Overview of the Cradle to Cradle Certified products program

Editor's Notes

• #3: What is C2C?
• #5: How did we get here:2002 – Book published and inspired a lot of people. B & M started working with companies to apply C2C principles to product design2005 – label was first used as an indication of achievement in design, not intended to be an eco label but it sure looked like one. People liked the idea of a multi-attribute indication of human and environmental health but as a lablel, it was critized as being privately held, aministred by a for profit consulting firm, and the results were not third party verified. – all of things that we look for in a good label or certification.2010 – B&M wanted to see C2C product design realize it’s potential and knew the only way was to give it away and make it public so they formed the InstituteThe Institute is an independent, non profit, third-party verifier. It took us two years to put the infrastructure in place so that we could publish the standard, make it publically available and train others in the methodolgy. 2012 –all of that came together and we published the first public, transparent C2C standard that is now governed by the independent Certification Standards Board
• #6: Reason it’s a new era Recognized that the Institute was founded to be sure program was independent and transparent regarding administration of the program and the standard.In order to grow and gain acceptance in the market, std needed to be governed and developed, made transparent to the public.
• #7: All new product certs;does not count recertificationsIncludes both v2 and v3 certsCurrently only ~260 active certs
• #13: Change add law firm to MG - BL
• #14: Change add law firm to MG - BL
• #15: Change add law firm to MG - BL
• #19: This is a task for the experts C2C assessors must have chemists on their team and to use certified labs for the analysis.One more material assessor will be added, these are highly qualified chemists and toxicologistsSeveral more accredited bodies will be added to provide services for process evaluation (the other four categories)
• #30: When we reduce and eliminate, we are moving toward zeroZero voc’s, net zero, zero waste. Co-founder Dr. Michael Braungart makes the points that mankind strives to make a positive impact both economically and socially, but when it comes to the environment, we strive for “zero.” Zero is not a terribly inspiring goalCradle to Cradle® proposes that mankind can have a positive, restorative, beneficial impact on the environment – A CELEBRATION OF ABUNDANCE.Rather than focusing on how our stuff can incrementally become “less bad,” Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Program represents a model for doing “more good.” Using a set of design principles based on the C2C philosophy, we redefine the solution. This rethinking of how we design, manufacture, use, and reuse materials will spur a new era of innovation and raise the standard for materials and their selectionIntention of standard is to spur innovation and ongoing optimization Certification at Basic, Bronze, Silver levels certify ‘intent’ to make a better productCertification at Gold and Platinum levels are ideal.Certification is a metric on the journey to a true C2C product
• #32: For each attribute, I’ll show you a summary table like this. Following the webinar, we will send you cheat sheet for all of the attributes so you will have a quick reference of what it means to be certified at each level. For material health, notice that you can enter the program being 75% assessed – this recognizes the difficulty in getting supply chain information. It can often takes months – so instead of waiting, a manufacturer may choose to go public with bronze certification while continuing to work toward 100% knowledge and assessment.At the silver level, they are AT LEAST 95% assessed and have no carcinogens, mutagens, or reproductive toxins. That is a really high bar. And of course at the Gold level, the product is 100% assessed and contains no chemicals of concern – all positive chemistry.
• #33: Now, you have made it through the hardest part – material health. So take a moment and enjoy that accomplishment.Now, we’ll cover the other 4 attibutes in much less detail.Material Reutilization:Eliminate the concept of waste – design everything to be a resource for something elseThe goal is to have 100% recovery and upcycling of technical nutrients and 100% composting of biological nutrients
• #34: Companies pursuing certification: - Design components of their products as biological or technical nutrients - For each nutrient, they define the path to reutilization and - Develop systems to recover used products safely and continuously
• #35: Use renewable energy.Remember, if we move toward the vision of 100% renewably powered, we really change the conversation about carbon footprint.For this criteria, companies need to take a deep dive into understanding the energy use of their entire operation, understand where their energy comes from, and make a plan to move towards 100% renewable energy. 
• #36: The idea here is a progressive pathReduce carbon by reducing the need for energy (basic energy efficiency)Reduce carbon by moving to renewable energyBuy offsets where it is not possibleThe goal here is 100% PLUS renewably poweredI think this is the most challenging change from C2C v2. To achieve Gold, the company must achieve 50% renewable or offsets.
• #37: Waterstweardship.Changing the way companies interact with water requires a fundamental shift in thinking about a resource that has traditionally been viewed as cheap and plentiful.The Platinum goal here is that water leaving the facility is cleaner than the water coming in.
• #38: The continuous improvement path for this attribute moves a manufacturer through reducing water consumption, enhancing water quality, and monitoring performance over time.You’ll notice that there are different requirements for facilities that produce effluent vs. dry manufacturing facilities.
• #39: Cradle to Cradle is about regenerative cycles and the human aspect of that is paramount. Because it matters how things are made.The goal here is become a partner to all stakeholders
• #40: This criteria calls on companies to: - Demonstrate leadership by honoring employees, customers, communities and ecosystems, and report publicly on theirachievements and challenges. - Companies audit their standards and those of their suppliers for health, safety and ethical performance and - Ultimately becoming a partner to the communities and regions in which they operate,  
• #41: Encourage manufacturers to make as much information available as possible
• #42: Encourage manufacturers to make as much information available as possible
• #43: Once the inventory list is complete, the assessor scans for Banned Material. Chemicals that bio accumulate, are persistent and that have irreversible health impacts are not allowed in C2C productsWe are hearing more and more about chemicals of concern throughout the industry and now even in LEED. This can be confusing but there really is more overlap than difference.
• #44: In Summary, we want you to take away: C2C is an independent, transparent, third-party programIt is a rigorous multi attribute assessmentWe focus on continuous improvementAll of this information can be used as a reference tool to select better products.