This document provides guidance on how to assess the sustainability of products and the companies that make them. It explains that sustainability is complex and cannot be determined by a single green label or product attribute. The guide covers understanding a product's life cycle and environmental performance, common categories of environmental impact assessed in life cycle assessments (LCAs), how to interpret LCA results and profiles, examples of LCAs for different product types like carpets, and why embodied energy is important to consider. It also identifies common misleading "green" marketing claims and provides a glossary of terms associated with greenwashing.
SYNOPEX Inc. Brochure
The global company, SYNOPEX that pursues green growth, is the eco-friendly company focusing
on the Water business and IT business. We make and provide Advanced membrane
system, High-performance filter, Environment-friendly packing materials and Mobile components
to prominent domestic · overseas enterprises. SYNOPEX aims to be the best company
that realizes innovative technological integration through synergy effects between organizations
with core technologies of different fields.
We have developed eco-friendly packing materials, high-performance Nano-filter for advanced IT
and various industries and supplied them to the major domestic · overseas companies, expanding
the core mobile components business including touch screen, Key-PBA since we succeeded in
manufacturing the first domestic touch screen for mobile in 2007. Especially, we have successfully
localized Nano-composite separator membrane which is the core technology of Water business and
we are growing into the leading company that has enough ability to cope with the future Water stress
based on the accumulated know-how for material / design / construction / operation related to water
business. We, SYNOPEX is doing our best to make and provide the products with a competitive cost
and promise to contribute to improve the quality and cost reduction with the best quality and service.
The document discusses environmental sustainability and how it relates to production printing. It defines sustainability and outlines some strategies companies can take, such as finding partners with a history of sustainable practices like recycling and reducing waste and emissions. It provides a checklist for evaluating technology vendors on their sustainability and highlights how Océ, as an example vendor, meets many of the criteria through its long-standing commitments to environmental stewardship, recycling, reducing energy and paper usage, and complying with various sustainability regulations and standards.
The document compares and contrasts green building design principles with cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) requirements for pharmaceutical buildings. Some key differences include green buildings prioritizing energy efficiency and minimizing environmental impact, while cGMP focuses on ensuring product quality and purity through strict cleanliness standards, material traceability, specific HVAC and utility requirements. Both aim for high quality and reliability, but cGMP regulations take precedence in pharmaceutical facilities and add significantly to costs. Administrative and engineering practices must also account for longer FDA approval timelines under cGMP.
Green Chemicals & Materials – Unravelling The Myths And Creating Opportun...stevelmy
This document summarizes a panel discussion on green chemicals and materials. The panel discusses key industry trends, green sourcing and processes, legislation, and case studies. Some of the topics covered include defining "green", trends in biobased sourcing and their impact on the chemicals industry, how the chemical industry has reduced its energy usage and emissions over time, and opportunities in bioplastics, biolubricants and other renewable chemical markets. The document provides forecasts for the European PLA market and concludes that green initiatives must be self-funding and sustainable to be effective.
Environmental Compliance, Risk and Product StewardshipIHS
Join regulatory expert representatives of the industry-recognized EIATRACK service on this one-hour briefing where speakers will share best practices in product stewardship as well as provide an update on key legal developments expected in 2011.
Original event date: 3-30-11
This document summarizes Enviro-Vation Solutions' research on alternative medical waste technologies. It aims to 1) locate innovative medical waste technologies, 2) determine their effect on competitive advantage, and 3) recommend a market penetration strategy. It outlines industry trends in healthcare, comparable technologies, a positioning matrix, a blue ocean strategy concept, and funding opportunities including SBIR, STTR, EPA, NSF, and NIH grants. The overall goal is to find a sustainable technology to provide a competitive edge in the medical waste industry.
Biopark Terneuzen in the Netherlands promotes sustainability by facilitating synergistic partnerships between local businesses. It helps companies maximize the potential of by-products and waste by converting them into feedstock, energy, or utilities for other production processes through its "Smart Link" program. This industrial symbiosis reduces costs and environmental impacts while improving profits for participating businesses.
SYNOPEX Inc. Brochure
The global company, SYNOPEX that pursues green growth, is the eco-friendly company focusing
on the Water business and IT business. We make and provide Advanced membrane
system, High-performance filter, Environment-friendly packing materials and Mobile components
to prominent domestic · overseas enterprises. SYNOPEX aims to be the best company
that realizes innovative technological integration through synergy effects between organizations
with core technologies of different fields.
We have developed eco-friendly packing materials, high-performance Nano-filter for advanced IT
and various industries and supplied them to the major domestic · overseas companies, expanding
the core mobile components business including touch screen, Key-PBA since we succeeded in
manufacturing the first domestic touch screen for mobile in 2007. Especially, we have successfully
localized Nano-composite separator membrane which is the core technology of Water business and
we are growing into the leading company that has enough ability to cope with the future Water stress
based on the accumulated know-how for material / design / construction / operation related to water
business. We, SYNOPEX is doing our best to make and provide the products with a competitive cost
and promise to contribute to improve the quality and cost reduction with the best quality and service.
The document discusses environmental sustainability and how it relates to production printing. It defines sustainability and outlines some strategies companies can take, such as finding partners with a history of sustainable practices like recycling and reducing waste and emissions. It provides a checklist for evaluating technology vendors on their sustainability and highlights how Océ, as an example vendor, meets many of the criteria through its long-standing commitments to environmental stewardship, recycling, reducing energy and paper usage, and complying with various sustainability regulations and standards.
The document compares and contrasts green building design principles with cGMP (current Good Manufacturing Practices) requirements for pharmaceutical buildings. Some key differences include green buildings prioritizing energy efficiency and minimizing environmental impact, while cGMP focuses on ensuring product quality and purity through strict cleanliness standards, material traceability, specific HVAC and utility requirements. Both aim for high quality and reliability, but cGMP regulations take precedence in pharmaceutical facilities and add significantly to costs. Administrative and engineering practices must also account for longer FDA approval timelines under cGMP.
Green Chemicals & Materials – Unravelling The Myths And Creating Opportun...stevelmy
This document summarizes a panel discussion on green chemicals and materials. The panel discusses key industry trends, green sourcing and processes, legislation, and case studies. Some of the topics covered include defining "green", trends in biobased sourcing and their impact on the chemicals industry, how the chemical industry has reduced its energy usage and emissions over time, and opportunities in bioplastics, biolubricants and other renewable chemical markets. The document provides forecasts for the European PLA market and concludes that green initiatives must be self-funding and sustainable to be effective.
Environmental Compliance, Risk and Product StewardshipIHS
Join regulatory expert representatives of the industry-recognized EIATRACK service on this one-hour briefing where speakers will share best practices in product stewardship as well as provide an update on key legal developments expected in 2011.
