Cradle to Cradle Certified®

As opposed to building or company certificates, the C2C-certification relates to a specific product and certifies compliance with certain standards based on the five assessment criteria of material health, product circularity, clean air and climate protection, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness. In contrast to the EPD (Environmental Product Declaration), which contains information on environmental impacts without a rating and can be issued for any building product, a C2C certification is only issued for products meeting the high requirements. This certification serves as a record in many green building rating systems, such as LEED, WELL, BREEAM or DGNB. The C2C certificate also proves that pollution emission limits are met during assembly, use and disassembly, and serves as a record in bids with sustainability requirements. It is an independent confirmation of the quality of a product, attesting the use of sustainable materials and products.

The certificate is issued by the independent Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute based in San Francisco and Amsterdam. A C2C certificate is only issued if all requirements are met. To prove this, all evidence and measurement results need to be professionally documented. After two years, a new certification (re-certification) is required. If any substances are discovered that do not meet the strict requirements, they can be replaced. Thus, the process of product optimisation plays an important role in C2C certification, with the main objective to make a sustainable contribution to environmental protection and the well-being of people and nature through circular economy and the use of safe materials and innovative products. The Standards Steering Committee (SSC), a committee of experts from various stakeholders, continuously revises and updates the standards.

Certificates are awarded in four achievement levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. They are always valid for two years. This way, companies can have the quality of their products regularly confirmed, or prove their progress through a higher classification.