more than 200 industry categories, 160 countries, and companies of all sizes. Its actionable scorecards provide benchmarks, insights, and a guided improvement journey for environmental, social and ethical practices. Industry leaders such as Amazon, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oréal, Unilever, LVMH, Salesforce, Bridgestone, BASF, and ING Group are among the 85,000 businesses that collaborate with EcoVadis to drive resilience, sustainable growth and positive impact worldwide. Learn more at ecovadis.com, Twitter or LinkedIn.

About Gaïa Research

Gaia Research is a service provided by EthiFinance, a subsidiary of Qivalio. The Qivalio Group specializes in rating, research and innovative consultancy for sustainable finance and development and offers solutions for investors, companies and organizations to meet financing and environmental and societal transformation challenges. Created in 2017, Qivalio is the result of the merger between Spread Research and EthiFinance, two financial and extra-financial rating agencies founded in France in 2004. The Group’s purpose is to work towards sustainable financial and economic transformation by promoting informed and responsible decision-making.

Qivalio provides services to a portfolio of leading international clients under the brands Spread Research (independent credit research), Qivalio Ratings (financial rating agency), Qivalio Analytics (risk modelling) and EthiFinance (extra-financial rating and consulting agency).

About Esker

Esker is a global cloud platform built to unlock strategic value for finance and customer service professionals, and strengthen collaboration between companies by automating the cash conversion cycle. Esker’s solutions incorporate technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive increased productivity, enhanced visibility, reduced fraud risk, and improved collaboration with customers, suppliers and internally. Esker operates in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific with global headquarters in Lyon, France, and U.S. headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin. For more information on Esker and its solutions, visit www.esker.com. Follow Esker on LinkedIn and join the conversation on the Esker blog at blog.esker.com.

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