According to 2025 ESG rating results released by Morningstar Sustainalytics, a prominent ESG rating firm, COFCO International (CIL) has ranked first ahead of all its global peers in the international agricultural trading sector for a fifth consecutive year.

The Sustainalytics report lowers CIL's ESG Risk Rating against 2024, recognizing the company's stronger capabilities in managing material ESG issues. The report recognizes CIL's efforts in aligning its annual sustainability reports with the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). The company is able to manage potential ESG risks across its supply chain through supplier policies, including a binding Supplier Code of Conduct and commodity-specific sourcing policies, as well as a human rights policy.

The assessment, which employs a two-dimensional approach based on "ESG Risk Exposure" and "ESG Risk Management," evaluates CIL's management of 12 Material ESG Issues, including Land Use and Biodiversity, Water Use, Labor Rights, Carbon in Operations, Community Relations, and Stakeholder Governance, by taking 1,800+ data points into consideration. The Sustainalytics ESG Risk Ratings are 　widely recognized by global investors, banks, and insurance companies.

In recent years, CIL has been an active advocate for green and low-carbon transformation of global food supply chains. In 2024, 87% of CIL’s energy needs were met by renewable sources, and carbon intensity of soy and corn supply chains was reduced by 9% and 14% respectively (vs 2021 baseline), moving steady towards the reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

CIL has also achieved notable progress in working with farmers to increase uptake of the COFCO International Responsible Agriculture Standard and other sustainability certification schemes. The results of these efforts are evident, with a　14% year-on-year increase in all certified sustainable commodities in 2024.