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Certification Standards Framework

Describes the five-pillar evaluation system, material safety tiers, and the public comment process that keeps the mark rigorous and transparent.

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DOCUMENT 6: CERTIFICATION STANDARDS FRAMEWORK (REVISED)

CERTIFICATION STANDARDS FRAMEWORK (Overview)

Sustainable Integrity Certification Association

Note: This document provides the structural framework. Detailed technical specifications for each pillar will be developed by the Standards Committee and published separately.

I. CERTIFICATION TIERS

Products are certified based on how many of the Five Pillars they achieve:

Tier Pillars Achieved Mark Color
Platinum 5/5 Platinum/White
Gold 5/5 Gold/Yellow
Silver 4/5 Silver/Gray
Bronze 3/5 Bronze/Orange
Copper 2/5 or 1/5 Copper/Brown

All-or-Nothing Scoring:

  • Each pillar is either achieved or not achieved
  • No partial credit within a pillar
  • Clear, binary assessment ensures rigor

Note on Tier-Material Relationship:

  • Platinum: Requires 5/5 pillars AND all materials must be Tier 1.
  • Gold: Requires 5/5 pillars. This is the maximum certification level for a product containing any Tier 2 materials.
  • Silver: Requires 4/5 pillars. This is the maximum certification level for a product containing any Tier 3 material (which automatically fails Pillar 4, resulting in 4/5 pillars).
  • Tier 4: Products containing any Tier 4 material are not certifiable.

II. THE FIVE PILLARS

PILLAR 1: LONGEVITY (Buy It For Life)

Objective: Products designed for maximum lifespan with no planned obsolescence.

Core Requirements:

  1. Durability Standards
      - Materials rated for minimum expected lifespan:
        - Durables: 25+ years normal use
        - Semi-durables: 10+ years
        - Consumables: N/A (see #3)
      - Accelerated aging testing required
      - Failure mode analysis documented

  2. No Planned Obsolescence
      - No intentional design to fail or degrade
      - No software updates that brick devices
      - No forced upgrades through compatibility removal
      - Spare parts available for minimum periods:
        - Durables: 30 years
        - Semi-durables: 15 years

  3. Consumables Exception
      - Products designed for consumption (food, soap, candles, etc.) must be:
        - Compostable within 180 days, OR
        - Biodegradable with no harmful residues, OR
        - Fully recyclable with established recycling stream

  4. Modular Design
      - Components upgradeable without replacing entire product (where applicable)
      - Standardized interfaces preferred
      - Future-proofing through flexible design

Testing Methods:

  • ASTM durability standards (where applicable)
  • Accelerated lifecycle testing
  • Historical failure data analysis
  • Spare parts availability verification

PILLAR 2: REPAIRABILITY

Objective: Products engineered to be easily repaired, minimizing waste and extending useful life.

Core Requirements:

  1. Right to Repair
      - Repair manuals publicly available (free)
      - Exploded diagrams and schematics accessible
      - No voiding of warranty for user repairs
      - No proprietary tools required (or sold at cost)
      - No software locks preventing repair

  2. Design for Repair
      - Modular construction with replaceable components
      - Standardized fasteners (no security screws)
      - Minimal adhesives (prefer mechanical fasteners)
      - Clear labeling of components
      - Common parts used where possible

  3. Parts Availability
      - Replacement parts sold at reasonable prices
      - No bundling of parts (sell individually)
      - Parts available for minimum periods (same as Pillar 1)
      - Third-party parts not restricted

  4. Repair Scoring
      - Products scored using standardized repairability index (0-10)
      - Minimum score: 7/10 to achieve pillar
      - Based on disassembly time, tool requirements, parts cost

Testing Methods:

  • iFixit-style teardown analysis
  • Timed repair scenario testing
  • Parts pricing review
  • Documentation completeness audit

PILLAR 3: SUSTAINABLE DISPOSAL

Objective: End-of-life disposal with no environmental impact, or complete recovery/storage of all materials.