Original event date: 3-30-11
This document summarizes Enviro-Vation Solutions' research on alternative medical waste technologies. It aims to 1) locate innovative medical waste technologies, 2) determine their effect on competitive advantage, and 3) recommend a market penetration strategy. It outlines industry trends in healthcare, comparable technologies, a positioning matrix, a blue ocean strategy concept, and funding opportunities including SBIR, STTR, EPA, NSF, and NIH grants. The overall goal is to find a sustainable technology to provide a competitive edge in the medical waste industry.
Biopark Terneuzen in the Netherlands promotes sustainability by facilitating synergistic partnerships between local businesses. It helps companies maximize the potential of by-products and waste by converting them into feedstock, energy, or utilities for other production processes through its "Smart Link" program. This industrial symbiosis reduces costs and environmental impacts while improving profits for participating businesses.
Best Practices in Integrating Sustainability into the Product Design Process ...Sustainable Brands
In most cases, the ultimate sustainability of a brand, and therefore its flexibility to adopt a chosen market positioning and support communicated claims, is baked in during the design process. The reality is, doing so effectively requires a raft of new expertise that often is housed in various places external to the design team. This session reviews tried and tested methods for building sustainable design thinking into your organization.
This document discusses sustainable innovation at Interface, a flooring manufacturer. It provides three key points:
1. Interface uses life cycle assessments to understand their products' biggest environmental impacts and focus innovation efforts in critical areas. For example, reducing nylon yarn usage in carpet tiles.
2. They embrace "successful failure" by allowing experimentation, even if some ideas don't work. This led to innovations like TacTiles, a glue-free carpet tile installation method.
3. Interface is open to external input, seeing partnerships and an innovation network as ways to access new ideas. This contributed to the development of Zelfo, a sustainable alternative to hard flooring materials.
Benefits of Integrating Traceability - Macola - Nick Mears - Columbus OhioNick Mears
This document discusses the benefits of integrating traceability systems in manufacturing. It defines traceability as the ability to track the lifecycle of a product from raw materials to finished goods. Integrating traceability allows companies to know where their products are at all times. This is important for recalls and ensures compliance. The document also discusses how mobile access has improved traceability by providing anytime, anywhere visibility of data.
The document discusses integrating PTC Windchill with Cadence PCB design data to create a single source of truth for electronic product creation. This would consolidate disconnected data sources, decrease time to market, and improve quality and compliance by centralizing ECAD libraries, automating data storage and retrieval, and enabling traceability at the component level. The integration would provide benefits such as a centralized library and product configuration database, integration of component compliance and lifecycle information, and an automated new part introduction process.
Mars orbiter mission (Mangalyaan)The govt. of INDIAArchit Jindal
All details of the Mars orbiter mission of India. Also the details about ISRO who is carrying out this mission. Also Mp4 video of launch of PSLV-XL which was the launch vehicle for the spacecraft. I hope this presentation is useful for you.The video will work.
A supply chain is the network of organizations involved in producing and delivering a product, from raw materials to the end customer. It includes upstream suppliers, internal production and packaging, and downstream distribution centers and retailers. Effective supply chain management coordinates activities across this network to optimize material, information and financial flows. Key goals are reducing costs and uncertainties while improving customer service. Modern supply chains leverage information technology to facilitate coordination and information sharing among partners.
The purpose of the Organisational Sustainability slide show is to present a way organisations, both private and public sector, can :
a) Improve theirs and others sustainability, and in doing so also
b) Show how their progress can be measured in economic, community, and environmental terms .
SB'12 - Jeff Mendelsohn, Adam Mott - The North Face, Daniel Krohn - Becker Un...Sustainable Brands
A global revolution is in full swing, and the Sustainable Brands Conference is where sustainability, brand and innovation leaders gather to learn, share and strategize to shape the future. SB'12 was the largest gathering to date, a kinetic convergence of innovators from more than 150 companies from around the world finding new ways to create monumental disruption in traditional models of commerce and consumption.
Sustainability and Footprint are words heard frequently in boardroom discussions. How can organizations get immediate value using tools and technologies that can add real value to business processes, reduce costs generally, whilst delivering a range of environmentally friendly solutions, compliance with sustainability, and compelling value for the Brand? Read this presentation for the latest information.
This document discusses sustainability practices across the consumer durables industry. It covers the environmental impacts of producing, using, and disposing of consumer goods. It describes the risks at different stages of production like raw material extraction, material use, processing, and transportation. It also discusses regulations and sourcing standards, sustainability scorecards, the role of technology, and specific practices by companies. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of more sustainable production and consumption patterns to optimize resource use as called for in EU policy.
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) was coined by the International organization for Standardization (ISO) in order to ensure the concern of different companies on the sustainable development of various products and brands within their business. waey.qa helps our clients to successfully navigate development projects with efficiency bound to sustainability.
This document discusses green and sustainable manufacturing and eco-innovation. It begins with an introduction to green manufacturing and its relationship to sustainable manufacturing and eco-innovation. It then discusses the drivers and barriers of green manufacturing, as well as green supply chain management. The document also covers the impact of green and sustainable manufacturing on the environment, economy, and society. It provides examples of case studies implementing green and sustainable manufacturing practices. Overall, the document analyzes how green and sustainable manufacturing techniques and eco-innovation can positively influence environmental, economic, and social prospects.
This document discusses green and sustainable manufacturing and eco-innovation. It begins with an introduction to green manufacturing and its relationship to sustainable manufacturing and eco-innovation. It then discusses the drivers and barriers of green manufacturing, as well as green supply chain management. The document also covers the types and impacts of eco-innovation, and provides examples of case studies on implementing green and sustainable manufacturing practices. Overall, the document analyzes how green manufacturing, sustainable practices, and eco-innovation can positively impact the environment, economy and society.
This document discusses environmental cost management and accounting. It covers four key learning objectives: 1) the importance of measuring environmental costs, 2) how environmental costs are assigned to products and processes, 3) the life-cycle cost assessment model, and 4) comparing activity-based and strategic-based environmental control. Environmental costs are significant and tracking them provides information on profitability and cost categories. Costs can be assigned to products using activity-based or functional-based costing. The life-cycle assessment model identifies environmental impacts at each stage of a product's life. Graphs and charts are effective ways to examine environmental activities and their effects over time.
How life cycle assessment can align your starsRamon Arratia
This article describes the power of embracing LCA as the core sustainability tool. Many companies are starting to shift from corporate sustainability to product sustainability. Most of the impacts of companies are outside their own boundaries, either in the supply chain or customers.
Embracing LCA helps gives sense to supply chain management, innovation, marketing and sales, aligning all the organization on what most matters: the bigger impacts of your products.
This document provides an overview of Becker Underwood, a privately-held multinational agricultural company. It discusses the company's geographic footprint, organizational structure, and approach to sustainable development. Key findings from an environmental profit and loss account study include that only 13% of total greenhouse gases analyzed are directly associated with Becker Underwood's operations, and that the top 10 suppliers contribute 47% of total water footprint. The study also identifies suppliers and sectors that are carbon intensive relative to benchmarks.
