Glass sector launches a unified sustainability framework

Among the world’s largest glass builders, producers and packaging firms have come collectively for the launch of Accountable Glass — a world certification programme supposed to convey new sustainability requirements to glass manufacturing and sourcing.

The brand new “worldwide multi-stakeholder not-for-profit requirements and certification programme” launched formally on 4 December, with a dedication to “assist drive down carbon emissions, enhance provide chain transparency and speed up the shift towards extra accountable practices throughout your entire glass trade”.

Glass manufacturing is energy-intensive and contributes 95 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions globally every year. Nonetheless, in contrast to metal or timber, the glass sector has lacked a unified sustainability framework.

The initiative – which has been backed by among the world’s largest glass and industrial firms, along with world mining organisations and world automobile manufacturers – is being spearheaded by Francis Sullivan, former Head of Sustainability at HSBC and Alan Knight, former Head of Sustainability at Accountable Metal, which, in lower than a decade, has grown right into a community of greater than 160 members worldwide, together with main steelmakers, NGOs and end-users.

Accountable Glass says it can:

• Develop clear, auditable requirements for low-carbon glass manufacturing.
• Drive enhancements in emissions discount, circularity, employee security, and sourcing practices.
• Introduce a trusted certification mark for responsibly sourced and manufactured glass.

Founding members and supporters embody

• ARUP – a world consultancy with intensive technical and advisory experience.
• Belron – world leaders in automobile glass restore, alternative and recalibration.
• Ciner Glass – a number one producer of glass containers. It provides sustainable glass packaging to the meals and beverage trade, with operations in Turkey, the UK, and Belgium.
• Local weather Group – a world non-profit driving local weather motion by forming networks of enterprise and authorities to speed up the transition to a net-zero carbon world.
• DSS+ – the worldwide consulting agency specialising in operational transformation, security, and sustainability for high-hazard and complicated industries.
• IRMA (Initiative for Accountable Mining Assurance) – a multi-stakeholder coalition that units world requirements for accountable mining.
• NSG Group – one of many world’s largest producers of glass and glazing merchandise for architectural, automotive and established inventive know-how.
• Stara Glass – design and construct more and more environment friendly and dependable furnaces, creating protected, high quality and customised services and products and develop environment friendly, modern and sustainable options.
• WE Soda – the world’s largest pure soda ash supplier – a key ingredient in glass manufacturing – working main amenities in Turkey and the USA.

Supporters

• ARM (Alliance for Accountable Mining) – ARM develop requirements and certification techniques for accountable artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM).
• Cary Group – a European market chief in automobile glass restore and alternative.
  JLR – a British multinational car producer which produces luxurious autos and SUVs.
• ERM CVS – a world chief in sustainability consulting. Established in 1996, ERM CVS offers unbiased assurance, verification, certification, and coaching providers to assist organisations strengthen sustainability and enterprise continuity operations. It operates throughout greater than 40 international locations, serving industries resembling oil & fuel, chemical compounds, mining, manufacturing, and prescribed drugs

Chair of Accountable GlassFrancis Sullivan, stated: “Driving social and environmental change within the glass trade requires an strategy which values trade information, social and environmental experience, openness, belief and a discussion board the place selections are usually not solely clear but in addition equitable. This multi-stakeholder strategy, tried and examined within the metal and forestry sectors, might be pivotal for driving this alteration. Our membership would be the driving pressure and the muse for this initiative, and we’re so proud to have firms from throughout the glass provide chain who’re with us right this moment and already working with us to make this alteration occur.”

Alan Knight, Chief Sustainability Officer of WE Soda: “Glass is a fabric that touches a whole bunch of industries. From development and the automotive sectors to new know-how industries of the long run. Solely by partaking your entire worth chain can we work collaboratively to scale back greenhouse fuel emissions and handle different vital sustainability challenges.

“We’ve seen how this strategy can rework an trade. With Accountable Metal, sturdy requirements and world collaboration have pushed actual progress on transparency and accountability. Now, we’re making use of these classes to glass and bringing collectively firms from the world over to speed up innovation and develop new sustainability requirements for glass manufacturing and sourcing.”

Munehiro Hosonuma, CEO of NSG Group, commented: “We’re very excited to hitch as a founding member of ResponsibleGlass. This initiative represents a big step towards world requirements for responsibly produced glass, advancing sustainability and transparency according to NSG Group’s long-term carbon neutrality dedication.”

Accountable Glass says will probably be working with your entire glass sector together with the flat glass sector which producers home windows, glass panels mirrors and windscreen, the container glass sector which makes bottles and jars and speciality glass makers which makes a variety of technical glass merchandise together with lenses, fibre glass and so on.