Progress Report 2024: Pathway 3
#Coalitions and Partnerships
BUILDING GLOBAL COALITIONS AND PARTNERING FOR THE SDGs
1 ENSURING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY
Each year, VinylPlus publishes an independently verified and audited report on the progress made towards each target. The progress report is proactively circulated to all relevant stakeholders.
The Progress Report 2024 has been independently verified by SGS, while tonnages of recycled PVC waste and expenditures have been audited and certified by KPMG.
MONITORING COMMITTEE
To guarantee maximum transparency, accountability and participation, an independent body supervises the implementation of the Commitment, providing guidance and guidelines.
2 CONTRIBUTING TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH CERTIFIED AND TRACEABLE PRODUCTS
VINYLPLUS SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATIONS
The VinylPlus® Product Label is a third-party-certified sustainability scheme for PVC products in the building and construction (B&C) sector, developed in cooperation with BRE55 and The Natural Step.
In December 2022, the updated version of the VinylPlus® Product Label (v1.4) was submitted for European accreditation by Accredia, the Italian accreditation body.
Accredia confirmed the accreditation of the new version of the Product Label in Italy in February 2023 and at the European level in September 2023.
In 2023, VinylPlus started working on a new version of the Product Label (v2.0) to better align its criteria with the VinylPlus 2030 Commitment and with the revised BRE’s Responsible Sourcing Framework Standard BES 6001 (v4), as well as with the EU changing policies and societal needs for sustainability.
The new sustainability criteria could include, for example, the use of renewable feedstock in the final product, adoption of measures to reduce water usage or abstraction, to minimise spillage of microplastics through Operation Clean Sweep®, to maintain biodiversity, to develop a site stewardship plan, and to promote human rights.
As the owner of the VinylPlus® Product Label, which is already held by the majority of the European PVC profile manufacturers, VinylPlus participated in the 2nd Stakeholder Meeting organised by the Belgian Construction Certification Association (BCCA) for the launch of the new version 2.0 of Duurzaam Schrijnwerk/Menuiserie Durable. This is a multi-material label developed to certify the quality and sustainability of windows and doors manufactured in Belgium.
The label is supported by the whole Belgian construction industry, and its criteria will be prescribed in public and private procurement specifications. The VinylPlus® Product Label has been evaluated at the same level as other sustainability certification schemes, including FSC, PEFC and C2C, at bronze level. Window manufacturers are incentivised to use profiles with the VinylPlus® Product Label, since the latter can be used as proof of evidence for many criteria of the Duurzaam Schrijnwerk/ Menuiserie Durable Label.
VinylPlus® Supplier Certificates (VSCs) are sustainability schemes for additive producers and compounders that are partners of VinylPlus.
The VSCs set a new standard on transparency, traceability, and sustainable production, allowing raw material suppliers to demonstrate their sustainability efforts, and supporting buyers to select products with the highest sustainability performance. In addition, the VinylPlus® Supplier Certificates can help converters obtain the VinylPlus® Product Label. To date, six ESPA members and one compounder have obtained VSCs.
In the next few years, ESPA intends to extend the VinylPlus® Supplier Certificate to its members’ sites outside Europe. In doing this, ESPA will also extend deeper knowledge of the ASF methodology, which helps companies meet the VSC criteria.
In Italy, a specific project aims to promote the VinylPlus® Supplier Certificate (VSC) for compounders and to support producers of PVC compounds for B&C in obtaining it. Seven partners of VinylPlus Italia engaged in this sustainability project. The consultant CESAP, an expert in training and audit for certification, is assisting the compounders in the steps to achieve the VSC.
PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PROCUREMENT PRACTICES
In 2023, VinylPlus Deutschland continued to promote the VinylPlus® Product Label as the sustainability mark for B&C products and VinylPlus as a role model for sustainability.
Two dedicated media campaigns in the magazines KBD and Forum Nachhaltig Wirtschaften (both printed and digital editions) targeted respectively public procurers and corporate social responsibility (CSR) managers. The campaigns highlighted PVC products’ contribution to sustainability and gave visibility to VinylPlus and its Product Label. A campaign was also run in the magazine Hotelbau to address purchasers from the hospitality sector.