Ecolab had a very successful 1999 financial year:
1) Sales increased 10% to a record $2.1 billion, the first time exceeding $2 billion.
2) Income from continuing operations rose 14% to $176 million and diluted earnings per share also increased 14% to $1.31, the seventh consecutive year of double-digit earnings growth.
3) The company's stock price increased from $36.19 to a record $39.13 during the year, and Ecolab finished the year with a record market capitalization despite a volatile market focused on internet and technology stocks.
A global revolution is in full swing, and the Sustainable Brands Conference is where sustainability, brand and innovation leaders gather to learn, share and strategize to shape the future. SB'12 was the largest gathering to date, a kinetic convergence of innovators from more than 150 companies from around the world finding new ways to create monumental disruption in traditional models of commerce and consumption.
The document discusses the concept of sustainability and examines whether Apple is a sustainable company. It defines sustainability as meeting present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs. The document outlines Apple's sustainability efforts in its supply chain and products, including reducing carbon emissions, using renewable energy, and implementing recycling programs. It also notes limitations such as potential greenwashing and needing to further improve working conditions for suppliers. Overall, the document analyzes Apple's sustainability performance against key criteria but acknowledges ongoing challenges.
Best Practices in Integrating Sustainability into the Product Design Process ...Sustainable Brands
In most cases, the ultimate sustainability of a brand, and therefore its flexibility to adopt a chosen market positioning and support communicated claims, is baked in during the design process. The reality is, doing so effectively requires a raft of new expertise that often is housed in various places external to the design team. This session reviews tried and tested methods for building sustainable design thinking into your organization.
This document discusses sustainable innovation at Interface, a flooring manufacturer. It provides three key points:
1. Interface uses life cycle assessments to understand their products' biggest environmental impacts and focus innovation efforts in critical areas. For example, reducing nylon yarn usage in carpet tiles.
2. They embrace "successful failure" by allowing experimentation, even if some ideas don't work. This led to innovations like TacTiles, a glue-free carpet tile installation method.
3. Interface is open to external input, seeing partnerships and an innovation network as ways to access new ideas. This contributed to the development of Zelfo, a sustainable alternative to hard flooring materials.
Benefits of Integrating Traceability - Macola - Nick Mears - Columbus OhioNick Mears
This document discusses the benefits of integrating traceability systems in manufacturing. It defines traceability as the ability to track the lifecycle of a product from raw materials to finished goods. Integrating traceability allows companies to know where their products are at all times. This is important for recalls and ensures compliance. The document also discusses how mobile access has improved traceability by providing anytime, anywhere visibility of data.
The document discusses integrating PTC Windchill with Cadence PCB design data to create a single source of truth for electronic product creation. This would consolidate disconnected data sources, decrease time to market, and improve quality and compliance by centralizing ECAD libraries, automating data storage and retrieval, and enabling traceability at the component level. The integration would provide benefits such as a centralized library and product configuration database, integration of component compliance and lifecycle information, and an automated new part introduction process.
Mars orbiter mission (Mangalyaan)The govt. of INDIAArchit Jindal
All details of the Mars orbiter mission of India. Also the details about ISRO who is carrying out this mission. Also Mp4 video of launch of PSLV-XL which was the launch vehicle for the spacecraft. I hope this presentation is useful for you.The video will work.
A supply chain is the network of organizations involved in producing and delivering a product, from raw materials to the end customer. It includes upstream suppliers, internal production and packaging, and downstream distribution centers and retailers. Effective supply chain management coordinates activities across this network to optimize material, information and financial flows. Key goals are reducing costs and uncertainties while improving customer service. Modern supply chains leverage information technology to facilitate coordination and information sharing among partners.
The purpose of the Organisational Sustainability slide show is to present a way organisations, both private and public sector, can :
a) Improve theirs and others sustainability, and in doing so also
b) Show how their progress can be measured in economic, community, and environmental terms .
SB'12 - Jeff Mendelsohn, Adam Mott - The North Face, Daniel Krohn - Becker Un...Sustainable Brands
A global revolution is in full swing, and the Sustainable Brands Conference is where sustainability, brand and innovation leaders gather to learn, share and strategize to shape the future. SB'12 was the largest gathering to date, a kinetic convergence of innovators from more than 150 companies from around the world finding new ways to create monumental disruption in traditional models of commerce and consumption.
Sustainability and Footprint are words heard frequently in boardroom discussions. How can organizations get immediate value using tools and technologies that can add real value to business processes, reduce costs generally, whilst delivering a range of environmentally friendly solutions, compliance with sustainability, and compelling value for the Brand? Read this presentation for the latest information.
This document discusses sustainability practices across the consumer durables industry. It covers the environmental impacts of producing, using, and disposing of consumer goods. It describes the risks at different stages of production like raw material extraction, material use, processing, and transportation. It also discusses regulations and sourcing standards, sustainability scorecards, the role of technology, and specific practices by companies. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of more sustainable production and consumption patterns to optimize resource use as called for in EU policy.
Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) was coined by the International organization for Standardization (ISO) in order to ensure the concern of different companies on the sustainable development of various products and brands within their business. waey.qa helps our clients to successfully navigate development projects with efficiency bound to sustainability.
This document discusses green and sustainable manufacturing and eco-innovation. It begins with an introduction to green manufacturing and its relationship to sustainable manufacturing and eco-innovation. It then discusses the drivers and barriers of green manufacturing, as well as green supply chain management. The document also covers the impact of green and sustainable manufacturing on the environment, economy, and society. It provides examples of case studies implementing green and sustainable manufacturing practices. Overall, the document analyzes how green and sustainable manufacturing techniques and eco-innovation can positively influence environmental, economic, and social prospects.
This document discusses green and sustainable manufacturing and eco-innovation. It begins with an introduction to green manufacturing and its relationship to sustainable manufacturing and eco-innovation. It then discusses the drivers and barriers of green manufacturing, as well as green supply chain management. The document also covers the types and impacts of eco-innovation, and provides examples of case studies on implementing green and sustainable manufacturing practices. Overall, the document analyzes how green manufacturing, sustainable practices, and eco-innovation can positively impact the environment, economy and society.
This document discusses environmental cost management and accounting. It covers four key learning objectives: 1) the importance of measuring environmental costs, 2) how environmental costs are assigned to products and processes, 3) the life-cycle cost assessment model, and 4) comparing activity-based and strategic-based environmental control. Environmental costs are significant and tracking them provides information on profitability and cost categories. Costs can be assigned to products using activity-based or functional-based costing. The life-cycle assessment model identifies environmental impacts at each stage of a product's life. Graphs and charts are effective ways to examine environmental activities and their effects over time.
How life cycle assessment can align your starsRamon Arratia
This article describes the power of embracing LCA as the core sustainability tool. Many companies are starting to shift from corporate sustainability to product sustainability. Most of the impacts of companies are outside their own boundaries, either in the supply chain or customers.