Core Requirements:

  1. Compostable Path (Preferred for organic materials)
      - ASTM D6400 or EN 13432 compliance
      - 90% degradation within 180 days
      - No toxic residues in compost
      - Home compostable preferred over industrial

  2. Zero Environmental Impact Path
      - All materials break down to benign substances
      - No microplastics generation
      - No bioaccumulative compounds
      - No persistent chemicals (no PFAS, no heavy metals)

  3. Complete Recovery Path (If #1 or #2 impossible)
      - 100% of materials recoverable through established systems
      - Disassembly for material recovery required
      - Manufacturer take-back program mandatory, OR
      - Established municipal/commercial recycling available
      - No downcycling (materials maintain value)

  4. Hazardous Material Storage (Only if absolutely necessary)
    s - Permanent, 100% effective containment demonstrated
      - Used only when no alternative exists
      - Volume minimized
      - Clear disposal instructions provided

Testing Methods:

  • Compostability testing (ASTM D6400, ISO 14855)
  • Leachate analysis (no toxins)
  • Disassembly for recycling assessment
  • End-of-life pathway verification
  • Take-back program audit

PILLAR 4: ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY

Objective: No harm to human, animal, or plant health at any stage of product lifecycle.

Core Requirements:

  1. Material Safety
      - All materials classified in Tier 1 or Tier 2.
      - Products containing any Tier 3 material automatically fail this pillar.
      - Products containing any Tier 4 material are not certifiable.

  2. No Carcinogens
      - Zero IARC Group 1 or 2A carcinogens.
      - Group 2B carcinogens only if:
        - Exposure demonstrably zero during normal use, AND
        - Contained through entire lifecycle.

  3. No Endocrine Disruptors
      - Zero substances on EU ED List
      - Zero BPA, phthalates, PFAS
    _ - Organic fibers (avoid pesticide residues)

  4. Supply Chain Requirements
      - Full disclosure of all materials >0.1% by mass
      - Supply chain audit for material sourcing
    s- No child labor or forced labor
      - Adherence to environmental laws in production

  5. Lifecycle Assessment
      - No toxic byproducts in manufacture
      - No air/water/soil pollution above regulatory limits
      - Transportation impacts considered
      - Energy use in production assessed (feeds into Pillar 5)

Testing Methods:

  • Material composition analysis (GC-MS, XRF, etc.)
  • Toxicology review (existing literature)
  • Supply chain audit
  • Lifecycle assessment (ISO 14040/44)
  • Worker exposure assessment

PILLAR 5: EFFICIENCY

Objective: Minimal resource and energy consumption throughout product lifecycle.

Core Requirements:

  1. Energy Efficiency (For powered products)
      - Top 10% efficiency in product category
      - ENERGY STAR equivalent or better
      - Standby power <0.5W
      - No phantom load

  2. Passive Products
      - Products requiring no energy automatically meet this criterion IF:
      _ - Manufacturing energy use assessed and minimized
        - Transportation energy reasonable (local preferred)

  3. Buildings
      - New construction: Passive House standards or equivalent
      - Major renovations: 50% energy reduction vs. baseline
      - Airtightness: 0.6 ACH50 or better
      - High-performance envelope (R-40+ walls, R-60+ roof)
    s - Heat recovery ventilation required

  4. Resource Efficiency
      - Minimal packaging (plastic-free preferred)
      - Concentrated formulas for liquids
      - Lightweight design without sacrificing durability
      - Minimal water use in manufacturing

  5. Embodied Energy
      - Full lifecycle energy accounting
      - Local materials preferred (reduce transportation)
      - Renewable energy in manufacturing (bonus credit)

Testing Methods:

  • Energy consumption testing (DoE test procedures)
  • Building energy modeling (PHPP or equivalent)
  • Blower door testing for buildings
  • Lifecycle energy analysis
  • Packaging waste assessment

III. MATERIAL TIER SYSTEM

The Environmental Safety pillar relies on material classification:

TIER 1: FULLY CERTIFIED MATERIALS

Criteria:

  • 50+ years of widespread human use
  • Multi-generational exposure data
  • Known environmental breakdown pathways
  • No carcinogenic properties at exposure levels
  • No hormone disruption
  • Peer-reviewed safety data

Examples:

  • Natural fibers: cotton, wool, linen, hemp, silk
  • Solid wood (untreated or naturally treated)
  • Natural rubber
  • Glass
  • Metals: iron, steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, bronze, aluminum
  • Natural stone: granite, marble, slate
  • Ceramics (lead-free, naturally glazed)
  • Beeswax, plant oils
  • Natural pigments and dyes

Certification Limit: Eligible for Platinum

TIER 2: PROVISIONAL MATERIALS

Criteria:

  • 10-50 years of use
  • Incomplete long-term safety data
  • Promising but not fully proven
  • No known acute toxicity
  • Ongoing studies required

Examples:

  • Silicone
  • Bioplastics (PLA, PHA, etc.)
  • Modern engineered woods (with disclosed binders)
  • Some newer alloys
  • Natural materials with new processing methods
  • Certain plant-based polymers

Certification Limit: Gold (Products with Tier 2 materials pass Pillar 4 but are ineligible for Platinum)

Requirements:

  • Products must carry disclosure: "Contains materials under ongoing evaluation"
  • Manufacturer commits to tracking studies
  • Re-evaluation every 5 years
  • Upgrade to Tier 1 possible with sufficient data

TIER 3: RESTRICTED MATERIALS

Criteria:

  • Known concerns or limitations
  • Safe only with specific engineering controls
  • Use-case restrictions apply
  • Better alternatives preferred

Examples:

  • Certain plastics if fully encapsulated
  • Treated woods (if treatment disclosed and contained)
  • Composite materials with partial data

Certification Limit: Silver (Products with Tier 3 materials automatically fail Pillar 4, limiting them to a maximum of 4/5 pillars)

Requirements:

  • Strict use limitations (structural only, never food contact, etc.)
  • Enhanced disposal requirements
  • Manufacturer must demonstrate containment

TIER 4: NON-CERTIFIABLE MATERIALS

Criteria:

  • Known toxicity
  • Endocrine disruption
  • Carcinogenic properties
  • Persistent environmental harm
  • Microplastic generation

Examples:

  • PFAS (forever chemicals)
  • BPA and similar endocrine disruptors
  • Lead-based materials (paint, solder, etc.)
  • Arsenic-treated materials
  • Most conventional plastics (additives + breakdown)
  • PVC (plasticizers, chlorine release)
  • Polystyrene (styrene migration)

Certification Limit: NOT CERTIFIABLE

IV. BURDEN OF PROOF

Precautionary Principle Applied:

  • Manufacturer must prove material safety
  • SICA does not need to prove harm to restrict
  • Absence of evidence is not evidence of safety
  • When in doubt, restrict to lower tier

Evidence Requirements:

For Tier 1 (50+ year data):

  • Published epidemiological studies
  • Multi-generational exposure data
  • Environmental persistence studies
  • Breakdown pathway documentation
  • Absence of hormone disruption (peer-reviewed)

For Tier 2 (10-50 year data):

  • Minimum 10 years real-world use
  • Acute toxicity studies (multiple species)
  • Short-term human exposure data
  • Preliminary environmental studies
  • Ongoing monitoring commitment

For Tier 3:

  • Safety under specific conditions demonstrated
  • Exposure controls documented
  • Risk assessment completed

V. STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

  1. Draft Standards - Standards Committee develops detailed criteria
  2. Scientific Review - Scientific Advisory Council validates scientific basis
  3. Public Comment - 60-day comment period, all comments reviewed
  4. Revision - Standards Committee incorporates feedback
  5. Board Approval - Final standards approved by Board
  6. Publication - Standards published online (open access)
  7. Implementation - 6-month grace period before enforcement
  8. Review Cycle - Standards reviewed every 3 years minimum

VI. CERTIFICATION MARK USAGE

Approved Formats:

  • Tier badge (Platinum/Gold/Silver/Bronze/Copper)
  • Shows tier and pillars achieved
  • QR code linking to full certification details
  • Includes certification ID number

Restrictions:

  • May only be used on certified products
  • Must match certified configuration exactly
  • Changes to product require re-certification
  • Logo license must be current
  • Misuse results in revocation

*This framework document adopted by the Board of Directors on ____, 20___.*

Detailed technical specifications for each pillar to be developed by Standards Committee and published separately.