ALEXANDER HOFER
CEO, IKA Group
We are a proud partner of VinylPlus, accompanying the whole history of VinylPlus over many years. We are committed in making the industry more sustainable. So, from the top of the company to the bottom, we believe in what we do with respect to the VinylPlus® Supplier Certificate and all the other sustainability actions we undertake.
We have benefited a lot from this development and from this Certificate. We have learned a lot and had exchanges with external parties as well.
We strongly believe in this proactive approach to further develop our industry, as we did already 20 years ago with other long-lasting targets.
3 ENGAGING STAKEHOLDERS IN THE SUSTAINABLE TRANSFORMATION OF THE PVC INDUSTRY
The 11th edition of the VinylPlus Sustainability Forum (VSF) took place in Florence, Italy, in May 2023. Under the theme ‘Making the EU Green Deal Happen’, the event was held in a presence-only format for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, and it gathered more than 160 delegates from 21 countries.
They debated sustainable solutions towards carbon neutrality, circularity in the building and construction sector, developments in green procurement and sustainable product certifications. High-level discussions on the contribution of PVC to a sustainable society took place in the context of upcoming European policy initiatives on plastics and PVC and regulatory challenges in the EU legislative framework. Participants appreciated these stimulating discussions as well as the opportunity for a face-to-face event. Networking spaces were available, and some of the VinylPlus flagship initiatives were exhibited, such as VinylPlus® Med, Garden to Connect and the Italian WREP. The VSF was preceded by the VinylPlus General Assembly, which was open only to VinylPlus partners and gathered around 100 participants.
The topics debated at the VSF were further explored in Germany at the 4th National VinylPlus Sustainability Forum organised by VinylPlus Deutschland at the University Club of Bonn. High-level speakers and stakeholders gathered to discuss the global transformation towards the circular economy and carbon neutrality and the related challenges for the chemical and plastic industries, and for the PVC value chain.
In December 2023, VinylPlus UK organised an online seminar to update the national PVC industry on VinylPlus progress and perspectives, the global and European PVC market trends, as well as the UK legislative developments. The event saw the participation of 115 representatives from the entire PVC value chain and from academia.
The strong cooperation with the other regional PVC associations represented in the Global Vinyl Council (GVC) continued in 2023. Experience, knowledge and best practices were actively shared, and there was a particular focus on hot topics such as the ECHA Investigation report on PVC and PVC additives, and the UNEP intergovernmental negotiations towards a Global Plastics Treaty.
VinylPlus was accredited in August 2023 as an observer organisation to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It then participated in the work of the Third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-3). Participation in INC-3, which took place at the UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, from 13 to 19 November 2023, provided VinylPlus with an opportunity to interact with representatives of UNEA Member States, UN organisations, other plastic industry organisations and relevant stakeholders.
On 12 November, the Global Vinyl Council, Vinyl Institute of Canada, the Vinyl Institute (USA) and VinylPlus co-hosted a Meet & Greet Reception. This gathered key stakeholders before the INC-3 meetings to exchange views on the potential development of the treaty and information on the benefits and sustainability of PVC products, as well as their importance and contribution to a sustainable society.
As a member of the Business and Industry Major Group (BIMG) accredited by UNEP, VinylPlus contributed its case history to the BIMG Beacon Projects Report 2024, the Major Group’s flagship publication. The report serves as a platform to underscore the essential role that businesses play in advancing the UNEA-6 theme – Effective, inclusive, and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
The report showcases successful projects or innovations that have demonstrated tangible impact in addressing one or more global environmental challenges. The BIMG Beacon Projects Report 2024 was launched at the 6th meeting of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) in February 2024 and submitted to representatives of UNEA Member States and stakeholders across the UNEP system.
4 PARTNERING WITH STAKEHOLDERS
To enhance the PVC industry’s contribution to the SDGs, VinylPlus is continuing to engage with civil society, including younger generations, local communities, institutions and the private sector in order to develop partnerships, joint projects and initiatives.
ENGAGING WITH CIVIL SOCIETY
On the occasion of the International Day of Yoga 2023, VinylPlus renewed its traditional partnership with the Belgian Yoga Day. VinylPlus took part in a yoga session in Brussels for young students of the IRSA (Institut Royal pour Sourds et Aveugles, Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children), as well as teachers, staff, children’s families and friends of the IRSA.