Embracing LCA helps gives sense to supply chain management, innovation, marketing and sales, aligning all the organization on what most matters: the bigger impacts of your products.
This document provides an overview of Becker Underwood, a privately-held multinational agricultural company. It discusses the company's geographic footprint, organizational structure, and approach to sustainable development. Key findings from an environmental profit and loss account study include that only 13% of total greenhouse gases analyzed are directly associated with Becker Underwood's operations, and that the top 10 suppliers contribute 47% of total water footprint. The study also identifies suppliers and sectors that are carbon intensive relative to benchmarks.
Ecolab had a very successful 1999 financial year:
1) Sales increased 10% to a record $2.1 billion, the first time exceeding $2 billion.
2) Income from continuing operations rose 14% to $176 million and diluted earnings per share also increased 14% to $1.31, the seventh consecutive year of double-digit earnings growth.
3) The company's stock price increased from $36.19 to a record $39.13 during the year, and Ecolab finished the year with a record market capitalization despite a volatile market focused on internet and technology stocks.
A global revolution is in full swing, and the Sustainable Brands Conference is where sustainability, brand and innovation leaders gather to learn, share and strategize to shape the future. SB'12 was the largest gathering to date, a kinetic convergence of innovators from more than 150 companies from around the world finding new ways to create monumental disruption in traditional models of commerce and consumption.
The document discusses the concept of sustainability and examines whether Apple is a sustainable company. It defines sustainability as meeting present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their own needs. The document outlines Apple's sustainability efforts in its supply chain and products, including reducing carbon emissions, using renewable energy, and implementing recycling programs. It also notes limitations such as potential greenwashing and needing to further improve working conditions for suppliers. Overall, the document analyzes Apple's sustainability performance against key criteria but acknowledges ongoing challenges.
This document discusses e-waste management in India. It begins by defining e-waste and explaining why it needs to be managed, as it contains toxic substances and is one of the fastest growing waste streams in India. The composition of e-waste is described, including ferrous and non-ferrous metals, plastics, and printed circuit boards. Generation of e-waste in India is estimated to be around 1.7 million metric tons annually but is difficult to accurately quantify due to challenges with inventorying e-waste. The evolution of e-waste policy and rules in India from 2011 to 2016 is outlined, including the introduction of concepts like extended producer responsibility and increased targets for e-waste collection. Finally, different business models
The CoLaBATS demonstration plant is nearing completion, with the structural frame, solvent extraction baths, and DES syntheses almost finished. The final solvent extraction parameters are being optimized. The presence of DES and ILs chemicals required alternative sourced baths, tubing, and filter presses made from materials other than metal. 'Make-like-production' trials will begin shortly to test the process. An economic and environmental assessment will then evaluate the sustainable capabilities and benefits of the innovative recycling technique. The demonstrator plant will be housed at C-Tech Innovation in the UK, where a workshop will disseminate project outcomes to recycling stakeholders.
Environmental Compliance - Today And TomorrowSebastian Nowak
A look at today\'s environmental compliance challenges, what the future holds in store, and how the TUV Rheinland Compliance Platform can help you to avoid potential risks.
NSF Sustainability:
Major provider of LEED reviews for US Green Building Council.
Developer of sustainability standards for furniture, green chemistry, building products and materials.
Provider of third-party sustainable product & systems certifications for carpets, furniture, personal care, WaterSense, forestry, EMS, greenhouse gas emissions, fisheries, organic food…
Prover of environmental claims verification: eco-efficiency, DfE, recycled content, energy usage, recyclability, compostability, CleanGredients®…
Manufacturing services include environmental impact assessment, supply chain assessment, sustainability measurement…
Fotosfera is a pioneering collection made from a yarn with 63% bio-based content. The key ingredient? Oil from the seeds of the castor bean plants.
Fast-growing castor bean plants are rapidly renewable, and grow in hot, dry climates, in sandy loam soil. Hardier than many other crops, they can thrive in land prone to erosion, and only require water once in up to 25 days.
The crops are typically harvested twice each season to maximise yield. It is the high oil content of the castor beans which is extracted and then used as the key ingredient in the further processing of the bio-based nylon. This minimises the use of petroleum- based materials in Fotosfera.
PE International case study about InterfaceRamon Arratia
PE International, the sustainability experts and leaders on LCA, have written a case study about how at Interface we use LCA as a managament tool for product design, customer transparency, sales and marketing
Resource Efficiency - The new watchword of sustainabilityRamon Arratia
There’s a growing global consensus that we’re at a crossroads on the environment. Not only do we face the increasingly urgent challenge of climate change, but we are also witnessing unprecedented demands on energy and fuel, water and material resource scarcity, huge population and life expectancy growth, concerns about food security, and a growing consumerism in the East that is putting an added strain on the global store of raw materials.
Resource productivity improvements could satisfy nearly 30% of demand by 2030.
Recent rises in global GDP and inroads into tackling poverty have largely been achieved by increasing economic growth. But the resource- dependent models that have allowed this to happen can no longer be sustained. In the past, increases in productivity have often come through more efficient use of labour, but the opportunity for further gains here is limited. To continue to make progress we need to squeeze more out of the resources at our disposal.
‘Resource efficiency’ will become the new watchword of sustainability. Accenture and the World Economic Forum recently produced a report looking at how to make consumption more sustainable by decoupling growth from environmental impact. They suggested that $2 trillion manufacturers of products that worth of economic output could be at risk by 2030 if major global economies fail to respond to shortages in the supply of just one resource - iron (and, more importantly, the steel that comes from it). This demonstrates the scale of the challenge we are up against. Accenture and the WEF conclude that ‘the need for rapid action to shift towards a resource-efficient economy is high’ - and that despite some successes to date, ‘change is now. More positively, greater resource efficiency also creates a business opportunity; it improves productivity, reduces costs and enhances competitiveness. If companies are less dependent on the availability of certain raw materials, they are less vulnerable to supply fluctuations and hikes in prices. This in turn means they can offer customers a more reliable supply of their products.
This presentation describes the paradigm shift needed for companies to move from the beauty context of corporate sustainability to the new paradigm of product sustainability, proving with facts the environmental performance of a product.
Closing the loop presentation in EcobuildRamon Arratia
The document discusses closing the loop by promoting recycling over throwing items away as cheaper alternatives. It notes the paradox that throwing away is currently cheaper than recycling and aims to influence governments to wage a "War on Waste" through less consumption and promoting recycled materials like a new yarn that uses 50% less material but is 100% recycled.
The document discusses engaging suppliers through inspiration rather than just compliance. It questions why more effort is put into measuring company sustainability rather than product sustainability, as most impacts occur outside a company's boundaries. It advocates focusing on the sustainability of raw materials and products, setting a bold goal like being made of 100% recycled materials by 2020 to inspire radical thinking, and celebrating supplier successes in sustainability.
Transparency at work the magic that changed the car industryRamon Arratia
The document discusses how establishing a "magic metric" of grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer (gCO2/km) to measure vehicle tailpipe emissions has transformed the European automotive industry. The EU introduced regulations in 1999 requiring labels displaying gCO2/km and in 2009 set fleet-wide targets of 130gCO2/km by 2015 and 95gCO2/km by 2020. This has spurred major innovation, with average EU emissions declining 5% in 2009 and 4% in 2010. Individual manufacturers like BMW, PSA, and Renault have cut emissions substantially to meet regulations. The magic metric has also enabled regulations at national, city, and organizational levels to incentivize lower-emission vehicles.
InterfaceFLOR has a vision for sustainable transport that focuses on eliminating waste, benign emissions, renewable energy, closing material loops, sensitizing stakeholders, and redesigning commerce. They analyzed their transport impacts and identified opportunities to reduce impacts such as optimizing routes, increasing truck fill rates, and shifting more transport to rail and sea. Their goal is to reduce carbon emissions from transport to 0.2 kg CO2/m2 of carpet delivered.
The document discusses the need for full transparency in sustainability reporting through tools like life cycle assessments (LCAs) and environmental product declarations (EPDs). It notes that EPDs provide standardized, third-party verified information on a product's environmental impacts throughout its life cycle. The document argues that EPDs can transform industries by allowing for more informed consumer, retail, and government decisions. Social product declarations are also proposed to measure key social impacts. Overall, the document advocates for greater use of LCA and declaration tools to drive transparency, competition on sustainability performance, and progress toward environmental and social goals.
My presentation at Ecobuild about the business case of sustainability
This is the presentation I did for the session about the business case in the 'Beyond Construction' debates at Ecobuild
I tried to divided it into 5 business cases:
1. Efficiency
2. Innovation
3. Reputation
4. People.
5. Closed loop system
1. Interface set an ambitious goal of eliminating any negative environmental impacts (Mission Zero) by 2020 to inspire change.
2. CEO Ray Anderson passionately led the sustainability initiative and convinced employees by demonstrating business benefits like cost savings.
3. Interface addressed its biggest sustainability challenges head-on through its seven sustainability fronts rather than avoiding problems.
The document discusses Interface's experience engaging employees on sustainability. It provides examples of approaches that have been effective, such as showing visible leadership from the CEO, giving sustainability status in the company, and targeting communications to specific employee groups. It also discusses making people accountable, investing in employee training, and allowing employees to develop innovative sustainability solutions. The overall message is that an authentic and targeted approach that empowers employees can help embed sustainability within a business.
1. just ts
the fac
most
choo se the d what
How to products an rs
able ture
sustain the manufac
to ask
2. just the facts Guide 02
The marketing world has woken up to sustainability and
the result is a blizzard of claims for products from cars
to carpets: ‘carbon neutral’, ‘recyclable’, ‘natural’,
‘fair-trade’, ‘organic’, ‘environment friendly’ etc.
,
But sustainability is too complex to be explained by
a single product benefit or green label.
This guide explains how to assess the sustainability of
different products and the companies that make them.
just the facts...
3. just the facts Guide 03
cONteNts
04 iNtrOductiON 16 dOiNG the Numbers: hOw tO ObtaiN
lca iNfOrmatiON frOm suppliers
05 uNderstaNd the prOduct life-cycle
17 epds: example Of hOw it wOrks
06 uNderstaNdiNG prOduct iN the carpet iNdustry
eNvirONmeNtal perfOrmaNce
18 caN’t i just lOOk fOr a GreeN label?
07 cateGOries Of eNvirONmeNtal
impact used iN lca 20 whO’s behiNd the label?
08 typical lca impact prOfiles 21 whO certifies the label?
09 lca Of a carpet tile 22 what is the scOpe Of the label?
10 practical learNiNG frOm lca 23 iNterNatiONal staNdards fOr
eNvirONmeNtal labels aNd declaratiONs
11 why embOdied eNerGy is impOrtaNt
24 Our OpiNiON ON labels:
12 which ONe dO yOu chOOse? we prefer the Geeks tO the Geezers
13 beware Of GreeN claims 25 Nice prOduct, shame abOut the cOmpaNy
14 GreeNwash GlOssary 26 refereNces aNd further readiNG
27 cONtact
4. just the facts Guide 04
iNtrOductiON
As the world’s environmental and social Carpet may seem an unlikely test-bed for
problems become more apparent, there is great sustainability, but in fact the commercial carpet
pressure on companies to demonstrate that they tile marketplace has become more aware of
are part of the solution, not part of the problem.
sustainability issues than most others. The
whole building industry has finally woken up to
More and more clients want to purchase the environmental impacts and how to reduce them,
most sustainable products they can. But working and many architects and designers routinely
out which is the best can be a challenge, try to select the most sustainable products
especially when manufacturers make many and materials.
conflicting claims and display a range of
different green labels. We hope this guide helps you make the
right choice.
To really know which product is most
sustainable, you need to compare the
environmental impact of different products
over their full life-cycle.
Cut the fluff and send me an EPD*.
Ramon Arratia
Sustainability Director EMEAI,
InterfaceFLOR
* EPD = Environmental Product Declaration (see page 16)
5. just the facts Guide 05
staNdt
uNder Oduc
t he pr ycle
life-c t has th
e
produc ou have
which pact, y
rstand m
To unde ironmental im ch stage, fro
env t ea
lowest the impacts a he life-cycle.
ss of t
to asse ning to end
begin
6. just the facts Guide 06
uNderstaNdiNG prOduct
eNvirONmeNtal perfOrmaNce
A typical manufactured product contains a eNvirONmeNtal impacts Occur at each
number of components. Each component may staGe Of a prOduct life-cycle
Companies are waking up to the full contain several materials. The accepted method for life-cycle assessment
range of impacts in the life-cycle of their (LCA) is defined by the International Standards
products. They may start with carbon but Most products are manufactured by a chain of Organisation (ISO14040 and ISO14044).
we are seeing greater awareness of water suppliers, processing the material or assembling
footprinting and other impacts as well. components prior to their final delivery to the An LCA calculates the environmental footprint
Simon Aumonier customer. If you imagine the roots of a tree at each stage of manufacture, use and disposal.
Partner, Product Stewardship, ERM feeding towards the trunk, you have a visual It assesses all the significant environmental
impression of a typical manufacturing impacts associated with the product, including
supply chain. the impact on water, air, land and
climate change.
