First global sustainability standard for glass launched for consultation

Developed by ResponsibleGlass alongside leading glassmakers, suppliers, customers and sustainability organisations from across the global glass value chain, the draft International Standard for Glassmaking is now open for a 60-day public consultation.

ResponsibleGlass is a not-for-profit organisation established in 2025 to maximise the contribution of glass to a sustainable society. The initiative brings together organisations from across the glass value chain, including glass manufacturers, raw material suppliers, recyclers, brands, sustainability experts and civil society organisations.

Since launching in December 2025, ResponsibleGlass has grown to become an organisation with 23 Founding Members and Supporters, which includes some of the world’s largest glass production companies alongside global organisations across the automotive, retail, construction and luxury goods sectors. Collectively, ResponsibleGlass members and supporters employ more than 150,000 people across the glass sector and generate approximately $90 billion in annual revenue.

Founding members and supporters come from across the glass ecosystem and include Jaguar Land Rover ARUP, Belron, Ciner Glass, Climate Group, DSS+, IRMA, NSG Group, Stara Glass, WE Soda, ARM, Cary Group, ERM CVS, Bovis, Waugh Thistleton Architects and Morgan Sindall Construction.

The initiative is being spearheaded by Francis Sullivan, former head of sustainability at HSBC, and Alan Knight, former board member at ResponsibleSteel. ResponsibleSteel grew within a decade into a global network of more than 160 members, including major steel producers, NGOs and end-users, helping establish internationally recognised sustainability standards for the steel industry.

Glass plays a vital role in modern life, from buildings and vehicles to food packaging, solar panels and advanced technologies. Yet despite the industry’s importance, glass production generates around 95 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions globally each year and, unlike sectors such as steel and forestry, has never had a unified international sustainability framework.

ResponsibleGlass was formed to address this gap.

The draft ResponsibleGlass Standard is designed to create a clear, independently verifiable framework for responsible glassmaking. It covers the entire glass value chain, from the sourcing of raw materials and energy through to glass production, product design and recycling.

Under the proposals, glassmakers seeking ResponsibleGlass certification would be independently assessed against requirements covering governance, responsible sourcing, environmental performance, worker welfare, community impacts and circularity.

The draft standard is structured around six core areas:

• Management systems – ensuring companies have the policies, and reporting systems needed to manage sustainability performance effectively.
• Responsible business practices – including legal compliance, anti-corruption measures, stakeholder engagement, transparency and public reporting of sustainability data.
• Responsible sourcing – requiring companies to understand and assess the environmental and social impacts of key raw materials, recycled materials and energy sources used in glass production, while promoting greater supply chain transparency. This includes everything from silica sand and soda ash through to recovered glass and energy inputs.
• Environmental performance – covering greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, water stewardship, biodiversity, waste management, air emissions and pollution, with companies expected to measure, manage and disclose performance against key sustainability metrics.
• People and communities – including worker health and safety, labour rights, human rights and engagement with local communities affected by glassmaking operations.
• Circularity and sustainable product design – encouraging greater use of recycled materials, improved recycling and recovery rates, and the development of glass products designed to reduce environmental impacts both during use and at the end of life.

Under the proposed system, glassmaking facilities would undergo independent audits against the ResponsibleGlass Standard. To achieve certification, facilities would need to demonstrate compliance with requirements covering responsible sourcing, environmental performance, worker welfare, transparency and circularity. Companies that meet the requirements would achieve ResponsibleGlass certification.

The standard also proposes common rules for measuring and reporting sustainability performance. Glassmakers would be required to use consistent definitions and reporting methodologies for issues such as carbon emissions, recycled content and responsible sourcing, making it easier for customers and stakeholders to compare performance across the industry. These requirements would form the basis of a certification and labelling system for responsibly produced glass.

Feedback received over the next 60 days will be used to inform an updated version, which is expected to be published at the start of 2027.

Francis Sullivan, chair of ResponsibleGlass, said: “Glass is fundamental to modern life, from buildings and vehicles to solar technology and packaging, yet the sector has never operated under a unified, independent global sustainability framework. The publication of this first ResponsibleGlass Draft Standard is an important milestone in changing that.

“ResponsibleGlass brings together the entire value chain, from raw material producers and glassmakers to customers, sustainability experts and civil society organisations, to develop a shared definition of what responsible glassmaking should look like. But a standard is only as strong as the consensus behind it. That is why we’re now inviting the wider industry, customers, policymakers and civil society to help us build a trusted global benchmark for responsible glassmaking.

“Our ambition is to create a trusted benchmark for the industry that accelerates progress on sustainability, drives transparency and helps maximise the positive contribution glass can make to a more sustainable society.”