Standard Revision 2023 is available

Originally started in 2017, the FEMB Sustainability Standard has gained practical experience and users in the European market. The growing importance of circular economy aspects, changed legislation and user requests are the main contributors to some changes in the Standard that are now included in the version 2023.

The standard still consists of eight sections, but some content has been moved: Air emissions are now in the section "Energy and atmosphere", hazardous waste is in the "Material" section together with the other criteria for waste management.

The title of former section "Human and Ecosystem Health" was changed to "Management of chemicals". Thus, it better reflects the content which is management of chemicals in products, in production and their emission into environment.

For audits the maximum offsite audit time has been increased by 10 percent points to 40%. This reflects the progress made with webmeetings and digital communication. Furthermore, surveillance audit may now be completely offsite/remote.

The text is now clearer about maintaining points with renewed documentation for already formerly achieved credits.

Some credits are new in version 2023:

Products shall now have in general the option to be remanufactured.

A new credit for circular economy activities integrates some criteria already contained in version 2017. The credit "Buy back, take back, leasing" is renamed "Product-as-a-Service". The credit "Carbon footprint and Greenhous Gas" now explains better than before how to integrate the carbon footprint into the standard.

For VOC emissions from the finished product the test methods were updated and adapted to available testing chambers. All credits for waste remain the same but were grouped differently. A new credit for an inventory of air emissions was introduced.

Paper and cardboard are now also considered as material for products, e.g. partitions that contain an inner component made of paper.

The prerequisite for surface coating of wood, plastic or metal parts is aligned with actual EU Green Public Procurement criteria and practical demands from the market.

All details will be integrated into Level website.