by: Tomas Riegels-Jørgensen, Sales Manager & Business Developer Sustainability, Bureau Veritas
Playgrounds with documented green benefits
An increasing number of companies are having their sustainability initiatives verified by third parties, as third-party verification reinforces trust and transparency. Here’s why it’s a good idea, and how third-party verification can help you make well-informed green decisions.
Third-party verified products
Navigating companies’ various claims about climate impact has been a jungle for a long time, so companies are increasingly using third-party verified data to help. As a result, third-party verification has become an integral part of the sustainability department in many companies. And rightly so.
Beginning in fiscal year 2024, large and listed companies will be affected by the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). The EU legislation requires these companies to publish regular information on social and environmental risks and to document the impact of their initiatives.
Third-party verification is key to documenting these impacts, as it contributes to trust and transparency – both within the company and externally for customers, investors, NGOs and other stakeholders.
We’ve asked Tomas Riegels-Jørgensen, Sales Manager & Business Developer Sustainability at Bureau Veritas, to impart his expert insights on third-party verifications of green initiatives.
From profit to planet
Not many years back, companies usually only documented their financial activities through the annual report. They have spent many years understanding and analysing the company’s cash flows and financial activities.
Now, there is another report to be understood and interpreted:
– Companies need to understand ESG which relates to their environmental, social and governance activities. It takes years to understand and learn the many terms and the connections between them. How do the different terms interact? Where are the interfaces? How do we best compare our data? The demands for documenting sustainability efforts are really on the rise, says Tomas Riegels-Jørgensen.
“It takes years to understand and learn the many ESG terms and the connections between them. How do the different terms interact? Where are the interfaces? How do we best compare our data? The demands for documenting sustainability efforts are really on the rise.”
Tomas Riegels-Jørgensen, Sales Manager & Business Developer Sustainability, Bureau Veritas
Bureau Veritas
At Bureau Veritas, Tomas Riegels-Jørgensen and his colleagues help companies identify sustainability data, obtain data from suppliers, and verify and certify their sustainability data.
– As an independent third-party advisor, we assist and guide our clients on their green agenda. We help them steer in the direction they want to go, but we also have ambitions on their behalf, continuously helping them to move in a more sustainable direction.
Full circle responsibility
When Bureau Veritas verifies and certifies companies’ data, they use international standards such as ISO standards, the GHG Protocol, and life cycle analysis (LCA).
Tomas Riegels-Jørgensen highlights KOMPAN as one of the companies that have calculated and third-party verified greenhouse gas emissions on every product – all the way from cradle to gate:
– Many companies only make calculations on the company’s greenhouse gas emissions from water, electricity and operation of vehicles and machinery, says Tomas Riegels-Jørgensen, and continues:
– KOMPAN also includes the emissions that come through suppliers. So, they include the entire value chain from cradle to gate, which refers to the carbon impact of the product from the moment it’s produced to the moment it’s ready for sale. It’s complex and still unique to make calculations at such a detailed level, and it has required a lot of heavy lifting to achieve.
“KOMPAN includes the entire value chain from cradle to gate, which refers to the carbon impact of the product from the moment it’s produced to the moment it’s ready for sale. It’s complex and still unique to make calculations at such a detailed level, and it has required a lot of heavy lifting to achieve.”
Tomas Riegels-Jørgensen, Sales Manager & Business Developer Sustainability, Bureau Veritas
“Cradle to cradle”
In the long run, Bureau Veritas aims to motivate KOMPAN to calculate the entire life cycle of the product, which in the best case is called “cradle to cradle”. At the same time, Tomas Riegels-Jørgensen believes that it is wise for a company to take one step at a time, to be sure that they have control over the calculations it is making.
– Third-party verification is a great idea if you want to gain trust or minimise the risks of being accused of greenwashing or incorrect data, for example. It’s a good way to prepare the company for the future, as the sustainability report will eventually be as significant as the annual report when investors, banks, customers and other stakeholders choose partners, concludes Tomas Riegels-Jørgensen from Bureau Veritas.
Testing for harmful chemicals
An important part of children’s development is to explore things – including with their mouths. At KOMPAN, safety is paramount when selecting and using materials for playgrounds, where children particularly use the play equipment in various ways.
KOMPAN follows the EU’s chemical legislation, REACH, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) from the USA and Safety of Toys EN71-3 in both selecting and testing materials for their playgrounds. An example is the recycled plastic material polypropylene, which undergoes thorough batch testing at an externally accredited laboratory at Bureau Veritas.
In addition to laboratory tests, KOMPAN retests materials received from suppliers, which have already been tested, to ensure that the materials do not contain harmful chemicals. This is a so-called incoming inspection, where an XRF spectrometer is used to analyse many of the chemicals in the materials.
All KOMPAN products come with a calculation of the product’s carbon footprint. This means you can easily see a full picture of the carbon emissions generated in the production of it. You can also see the recycled content here. All calculations are third-party verified – a proof that the calculations are truthful.
Q&A on third party verification
What does 3rd party verification mean?
Third-party verification is when we use an outside organization to review and confirm information and intentions to ensure accuracy.
Who is Bureau Veritas?
Bureau Veritas is a company specialising in testing, inspection and certification founded in 1828. It operates in a variety of sectors. Bureau Veritas is present in 140 countries through a network of over 1,500 offices, laboratories, and more than 78,000 employees.
New | Online magazine
Designing Greener Playgrounds
Welcome to the discussion on the ever-evolving landscape of playgrounds – an essential aspect of childhood development that now takes a turn towards responsible materials and practices.
In this magazine, we'll delve deeper into the specifics of these materials, exploring the benefits they bring to playground design and their positive influence on the overall environmental footprint of these spaces.
Explore, learn, design: Greener playgrounds
The footprint of a playground
Playgrounds, integral to childhood development, often leave a substantial environmental footprint from raw material extraction to disposal. KOMPAN's Go Green Director, Dorthe Thorup-Kjærulff, sheds light on KOMPAN's commitment to transparency.
From waste to play value
KOMPAN acknowledges that around 80% of its carbon emissions result from the raw materials used. The company is actively seeking ways to diminish its environmental footprint. Learn more about the company's key initiatives.
The new look of a reduced carbon footprint
Architect Alexander Sundberg assures that TexMade™ posts and plastic alternatives, developed from textile waste and post-consumer sources, rival steel and plastic in durability. Playground solutions can be as colorful as your heart desires – but with a dramatically reduced carbon footprint.
Greener playgrounds: Where durability meets safety
KOMPAN's TexMade™ playground posts, crafted entirely from textile waste, prove their durability in extreme tests. Jacob Harder, KOMPAN's engineer, emphasizes the necessity of finding alternatives to traditional materials like steel and plastic.
Playgrounds with documented green benefits
Navigating corporate claims on climate impact is increasingly aided by third-party verified data. Tomas Riegels-Jørgensen of Bureau Veritas emphasizes the rising demand for understanding ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) activities.