HomeNews CenterSGS Appointed General Assessor for Cradle to Cradle Product Certification

April 15, 2016

In North America, SGS has been appointed General Assessor for Cradle to Cradle product certification, by the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. With accredited General Assessors now in North America and the Netherlands, SGS can assess products and determine their conformity with the Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Standard.


The Cradle to Cradle© Certified Products Standard is a multi-attribute, continuous improvement methodology that evaluates products, systems and operations across five categories of human and environmental health. It is administered by the Cradle to Cradle© Products Innovation Institute. Product certification is awarded at five levels (Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum). The ultimate goal is to encourage innovation and the design of products that effectively and positively impact people and the environment.
'We are very pleased to add SGS as an accredited assessment body in our program, as it allows us to meet the growing demands of assessment and certification work in the global supply chain,' said Lewis Perkins, President of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute. 'SGS's scale and expertise across multiple industries provides Cradle to Cradle Certified with an exciting opportunity for growth.'
'Beyond this accreditation, our collaboration with the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute aims to take this product certification scheme to the main stream,' said Xavier Vital, Global Environmental Services manager for SGS. 'Cradle to Cradle product certification is a pragmatic guide for the implementation of the key principles of circular economy. It is an efficient tool for driving continuous improvement and stimulating innovation during product development. At the same time it also provides brands, manufacturers and retailers with a robust marketing tool to differentiate their products in the marketplace.'
'We see that product certification is used to constantly achieve increased sustainability,' says Jeroen Kanselaar, Senior Consultant, Sustainability, at SGS. 'Cradle to Cradle certification requires a full understanding of the materials a product contains. It may seem a simple enough question to answer, but manufacturers are still often unaware of the answer. Cradle to Cradle Certified product certification delivers insight and scope for manufacturers to improve products, step by step.'

About SGS

Product sustainability services from SGS help clients measure and increase their environmental and social responsibility with practical approaches. SGS delivers services to enable clients to reduce their impact and properly communicate regarding sustainability.

About the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute

The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is a non-profit organization whose mission is to turn the making of things into a positive force for people, the economy and the planet. It stewards the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Program, a system for assessing and continuously improving product quality based upon five categories: material health, material reuse, renewable energy, water stewardship, and social fairness. The Institute is headquartered in San Francisco, California with satellite offices in Amsterdam, NL, Venlo, NL and Raleigh, NC.
For further information, please contact:
In North America:
Ana Maria Leal
Ecodesign/LCA Consultant
SGS North America
t: +1 973-575-5252

In Europe:Gert-Jan Vroege
Senior Consultant, Environmental
SGS Search BV
t: +31 06-53262599

About SGS

SGS is the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognised as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 85,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 1,800 offices and laboratories around the world.

SGS SA issued this content on 15 April 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 15 April 2016 09:03:10 UTC

Original Document: http://www.sgs.com/en/news/2016/04/sgs-appointed-general-assessor-for-cradle-to-cradle-product-certification