The VinylPlus PVC yoga mats utilised for the event were then donated to the children to allow them to continue yoga lessons. The PVC mats had already been used at the 2021 Yoga Day. Thanks to the material’s durability and flexibility, they can be reused several times.
As part of its engagement with the sports community, in 2023 VinylPlus has become a partner of the Parc Hockey Club of Brussels, one of the most representative teams on the Belgian field and indoor hockey scene.
In addition to a concrete support for the team, this collaboration provides VinylPlus with an opportunity to raise awareness of sustainability and the contribution of PVC to sports among young athletes.
This is also thanks to PVC versatility, resistance and recyclability, which make it an ideal material for clothing, equipment and sport facilities. VinylPlus information banners, that are displayed during field hockey competitions, are reusable and will be recycled at the end of their life.
Under the theme Sustainable Futures – leave no one behind, the International Union of Architects (UIA) organised its World Congress of Architects 2023 in Copenhagen in July 2023. As part of the World Congress, the Danish Plastics Federation set up a Plastic Pavilion from 21 June to 14 July as a platform to display innovative and sustainable plastics. The Pavilion hosted events, talks, and public gatherings, and became a hub for dialogue on plastics for sustainable societies.
As a diamond sponsor of the Plastic Pavilion, VinylPlus showcased unique PVC solutions for building and construction, the medical sector, and smart cities and societies. About 20% of the products displayed in the Pavilion were made of PVC. They included flooring, rugs and wall coverings made from recycled PVC, as well as rPVC sewer pipes, greenhouse gutters and rPVC façade tiles.
The event also provided an occasion to present specific initiatives through talks and one-on-one conversations, such as Garden to Connect, VinylPlus® Med, the VinylPlus 2030 Commitment, WUPPI and The Vinyl House.
Furthermore, VinylPlus presented Vinyl Veggies, a sculpture based on the principles of Garden to Connect and inspired by the Pompidou Centre in Paris. The sculpture showcased the transformative potential of vertical farming and emphasised the role of PVC as a material for use in food production. Vinyl Veggies was made with used PVC pipes, designed to be disassembled and will host other vegetables and plants in the future.
VinylPlus® Med is proving to be an effective project not only for increasing collection and recycling in the healthcare sector, but also for attracting new partnerships and supporting their development. In 2023, a new collaboration was established with the adult day-care centre Ons Tehuis Brabant, EnAdviS and Veolia for co-collection of discarded single-use PVC medical devices and PP Blue wraps in four Flemish hospitals.
VinylPlus® Med’s experience and results have been the basis for the development of the Select4Care project, in partnership with Denuo and VIL. The scope of the Select4Care project is to enhance the collection logistics chain, and thus increase the recycled volumes, of medical plastic (including PVC) waste from Flemish hospitals. It was developed in response to a call for projects launched by Circular Flanders, the Flemish hub for circular economy, to promote circular healthcare. Thanks also to VinylPlus® Med’s experience and credentials, the Flemish Minister for Environment granted the Select4Care project a subsidy of €100,000 over two years.
In June 2023, a media field trip entitled PVC Recycling Live Erleben was organised by VinylPlus Deutschland in partnership with EPPA for journalists to learn and understand circularity in profiles (U-PVC) and films (P-PVC). The event, which involved around 10 journalists, took place in Troisdorf, Germany and included a visit to Gerflor Mipolam’s PVC flooring production facility and AgPR’s PVC flooring recycling plant.
The Preserve the water ‘good’ with SMART PVC piping systems project, run by VinylPlus Italia, trained and informed designers, public procurers and specifiers in the benefits of PVC piping systems as a sustainable and cost-efficient solution to mitigate the effects of droughts. The project included the meeting Preserve the water ‘good’ in partnership with Utilitalia, Althesys and Politecnico of Milan. The meeting targeted public administrations, public procurers and utilities. Key topics included quality and sustainability labels for PVC products and the benefits of PVC for cost-efficiency and technical performance, as well as innovation and digitalization. In addition, a cycle of three webinars supported by the Italian Orders of Engineers and Architects was held in June 2023. Around 900 designers and specifiers participated in the webinars, and their feedback was extremely positive. Due to designers’ interest in the topic, a dedicated volume on The protection of the water resource, use of efficient and long-lasting PVC pipes was produced. This was the 15th book in a VinylPlus Italia series on pipes.
