WHAT IS CRADLE TO CRADLE CERTIFIED® CERTIFICATION V4.0
In today's world, the construction sector is one of the main contributors to raw material consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. As a glass manufacturer, we deeply understand the significant environmental footprint of this sector and are strongly committed to actively mitigating its impact. Our dedication to building a better future for both people and the planet motivates us to continuously improve our solutions. To effectively pursue our goal, we have chosen to obtain the Cradle to Cradle Certified® (C2C Certified®) V4.0 certification, as it validates our vision of responsible glass production.
The Cradle to Cradle Certified® product standard is a sustainability certification program for products. The goal of this certification is to conduct a rigorous and comprehensive assessment of a product's environmental and social impact throughout its entire life cycle. This standard promotes continuous improvement, granting certifications based on progressively increasing achievement levels. Each certification level (Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum) confirms compliance with increasingly stringent requirements across five categories.
These categories include:
Material Health – Ensuring materials are safe for both people and the environment.
Product Circularity – Promoting a circular economy.
Clean Air & Climate Protection – Supporting clean energy and environmental protection.
Water & Soil Stewardship – Protecting natural resources.
Social Fairness – Encouraging fair labor practices to foster thriving communities.
WHY DID WE CHOOSE C2C CERTIFIED® V4.0?
Obtaining the C2C Certified® V4.0 certification is a testament to our commitment to sustainability, which requires dedication and continuous monitoring across multiple areas (see table below), from material health to social fairness. The pursuit of this certification is a driving force for us, as we constantly refine our processes and materials to maintain the highest standards. C2C Certified® encourages architects and designers to create environmentally friendly buildings that positively impact the communities in which they are built.
For investors, this certification enables their projects to achieve higher scores in multi-criteria certifications such as LEED, BREEAM, and WELL, which now recognize the Cradle to Cradle Certified® product standard as a preferred benchmark for making more responsible purchasing decisions.
FIRST SAINT-GOBAIN GLASS PRODUCTS WITH CRADLE TO CRADLE CERTIFIED® V4.0 CERTIFICATION
Saint-Gobain Glass was the first to obtain Cradle to Cradle Certified® V4.0 certification across all five categories for its architectural glass products. The certified product range, manufactured in Europe*, includes the PLANICLEAR® and DIAMANT® glass families (base and coated glass), the ORAÉ® glass family (base and coated glass), and STADIP® laminated glass.
ORAÉ® CRADLE TO CRADLE CERTIFIED® V4.0
– BRONZE LEVEL, PLATINUM IN PRODUCT CIRCULARITY CATEGORY
ORAÉ® has received Cradle to Cradle Certified® V4.0 at the Bronze level and achieved Platinum in the Product Circularity category. ORAÉ® glass, with a reduced carbon footprint of 6.64 kg CO₂ eq./m², was introduced in 2022. Achieving such a low carbon footprint is partly attributed to the high percentage of recycled glass cullet used in production (64% in accordance with ISO 14021:1999 standards). This figure has been verified through a third-party Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and reflects a 42% reduction in carbon footprint compared to the European baseline standard of Saint-Gobain Glass for flat glass.
*Detailed information can be found in the certified product registry at: https://c2ccertified.org/certified-products
Saint-Gobain Glass is produced at the following plants: Eggborough (UK), Aniche, Salaise-sur-Sanne (FR), Avilés (SP), Pisa (IT), Porz, Stolberg, Torgau (DE), Dąbrowa Górnicza (PL).
