MAJOR UPDATES to the Global GreenTag International Standard – New Version 4.1

Investigate important changes to the GreenTagCertTM Product Certification Standard ...

Global GreenTag today releases Version 4.1 of the Global GreenTag International Product Certification Standard and a list of major changes have been made. The Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA) has formally recognised the new Standard for its Responsible Products Framework under Green Star® and recognitions by all other rating tools are currently being updated.

Dr Nana Bortsie-Aryee, Program Director of Global GreenTagCertTM said that v4.1 of the Standard is "both comprehensive and reflective of the activity and calibre of clients and their products, which have been submitted for assessments under GreenTag's certification, declaration and verification programs in the last 12 months."

"We have been very focused and busy meeting the growing needs of both our progressive manufacturers and the markets they are selling into who are demanding both explicit and trusted product information."

Updates to the Standard, he said have also been driven and turbo charged by the development of Global GreenTag's NaturePositive+ Standard™ and NaturePositive+ Declaration™ released at the end of last year, which has positioned GreenTag's capability as a third-party eco-label to assess, measure, certify and rate products for the Circular Economy.

Dr Bortsie-Aryee adds: "This v4.1 of the GreenTag standard provides our product assessors with a more dynamic frame of reference to meet the needs of products that are pushing the boundaries of sustainable product design and manufacture, further."

THE TRANSITION PHASES - v4.0 to v4.1

Existing clients with products currently certified and in a certification cycle under v4.0 of the Standard will be allowed to run the course until the cycle ends.

Ongoing assessments under Standard v4.0 will also be completed under v4.0.

New clients submitting their products for assessments from April 1st will be assessed against Standard v4.1

All new recertifications from April 1st will be conducted under Standard v4.1

THE LIST OF CHANGES v.4.1

Updates to the Global GreenTag International 4.1 Standard, including new additions are listed below:

• Changes to Sustainability assessment category 6 (SAC-6) criteria by updating the minimum ILO Conventions and also including Modern slavery statement as a requirement when required by National or state legislation.
• Expansion to the local procurement supplementary standard going beyond just Australia and South Africa.
• Move from R-phrases to H-Statements for toxicity assessment.
• Addition of wet treatment process clause in the textile supplementary standard
• Updated references.
• Updated scoring for Timber in SAC - 5 Biodiversity.
• Updated definitions in formaldehyde content supplementary standard.
• Minor editorial changes.
• Addition of HealthRate, CarbonRate and WaterRate.
• Minor clarifications in section 8.11 as well as 8.9 relating to Low concentration and processing use chemicals where a substance of very high concern is used.
• Update to Lead content in plumbing parts including copper alloys.
• Updates to assessment of drinking water appliances.
• Updates to Matrix 5.

For any questions about v4.1 of the Standard, please address to:
Dr Nana Bortsie-Aryee, Program Director – Global GreenTag International

To request a copy of v4.1 of the Standard, please address them to Systems Director Tanya Lynch: