Sherwin-Williams

Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the Sherwin-Williams Company manufactures, distributes and sells paints and coatings. The company’s products are sold to professional, industrial and commercial customers, but also directly to retail customers primarily in North and South America. Sherwin-Williams has additional operations in the Caribbean region, Europe, and Asia.

Total score

15 / 48

Grade summary

Sherwin-Williams uses and markets 18 SIN List substances (including one persistent chemical), six of which are officially recognised as chemicals of high concern by the EU. The company has a method in place to screen and assess the…

Product Portfolio

4 / 18

Sherwin-Williams uses and markets 18 SIN List substances, six of which are included on the REACH Candidate List and two of which are also found on the REACH Authorisation List. The company produces one persistent chemical. Persistent chemicals are particularly problematic since they do not break down, instead they accumulate in humans and/or the environment. Because of this, persistent chemicals should be of extra concern for investors. Substances which are not considered a problem today could become huge liabilities in the future.

Development of Safer Chemicals

7 / 12

Sherwin-Williams has a method in place to screen and assess the sustainability of its products and includes intrinsic hazards of ingredients in the screening process. The company does not exclude substances with toxic properties from new products or follow the principles of green chemistry. It does, however, make use of the GreenScreen assessment tool and actively markets safer alternatives.

Management & Transparency

4 / 12

The American company shares chemical safety information on its website but does not have a phase-out strategy for hazardous substances. Sherwin-Williams is not a member of Responsible Care, or similar initiatives, but follows voluntary standards such as a Code of Conduct and a Supplier Code of Conduct.