Environmental impacts occur at each stage of
the supply chain from the extraction or growing
of the raw material, throughout its processing
Twenty years ago we developed the first and manufacture; transporting components
models for life-cycle assessment (LCA). between processing stages, and the finished
The methodology, data and tools are now product to the consumer or final user, also has
so operational that an LCA can be created environmental impacts.
quite easily for almost any product in the
market. Once you know the substances, Many products have impacts in use and almost
chemicals and raw materials of a product, all do during disposal. To understand which
you can map its full environmental impacts. product has the lowest environmental impact,
you have to assess the impacts at each stage,
Henrik Wenzel
Professor, Environmental Engineering from beginning to end of the life-cycle.
Developer of EDIP methodology
implemented in leading LCA Basing a judgement solely on one part of the
software worldwide life-cycle can be misleading.
7. just the facts Guide 07
cateGOries Of eNvirONmeNtal
impact used iN lca
Icon Name Description Units of measurement
Embodied energy – not renewable Energy from fossil fuels MJ
Embodied energy – renewable Energy from renewable sources MJ
Greenhouse potential Emissions that contribute to climate change kg CO2 equivalent
Acidification potential Emissions that damage vegetation, buildings, kg SO2 equivalent
aquatic life, and human health
Ozone depletion potential Emissions that cause thinning of the earth’s kg R11 equivalent
stratospheric ozone layer adversely affecting human
health, natural resources and the environment
Eutrophication potential Emissions that increase the nutrients in water kg phosphate equivalent
or soil affecting the natural biological balance
Photochemical ozone creation potential Emissions of chemicals that cause smog, adversely kg ethene potential
affecting human health, ecosystems and crops
Human toxicity potential Emissions of materials toxic to humans, kg DCB equivalent
animals or plants
8. just the facts Guide 08
typical lca impact prOfiles
Different products have different impact profiles. typical lca Of a simple physical prOduct
For example, for physical products such as a that dOes NOt cONsume eNerGy iN use
pencil or a carpet tile, the main impacts occur in
the supply chain from extraction and processing
of raw materials. For machines that consume
energy, however, such as a car or a washing
machine, the major impacts usually occur when
the product is in use.
The LCA of a washing machine shows that
our main concern when purchasing a washing
machine should be the energy and water
efficiency achieved by the machine in use.
raw materials maNufacturiNG traNspOrtatiON custOmer use eNd Of life
Features such as cold wash and load sensing
are designed to improve efficiency and benefit
the environment.
typical lca Of a machiNe prOduct
that cONsumes eNerGy iN use
LCA provides the best framework currently
available for assessing the potential
environmental impacts of products.
European Commission
Communication on Integrated Product
Policy – COM (2003)302
raw materials maNufacturiNG traNspOrtatiON custOmer use eNd Of life
9. just the facts Guide 09
lca Of a carpet tile
InterfaceFLOR conducts LCAs on our whole example – lca Of a carpet tile
range of carpet tile products. We use LCAs to
identify the parts of our process and supply
chain that cause the biggest environmental 45% Yarn
68%
impacts. We then research and innovate to find
alternative materials and processes to reduce Yarn has 4 times
these impacts. more impact than
the backing
The graph shows the LCA results for our
standard carpet tile made with 700g of virgin
11% Backing compound
nylon yarn. This illustrates that most of the
impact across the whole product life-cycle
is connected to the production of the raw 6% Glass fleece
materials we use to make carpet. and tufting carrier
Of all the raw materials we use, it is the nylon
4% Precoat bonding layer
Packaging
9% 8% 8% 7%
yarn that has the greatest impact.
1% Raw material transport
raw materials maNufacturiNG traNspOrtatiON custOmer use eNd Of life
Conducting LCAs showed us that the critical
question for carpet manufacturers is how to The calculations are based on a 700g carpet tile made with PA6.6 and InterfaceFLOR’s
reduce the environmental impact of the yarn. Graphlex® backing with the following assumptions: landfilling at end-of-life, no green
energy use in the life-cycle, and a product lifetime (use) of 10 years.
The reason yarn has such a high impact is
because the production of nylon requires
energy-intensive chemical reactions to transform
raw materials derived from oil into yarn.
10. just the facts Guide 10
practical learNiNG frOm lca:
example Of a carpet tile
There are three ways to decrease the impact The 3 main ways to reduce Examples of possible sustainable design actions
of a carpet tile: the impact of a carpet tile are:
1 Use less yarn per square metre
2 Use recycled yarn which is less
1 A carpet tile with 50% less yarn
Reduce
energy-intensive than virgin yarn the amount of yarn
3 Find low-impact natural alternatives
to nylon yarn with similar quality and
durability performance. 2 A carpet tile with 100% recycled content
Increase
yarn recycled content
If you are concerned about choosing the most
sustainable carpet tile, the most important
thing to ask about is the type of yarn used, 3 A carpet tile with a low carbon yarn, e.g. bio-based
the weight of yarn per square metre and the Create
percentage of recycled content (if any). a smarter yarn
11. just the facts Guide 11
why embOdied eNerGy
is impOrtaNt
Architects and engineers are increasingly
accustomed to designing energy-efficient
buildings. But rarely is consideration given Each European has a footprint equivalent The key aim of Life Cycle Thinking is to
to the energy used to manufacture the raw to 125 kWh of primary energy per day. avoid ‘burden shifting’. This means minimising
materials that go into the building. But these official figures don’t include the impacts at one stage of the life cycle, or
embedded energy from the imported stuff, in a geographic region, or in a particular
According to The Concrete Centre it takes i.e. the products we consume in Europe but impact category, while helping to avoid
between six and eleven years for the operational are made elsewhere. This is at least another increases elsewhere. For example, saving
CO2 savings achieved by using concrete in a 40 kWh per person per day. energy during the use phase of a product,
building to exceed the CO2 emissions from David J MacKay,
while not increasing the amount of material
producing concrete and aggregate materials. Author of Sustainable Energy – without the hot air needed to provide it.
European Joint Research Centre
That’s why it matters what you put into your Life Cycle Thinking and Assessment
building, not just how energy-efficient it is in
use. Understanding the LCA for these materials
will help you choose those with the lowest
embedded energy.
12. just the facts Guide 12
which
dO yOu ONe
chOOs
Public c
is leadin
oncern
about th
e?
market g to a wave o e environmen
ing. So f green t
but oth me are clear claims
in
ers an
good im are designed d accurate,
without pressio to give
explain n of the prod a
ing uct
benefit the environm
adequa ental
tely.
13. just the facts Guide 13
beware Of GreeN claims
Conventional marketing is about strong, simple sOme typical GreeN claims seeN
claims like ‘cheapest’, ‘fastest’ and ‘biggest’. iN the buildiNG sectOr
That’s why it is very tempting for marketers to
come up with single benefit claims about a 100% natural
product and the environment.
Free from X, Y or Z
sO which ONe wOuld yOu chOOse? 100% recyclable
Imagine you want to buy a T-shirt based on the 100% recycled
best environmental performance. Three ‘green’
brands all make different claims: Carbon neutral
Sustainably produced
1 100% organic cotton
Produced locally
2 100% natural dyes
3 Carbon neutral Non-toxic
The only way to know which T-shirt is the best See the greenwash glossary on the next page
is to look at the LCA results where all these for examples of claims that may not be all that
factors can be measured up and compared. they seem.
