SCS Debuts Zero Waste Standard for Sustainable Packaging

New at SCS Global Services (SCS) is the Zero Waste Standard. This new global certification standard enables companies to demonstrate the degree to which their waste streams are prevented, reused, or diverted from the landfill. It is robust yet flexible to allow companies to demonstrate incremental improvements, and to stimulate participation based on regional supply chain differences. As companies look to improve their ESG ratings and strengthen their corporate messages and investment profiles, this third-party certification will provide assurance year-after-year for corporations and their individual facility sites.

The SCS Zero Waste Standard includes:

• Facilities participate and are recognized for waste diversion of 50% or greater. The actual diversion percentage achieved at each facility over a twelve-month period is certified and this percentage is reflected on the certificate. Facilities achieving 99% diversion are certified as “Zero Waste.”
• The Standard provides a cost-effective option for multi-site certification where all participating sites are assessed, involving a representative sampling of sites for on-site audits each year.
• It allows for diversion of hazardous waste to count towards overall diversion.
• It recognizes waste-to-energy if a facility diverts no more than 25% of its waste using waste-to-energy production.

“This is a different kind of Zero Waste standard,” said Stanley Mathuram, SCS Executive Vice President. “It aims to meet companies where they are in their waste reduction journey at their individual facilities by acknowledging the waste diversion they’ve already achieved, as well as continuing to drive waste management toward the zero goal post.”

Since SCS Zero Waste certification takes place at the facility level, corporations can include the findings for that specific facility in their overall sustainability goals and reporting, even if other facilities have not yet achieved the same levels of waste diversion. This approach encourages corporations to benchmark best practices at one facility and expand those practices across their corporate facility footprint.

Third-party certification to this standard provides credible assurance for companies tracking the progress of their waste minimization and diversion accomplishments through internal recordkeeping, thereby supporting external communications to inform the public of their commitment to their sustainability and ESG goals.

The company recently certified Amazon for its Carbon Neutral program, as reported in Happi.