New Company-Wide Certifications for Manufacturers

Three new certification standards in development would certify not the sustainability of buildings or of products, but the environmental and social performance of manufacturers. While there are many forms of corporate reporting on sustainability through voluntary protocols, such as the Global Reporting Initiative, there have not yet been third-party certifications for corporate or manufacturer performance.

• UL Environment just announced the start of the public comment period for the draft “ULE 880 Sustainability for Manufacturing Organizations,” which will close on September 14, 2010. ULE 880 was developed in partnership with Greener World Media and follows earlier efforts by Greener World’s Joel Makower and others to develop such a standard. UL also plans to develop a sustainability standard for service-sector companies, ULE 881.