The best T-shirt may well be one that doesn’t
make any ‘100%’ claims, but is carefully
sourced, manufactured and shipped to
minimise its environmental footprint at all
stages of its life.
14. just the facts Guide 14
GreeNwash GlOssary
Public concern about the environment Here are some common claims to watch
is leading to a wave of green claims in out for:
marketing. Some are clear and accurate,
but others are designed to give a good climate chaNGe impact claims
impression of the product without explaining carbON Offset
the environmental benefit adequately. In the The controversial concept of paying others to
UK, for example, the Advertising Standards reduce their carbon emissions to balance your
Authority has reported a rise in complaints emissions. Usually arranged by intermediaries
about ‘greenwash’ and published guidelines and involving projects ranging from changing
for making green claims. light bulbs to replacing fossil fuels with
renewable power. Find out which project you’ll
be supporting and beware of double counting.
Advertisers have every right to promote carbON Neutral
their green credentials and many have Offsetting precisely as much carbon as you emit.
been quick to reassure consumers about The scope of operations covered by the claim is
the efforts they are making to be greener. a critical factor – is the whole life-cycle of the
However the ASA needs to see robust product covered or just its manufacture?
evidence to back up any eco-friendly
claims. We will continue to ensure that carbON NeGative
the public are not misled and that Offsetting more carbon than you emit. Sounds
advertisers are operating in a climate saintly but owes more to marketing than science.
of truth.
lOw carbON
Christopher Graham Meaningless without numbers. How low is low?
Director General, UK Advertising
Standards Authority
15. just the facts Guide 15
GreeNwash GlOssary
GeNeral eNvirONmeNtal claims recycliNG claims
eNvirONmeNtally Or ecO-frieNdly / kiNd tO prOduced lOcally / made iN [cOuNtry x] recyclable
the eNvirONmeNt / iN tuNe with Nature, etc This is supposed to suggest support for the local One of the most misused terms. Many materials
General and vague statements that mean economy and low transport impact. It often just are technically able to be recycled but it is not
nothing specific are almost all misleading means ‘repackaged nearby’. always economically viable to do so. Will the
without explanation attached. You may see material actually be recycled? Other grey
flowers but you should smell a rat. Natural areas include:
Gives a nice warm feeling inside? Just because • ‘down-cycling’ where the second use is of
free frOm x, y Or z something’s natural doesn’t necessarily lower value – glass, for example, is usually
Only valid when the product concerned would be mean it’s more sustainable. It may seem ‘recycled’ into aggregate for roads, not
expected to contain material X, Y or Z and that counterintuitive, but some natural products new glass
material is environmentally harmful. In some actually have a higher environmental impact • energy from waste is sometimes described
cases ‘X’ is replaced by a different material than their synthetic counterparts. as ‘recycling’ but in fact means burning the
which causes other environmental problems, waste to recover some of the energy.
such as paper-free tissues made from cotton award claims
(which has its own environmental impact). The desperate flag-waving of companies. recycled cONteNt
Laugh or cry. Industrial manufacturing waste is routinely
NON-tOxic swept up and recycled in many industries.
As for ‘free from’ above. Only meaningful if For example, printers often put paper trimmings
a toxic substance, such as lead, has been straight back into the pulping process. Much
eliminated from the product. more significant is the use of post-consumer
waste in products because this avoids disposal
to landfill.
pOst-cONsumer recycled cONteNt
Should refer only to material previously used
by consumers and recovered after use.
16. just the facts Guide 16
dOiNG the Numbers: hOw tO ObtaiN
lca iNfOrmatiON frOm suppliers
Of course you cannot possibly conduct an LCA Objectivity and comparability are the main
on every purchase you are considering. But it purpose of the Environmental Product
As architects, we can design very is entirely reasonable to ask the manufacturer Declaration (EPD). An EPD includes an LCA
energy-efficient buildings. The problem to supply LCA information about their products, conducted by an independent third party to a
we face is being able to select the especially when planning a major purchase standardised methodology. An EPD also includes
most appropriate materials from a decision. If they are unable or unwilling to additional information about the product
whole life perspective. Getting clear do this, it suggests a lack of attention to including its ingredients.
and consistent LCAs for a range of environmental factors in their design process.
materials such as concrete structures, EPDs are the most reliable way of comparing
ceilings and floor finishes, furniture LCA should ideally be conducted by an products – ask manufacturers of products you
and fittings is now essential. independent third party because there is are interested in if they have an EPD.
Colin Campbell too much scope for manufacturers to favour
Director, Capita Architecture their own products. LCA involves a number
of assumptions, such as the useful life of
a product, that influence the results if not
approached objectively. To be comparable
LCAs need to be conducted by an independent
organisation using a common methodology.
17. just the facts Guide 17
epds: example Of hOw it wOrks
iN the carpet iNdustry
criteria
Environmental Product Declarations are based
on clearly defined, Europe-wide, harmonised
Product Categorisation Rules, and will help to
provide reliable, transparent and independent
information on the environmental impacts of
building products. They give the input which
green building certification systems need and
support architects in their attempts to create
sustainable buildings. Our methodology allows
any carpet manufacturer to provide LCA LCA PCR EPD Environmental
information using the same assumptions, Life Cycle Assessment Product Category Rules Product Declaration
which avoids the issue of companies
amending LCAs to favour their own products.
Our EPD covers three lifecycle stages ‘cradle standard
to factoty gate’, ‘factory gate’ to ‘end of use’
ISO 14025
and ‘end of use’ to ‘end of life’, taking already
ISO 14040 ISO 21930
into account any viable and sense-full
recycling operation. They provide a ‘closed
loop’ information along a carpets life cycle. It
who
is also third-party verified, in this case by IBU
(the Institute for the Built Environment)
providing maximum trustworthiness. Manufacturer + GUT IBU + GUT IBU
Dr. Edmund Vankann
Managing Director, GUT (Gemeinschaft
umweltfreundlicher Teppichboden)
18. just the facts Guide 18
caN’t i
lOOk f just
GreeN Or a
It’s not
l abel?
shortcuts surpr isin
few of to help g people loo
us them d k for
e
purcha have the tim cide. After a
se we m et ll,
are so ake. Th o study every
many at’s wh
assura labels offerin y there
nc g
sustain e about prod quick
ability u
creden ct
tials.
19. just the facts Guide 19
caN’t i just lOOk fOr a GreeN label?
