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Sustainable & Natural Product Framework
Sustainability at the product level
Because there is no global definition of sustainability at the product level, we developed a Sustainable & Natural Product Framework to help customers evaluate sustainability for ingredients and raw materials. The Framework is already enabling productive communication on product-level sustainability and we continue to add products monthly. As innovation and regulations emerge, our Framework will evolve. Visit here often and let us know what you are looking for in the Sustainable & Natural Product Framework.
Here are the eight sustainable & natural product characteristics, click on each one for more detail and examples.
Bio-based Products
This sustainability characteristic seeks to provide customers with important information regarding the feedstocks used to create each product. To be considered bio-based, a product must contain ≥25% bio-based feedstocks by mass. This threshold is based on USDA BioPreferred program’s voluntary labelling initiative which sets a threshold of 25% bio-based content.
Natural Products
This sustainability characteristic seeks to provide customers with important information regarding the feedstocks and processing methods used to create each product. Most products within this characteristic should contain 100% natural content, which is derived from natural feedstocks and processed minimally using methods outlined by ISO 16128:1-2016. Products in the Care sector (i.e. personal care; homecare & industrial cleaning) with >50% derived natural content may qualify for this standard in accordance with ISO 16128:1-2016. Please note that “natural” does not refer to specific regulatory language such as that defined by TSCA or REACH, nor does it include ingredients from fossil-based feedstocks.
Carbon Footprinting
Carbon footprinting is considered a “Sustainability Characteristic” for the purposes of this framework when a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) or Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) calculation demonstrates a ≥5% reduction compared to a clearly defined and comparable baseline (e.g., industry average or conventional manufacturing route). Ideally, the data should be verified or audited by an accredited third party, but this is not required for inclusion.
Safer Substitutes
Safer Substitutes are materials which offer comparable performance in application to a relevant conventional material but with the benefit of reduced human health and/or environmental hazards. For the Sustainable & Natural Product Framework, we define a safer substitute in a practical and data-based manner, acknowledging that all substances, including safer substances may carry some risk upon exposure.
Biodegradable and/or Compostable Products
These materials can be broken down in biotic or abiotic conditions in a reasonable timeframe without production of toxic waste products or the release of microplastics. Biodegradable and/or Compostable materials include materials that are readily or inherently Biodegradable in natural environments according to OECD Test Guidelines 301, 302A-C, 303, 309, 310, 311, or 314, materials that are Certified Biodegradable in soil according to SGS Global Services, and materials that can be composted in industrial facilities according to ASTM D6400 and EN 13432. Materials that naturally degrade may also be included under this standard. Materials that degrade into harmful derivatives, for example oxo-plastics, will not be included in this standard.
Circular Materials
Circular materials support the principles of a circular economy through responsible capture and reuse.
Circular materials are produced from the recovery and reprocessing of wastes or residues. This can apply to the reuse of wastes and processing residues and can include pre-consumer and post-consumer waste.
Social Impact
Products with this sustainability characteristic have a specific socially-focused-related claim, verification, approval, listing, certification, attestation, and/or accreditation from an independent party. The certification or accreditation may indicate the producer, supplier, and/or product meets certain standards which enable social impact to be realized in a material’s production. Suppliers must provide accreditation aligned to the most recent standard available with expiration dates included.
Environmental Accreditation
Products with this sustainability characteristic have a specific environmental–related claim, verification, approval, listing, certification, attestation, or accreditation from an independent party. The accreditation must be at the level of the product and not the company. Third-party accreditations are considered environmental when they address criteria aligned with delivering environmental benefits such as reduced land use, water and waste impact reduction, biodegradability, or regenerative practices of production. Suppliers must provide accreditation aligned to the most recent standard available with expiration dates included.
NOTICE: All product information is provided in good faith and is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication based on information received from the supplier and secondary databases. However, Univar Solutions is not able to verify whether third-party data is accurate, complete, and up-to-date and assumes no responsibility, obligation, or liability for the information provided. NO GUARANTEES OR WARRANTIES ARE GIVEN AND ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SUCH AS THOSE OF MERCHANTABILTIY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE EXPRESSLY EXCLUDED. Customer is solely responsible for determining whether products and/or the information provided are appropriate for Customer’s use, and Customer assumes all risk and liability in acting on the information provided.
Our Suppliers also sign our Supplier Code of Conduct so you can be assured that we are working throughout our supply chain to transparently create our Sustainable & Natural Products Portfolio.