In the UK, the project 18 months – 18 reasons to choose PVC was relaunched with new and fresh infographics by VinylPlus UK. The project aimed to engage with industry stakeholders, improve the image of PVC and promote VinylPlus as a role model for sustainability commitment, using simple, emotional and fresh communications tools. The new infographics will be released in 2024 on the occasion of special events and will be supported by a social media campaign.
ENGAGING WITH INSTITUTIONS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES
As recognized by the EU’s New European Bauhaus, the Garden to Connect project contributes to a sustainable, beautiful and inclusive Europe.
In May 2023, Garden to Connect participated in the exhibition Next Library in Aarhus, Denmark. It attracted 300 participants from 29 nations in its urban gardens in the Next Library’s SDG Outdoor Stage and in dedicated talks. The project was showcased at the Plastic Pavilion of the UIA World Congress of Architects 2023 in Copenhagen. It also appeared in the video of the EU project DivAirCity, a European project that “recognizes, accepts and celebrates differences in cities and turns them into a true value to address the emergency of air pollution and climate change.”
In Rwanda, Garden to Connect organised three different initiatives. Percussion to Connect transformed old PVC pipes into drums. In educational workshops, students learned how to produce prototypes of PVC pipe drums from end-of-life PVC pipes and cow hide.
The drums were used in music classes and performances to promote the reuse of PVC and to raise awareness of the environment and of the health benefits of drumming. In the PVC and dance for health initiative, a performance raised awareness of how people and plants can be helped to grow. The scenography used PVC pipes as a creative base to show how they can be reused in artistic ways and used to create new moves.
Cooking home-grown vegetables from Garden to Connect safely consisted of educational cooking workshops for the youth of the Indaro Centre. The initiative encouraged urban farming in old PVC pipes without the use of conventional pesticides and used pellets made from biomass waste left over from forest management, reforestation and furniture production.
In Denmark, WUPPI, supported by VinylPlus, continued to raise awareness of its collection and recycling activities and of the European PVC industry’s achievements in sustainability and circularity. Communications with stakeholders were supported by multimedia and marketing campaigns and ad hoc newsletters.
To increase volumes and improve collection efficiency, WUPPI in 2023 successfully established a partnership with Ragn-Sells, a corporate group involved in waste management, environmental services and recycling.
WUPPI collected pipes for an installation test of 3-layer sewer pipes. The pipes were produced from lead-free PVC waste by the VinylPlus partner Wavin in accordance with the Nordic Poly Mark standard, with 70% of recycled content in the intermediate layer. The project was also an occasion to further strengthen relationships with the Danish EPA (Miljøstyrelsen).
In Italy, the 2026 Winter Olympics Milano- Cortina project addressed institutions, authorities, local administrations, Olympics organisers and companies of the PVC value chain.
The project aimed to promote PVC and its applications as smart solutions for sustainable sport events. It also facilitated collaboration among companies, recyclers and other business partners to develop a virtuous system that can ensure the circularity and sustainability of products and productions, as requested by the Olympics’ organisers, in line with national GPPs and REACH regulation.
Collaborative contacts were developed and are still ongoing with Italian institutions, focusing in particular on recycled content for PVC applications and the development of dedicated waste management schemes. A brochure on sustainable sport events was produced for managers of winter sports facilities, institutions, public and private planners, and architects. It illustrates how to design and build sports structures and facilities with PVC in a sustainable and circular way.
VINYLPLUS ENDORSES THE ANTWERP DECLARATION
In February 2024, VinylPlus endorsed the Antwerp Declaration, which was presented at the European Industry Summit. The Declaration emphasises the necessity for a competitive and resilient EU industry to align with the European Green Deal and the urgent need for clarity, predictability, and confidence in Europe’s industrial policy. More than 1,000 organisations from 25 industry sectors have to date signed the Antwerp Declaration.
CHARLOTTE RÖBER
Managing Director, VinylPlus
VinylPlus endorses the Antwerp Declaration, advocating for a competitive, resilient EU industry enabling the implementation of the European Green Deal.
We echo the call for a clear and strong European industrial policy that is also the backbone of social, economic, and environmental sustainability in the European PVC sector providing increasingly sustainable solutions across vital sectors.
Bring it with you!
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