You may well be asking ‘Why does it have to be But when you look carefully at how some labels
this complicated to choose the most sustainable are administered, you realise that you cannot
product? Can’t I just look for a product with a just rely on labels. It is great to see more suppliers working
green label?’ to report the environmental and social
Some are too easy to obtain or focus on a performance of their products, but the
It’s not surprising people look for shortcuts narrow range of issues. Others lack independent wide range of methods being used can
to help them decide. After all, few of us have certification or may even be administered by lead to some dangerously misleading or
the time to study every purchase we make. the manufacturers themselves. Many labels ambiguous claims. We need clarity and
That’s why there are so many labels duplicate each other, confusing clients and standardisation on metrics so that design
offering quick assurance about product obliging manufacturers to certify the same decisions and performance monitoring
sustainability credentials. product several times. Unfortunately, some of can be based on sound evidence and
the best marketed labels are the least robust. transparent benchmarking. And the supply
chain needs to respond with consistent and
To judge the value of a label it is important to reliable information, a multitude of different
In a world in which customers are increasingly understand who is behind it, how it is certified, approaches will only confuse specifiers and
looking for evidence of the sustainability what factors it covers and whether it conforms ultimately hinder sustainable design.
credentials of products, and increasingly to recognised international standards. Lorna Pelly
confused by the proliferation of claims and Principal Sustainability Advisor,
labels that they find, we need as much clarity You need to look behind the label. Forum for the Future
and simplicity as possible. We need the facts,
presented in a credible, independent and
standardised way, that takes into account
the full life-cycle impacts. And that’s what
we’ll get with EPDs.
Paul King
Chief Executive, UK Green Building Council
20. just the facts Guide 20
whO’s behiNd the label?
Type Who is behind and main motive Key issues
Private A commercial entity seeking to earn money Faster to develop
Motivated by need to recruit paying participants
Might not allow open competition for certification
Semi-private Industry group with common interests Has vested interests favouring one industry
or material over another
Third party Independent entity responding to a public issue Focus on technical aspects
Might be bureaucratic
21. just the facts Guide 21
whO certifies the label?
Type Who is certifying Key issues Examples
First party The company self-declares Claims have not been independently Most marketing claims,
tested or verified product specifications
Second party Involves a trade association or consulting Offers little assurance against conflict Carbon neutrality claims
firm setting the standard or verifying claims of interest because the company pays verified by auditors,
the assuror private labels
Third party Independent third party conducts testing Certifiers can be ANSI (American Green Seal, Sustainable
or verification National Standards Institute) approved Carpet Assessment Standard
to demonstrate objectivity ANSI/NSF 140-2007
22. just the facts Guide 22
what is the scOpe
Of the label?
Type What is the scope? Key issues Examples
Single attribute Recycled content, Volatile organic Narrow scope might miss other key issues GUT test on VOCs
compound (VOC) emissions, Carbon
neutral, Toxicity
Multi-attribute Complete or partial LCA The wider the scope, the more reliable it is EPDs
23. just the facts Guide 23
iNterNatiONal staNdards fOr eNvirONmeNtal labels
aNd declaratiONs: isO14020 series
Type LCA needed Third party required What the label means Suitability for B2B
Type I – No Yes Product complies with the conditions set Average
certified ecolabels by the label – usually single benefit
Type II – No No Improvement of one environmental aspect Average
Self-declarations
Type III – EPDs Yes Yes Life-cycle information Good
24. just the facts Guide 24
Our OpiNiON ON labels:
we prefer the Geeks tO the Geezers
InterfaceFLOR believes most of the labelling In our view, these are the principles of a fair and
schemes currently available fail to fully reliable label:
assess product sustainability. The schemes Unfortunately a product’s sustainability
generally aim to attract wide participation Label should be owned by an
performance cannot be reduced to a label.
by manufacturers and therefore set the bar independent not-for-profit organisation To understand the implications of a
for qualification at a level that is too easy purchasing choice, you have to be willing
Certifiers should be independent
to look a little deeper at the environmental
to achieve. The result is that instead of
distinguishing between products, most labels The label criteria should be based
and social impacts throughout the product
tend to lump them together in one category. on full LCA life-cycle. I don’t see a future for
environmental labels in product marketing.
Consultants advising on label applications
We are also concerned that privately owned should not be linked to certifiers Simon Propper
labels are frequently expensive and not Managing Director, Context
technically rigorous, especially if they are Labels should be independently certified
‘paid for’. as ‘Type III’ under ISO14025
A label may be the starting point in your search
but it will rarely provide a reliable and thoroughly
researched answer to the question: ‘Which is
the most sustainable?’
25. just the facts Guide 25
Nice prOduct, shame
abOut the cOmpaNy
10-pOiNt ‘fluff-test’ Of cOmpaNy cOmmitmeNt tO sustaiNability
We do a great deal of reputation
research for global companies across 1 Is sustainability critical to business strategy? See if the annual report includes
the world. What we have observed is sustainability risks and opportunities
that demonstrating a commitment to
responsibility that goes beyond the 2 Does the CEO discuss sustainability personally? Search the web for key speeches
gates of their factories counts when
it comes to building trust. Companies 3 Data history – at least five years?
working to make a positive difference
across their sector, country or the 4 Look at the sustainability report. Are the carbon targets absolute or normalised,
world is an important indicator of e.g. divided by income or units sold?
differentiated leadership.
Chris Coulter 5 How are carbon reductions being achieved? Efficiency and in-house renewable energy
Senior Vice President, are usually more sustainable than green electricity purchases and offset schemes
GlobeScan Incorporated
6 Are other environmental impacts reported and addressed, e.g. waste, waster, toxicity?
7 Does the company report and address social impacts, e.g. human rights, employment,
labour conditions in the supply chain?
8 Does the company offer services and advice to support customers’ sustainability aims?
For example, does it collect and recycle its products at the end of their life?
9 Is the company’s sustainability material objective? Do they discuss challenges and difficulties?
10 How do NGOs and the media view the company? Search for articles and campaigns.
These may not be accurate or unbiased but enable you to evaluate the quality of the
company’s response
26. just the facts Guide 26
refereNces aNd
further readiNG
InterfaceFLOR
www.interfaceflor.eu/epd
European Commission – Joint Research Centre. Life Cycle
Thinking and Assessment.
http://lct.jrc.ec.europa.eu/
Sustainable Building Alliance – common metrics for key issues
www.sballiance.org
Buildings Common Carbon Metric by UNEP SBCI
www.unep.org/sbci/pdfs/UNEPSBCICarbonMetric.pdf
EPDs information about building materials
www.bau-umwelt.de/hp354/Deklarationen.htm
ISO14040
www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail?csnumber=37456
ISO14020
www.iso.org/iso/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=34425
Reference for Embodied Carbon in concrete
www.sustainableconcrete.org.uk
Reference for International EPD®System
www.environdec.com
27. just the facts Guide 27
t
r justs
fO ac
the f now more,
to k
If yo u want e go to
pleas eclear
eu/letsb
aceflor.
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ff.com Get iN t
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Contact
R
Sustaina amon Arratia
b
Interface ility Director
ramon.a FLOR
rratia@in EMEAI
terfacefl
or.eu