Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze v4.0: our chipboard sets the new standard
23/08/2024
Fantastic news: last month our full range of raw and melamine-faced chipboards obtained the label Cradle to Cradle Certified® Bronze v4.0! It’s a mouthful but the message is clear: our sustainability efforts are being recognised. It’s a nice reward for all the hard work of our employees, suppliers and organisation!
What is Cradle to Cradle Certified®?
There are several independent agencies that assess the sustainability efforts of companies. Contrary to many other labels, Cradle to Cradle Certified® considers the overall picture by assessing products on their performance in such categories as environmental policy, material health, product circularity, clean air & climate protection, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness. This make sense because it is a comprehensive concept that demands a broad view and a deep-rooted sense of responsibility on behalf of businesses. 
Industry pioneer
Last year our chipboards and fibreboards already received the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Material Health Bronze v4.0 certificate. This category of the label evaluates both the health and safety of the materials that go into a product. As from last month, our chipboards also meet the strict demands in the other categories and were therefore awarded the full certificate. And the icing on the cake? We are the first in the industry to obtain the 4.0 version of this certificate!
The hunt for gold
Sustainability is a work in progress and Cradle to Cradle Certified® fully takes this into account. That is why the certificate only lasts a while and not for life. Cristian Delaere, Sustainability manager, Unilin Panels: “As soon as a label is obtained, you have 3 to 6 years to upgrade that certificate to a higher level. For us this means that by 2027 à 2030 we must upgrade our bronze label to silver and eventually to gold. If we fail, we lose the certificate. This approach stimulates us to always do better.”
Group work
The road to the certificate was a joint effort that saw everyone put their best foot forward. External partners also made a valuable contribution, amongst other by sharing specific information about raw materials composition. This dovetails nicely with the whole idea of our sustainability strategy One Home: if we are to integrate sustainability on all levels of our organisation then everyone must stand as one behind that narrative.
The label is awarded by an independent party that makes an objective assessment of whether or not we are on the right track. Not only for us but for the industry as a whole this is an important signal”
- Cristian Delaere, Sustainability manager, Unilin Panels
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