Sustainability standards open for comment

UL Environment is seeking public comment on a new corporate sustainability standard for manufacturers.

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UL Environment is seeking public comment on a new corporate sustainability standard for manufacturers: ULE 880 - Sustainability for Manufacturing Organizations. The comment period will be open for approximately 45 days, ending Tuesday, Sep. 14, 2010.

UL Environment and Greener World Media have collaborated in developing the first, organization-wide sustainability standard assessing the corporate policies and practices of manufacturing organizations.

ULE 880 Standard for manufacturing organizations defines core sustainability metrics within the following five areas:

• Sustainability governance: How an organization leads and manages itself in relation to its stakeholders, including employees, investors, regulatory authorities, customers and the communities in which it operates
• Environment: How an organization manages its environmental footprint across its policies, operations, products and services, including its resource use and emissions
• Workforce: Issues related to employee working conditions, organization culture, benefits and retention
• Customers and suppliers: Issues related to an organization's policies and practices on product safety, quality, pricing and marketing as well as its supply chain policies and practices
• Social and community engagement: An organization's impacts on the communities in which it operates in the areas of social equity, ethical conduct and human rights

Organizations that demonstrate leadership performance against the Standard's metrics will be recognized through a third-party verification and certification process.

ULE is seeking participation from a broad cross-section of stakeholders affected by or interested in the implementation of this Standard, including manufacturers, assessment and standards organizations, regulators, policy makers, procurement officers, sustainability professionals, the socially responsible investing community, and non-profit and for-profit sustainability interest groups.