February 15, 2018
Cradle to Cradle is one of the premier product sustainability certifications recognized globally and across industries. Since health and sustainability are very important to us, O-I is proud to be the first Food and Beverage packaging company to achieve gold rating for Material Health on the Cradle to Cradle Product Scorecard.
The Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Products Program is one of the premier sustainability certifications for products around the world and across industries. "The certification provides brand owners, consumers, regulators, and shareholders tangible validation of our company's ongoing commitment to sustainability," said Jim Nordmeyer, VP, Global Sustainability at O-I. "It's an important baseline and helps us identify next steps to improve our environmental and social performance." Nearly 90 percent of O-I's glass operations were certified across product categories and for certain container colors in the beer, non-alcoholic beverage (NAB), spirit, wine and food markets. The certification is based on five categories: material health, material reutilization, water stewardship, renewable energy use, and social fairness.
"Achieving a gold rating in material health strongly reinforces the benefits of glass," said Nordmeyer. "Glass is safe for repeated food contact and endlessly recyclable. It's virtually impermeable to oxygen so it protects the freshness and taste of consumers' favorite food and beverage brands."
O-I collaborated with an environmental consulting firm, MBDC, to conduct a rigorous product assessment of the company's beer, food, NAB, spirits and wine platforms.
"We are thrilled to collaborate with Owens-Illinois. It is a company taking innovation to the next level, seeking ways to partner with other industry leaders to incorporate more recycled content, maximize use of renewable energy, and consider the full use cycle of its glass products," said Jay Bolus, President of Certification Services at MBDC, the world's foremost advisors in material health, product design and the Cradle to Cradle® Design Framework. "The company's continued pursuit of Cradle to Cradle certification signifies its brand quality and value for its consumers and the environment."
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes C2C certification as a top-tier product sustainability standard in its new federal green purchasing guidelines.
