Pilkington Nederland, part of the NSG Group, has once again achieved the prestigious Cradle to Cradle Certified® Silver certification for a wide range of insulating glass products during its recertification. We are proud of this achievement!
Extensive and In-depth Certification Process
The Cradle to Cradle Certified® certification applies to version 3.1 of the certification system. It is a voluntary program that far exceeds European legal requirements. The certification evaluates the sustainability performance of business processes and products, assessing five key sustainability aspects: safe and healthy material use, circularity, clean air and climate protection, sustainable water and soil management, and social justice.
Sustainability Goals within the NSG Group
"Maintaining the Silver certification for a wide range of our insulating glass products confirms our ongoing efforts in sustainability and innovation in the glass industry," says Martijn Rietveld, Commercial Manager at Pilkington Nederland. "We are committed to continuing to work towards our sustainability goals as set within Pilkington Nederland and the entire NSG Group."
This prepares us for the more challenging C2C version 4.1, which will be implemented next year. "The new version of the certification is very comprehensive, highly detailed, and delves deeply into business operations," says Gerrit Maring, Sustainability Coordinator at Pilkington Nederland. "It emphasizes the importance of concrete measures not only to reduce CO2 emissions but also to take a broader view and involve our supply chain partners. This means that not only our locations in the Netherlands but also our production sites in Germany as well as our suppliers and their products are assessed."
Future
The new standard will guide our actions in the coming years and requires structural adjustments and conscious choices throughout the entire production chain. "That is why we started the Ecovadis program in 2021, to map, evaluate, and improve the sustainability impact of our supply chain," says Gerrit. This aligns seamlessly with developments within the NSG Group, such as the makechange™ initiative, where all global and local sustainable initiatives are collected and shared so that everyone can benefit from each other's knowledge and experience.
This recertification forms a solid foundation for cooperation with all sister companies and partners in the supply chain. "We are fully committed to continuous improvement and sharing knowledge. This is partly supported by legislation, but mainly by the NSG Group's strategy in the areas of climate protection, CO2 reduction, and the sustainability of construction. In doing so, we strive for a positive impact on people and the environment. And we are working towards the next level: Gold," concludes Gerrit.
Photo: For the Huis voor de Stad in Helmond, there was a specific request for the highest achievable Cradle to Cradle Certified® products, which is why the glass from Pilkington Nederland is now being used.