ResponsibleGlass Webinar Highlights Growing Momentum
Thank you to everyone who joined our recent ResponsibleGlass webinar, where we shared an update on the progress we’ve made since launching in December 2025 and outlined the next steps in developing the first global sustainability Standard, certification and labelling system for the glass sector.
During the session, our Standards Lead, Matthew Wenban-Smith, gave an overview of how the ResponsibleGlass Standard is being developed and what it will cover, from raw material sourcing and glassmaking through to manufacturing, use and recycling.
Our Project Director, Ali Lucas, also reflected on the momentum we have built together over the past six months, having grown by 77%, with 23 organisations now officially supporting the ResponsibleGlass mission.
It was particularly valuable to hear from Founding Members and Supporters across the value chain, including Minerali Industriali, Belron and Bovis, who shared their perspectives on why collaboration matters and why they see real value in building a shared sustainability framework for glass.
As ResponsibleGlass continues to grow, we remain focused on working openly with stakeholders from across the sector to ensure the standard is practical, credible and ambitious. Thank you again to everyone who has supported the initiative so far – and to those who are joining the conversation as we move into this next phase of development.
Looking ahead: Save the Date
The next major milestone for ResponsibleGlass is just around the corner, with the first draft of the ResponsibleGlass Standard set to be published this month, launching a 60-day public consultation period.
This consultation will be an important opportunity for stakeholders from across the glass value chain and beyond to review the draft standard, share feedback and help shape its development. As a multi-stakeholder initiative, ResponsibleGlass is committed to an open and transparent process, and stakeholder input will play a vital role in ensuring the standard is practical, credible and ambitious.
Ahead of the consultation launch, we will also be holding a Stakeholder Council meeting for Founding Members and Supporters on 15 July. This will provide an opportunity to preview the draft standard, share more detail on the consultation process and discuss the next phase of development.
The publication of the first draft Standard marks a significant step forward for ResponsibleGlass as we work towards creating the first global sustainability Standard, certification and labelling system for the glass sector. We look forward to engaging with our growing community over the summer and gathering feedback that will help strengthen the Standard as it evolves.
ResponsibleGlass Buyers Alliance established to Support Uptake of Sustainable Glass
ResponsibleGlass is forming a new Buyers Alliance to bring together organisations that buy, specify and use glass, with the aim of strengthening market demand for responsibly produced glass. While glass plays a critical role in modern life and the transition to a more sustainable future, demand signals for lower-impact, responsibly produced glass remain fragmented across sectors and markets
The ResponsibleGlass Buyers Alliance has been designed to help support a more coordinated voice from purchasers and end users across the value chain. By bringing together perspectives from sectors including flat and solar glass, automotive, container and speciality glass, the Buyers Alliance aims to create a practical mechanism for accelerating uptake of responsible glassmaking across global supply chains.
The ResponsibleGlass Buyers Alliance will operate under strict anti-trust and competition rules, with discussions focused on sustainability standards, technical innovation and collective advocacy. To find out more or express interest in joining the Buyers Alliance, please contact the ResponsibleGlass team.
ResponsibleGlass Working Groups Complete First Phase of Standard Development
ResponsibleGlass Working Groups have now completed an important first phase of discussions, with meetings on Responsible Sourcing of Input Materials, GHG Emissions, Circularity, and Downstream Chain of Custody & Claims all taking place in the week of 22 June. Over the past few months, these groups have met regularly online to provide expert input into the development of the future ResponsibleGlass Standard, helping to shape the structure, priorities and technical direction of the first draft.
Discussions have covered topics including responsible sourcing of input materials and recovered materials, approaches to measuring and reporting GHG emissions, circularity and recycled content, and the credibility of downstream chain of custody and claims systems. Across all groups, particular emphasis has been placed on identifying gaps, testing key definitions and terminology, and reviewing the preliminary proposals and glossary that will underpin the standard.
ResponsibleGlass would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this first phase of work. These contributions are playing an important role in strengthening the Standard ahead of its first 60-day public consultation. Working group discussions will continue in September as the process moves into the next phase of Standards development.
Why We Joined: Building Responsibility from the Very Start of the Glass Value Chain
Minerali Industriali is a raw material producer and supplier to the glass industry, sourcing from extraction of quartz, silica sand and feldspar, in various sites as well as from secondary materials through a circular perspective, processed at a dedicated plant in the North of Italy.
The company has supplied the glass industry since its inception almost more than a century ago, more recently expanding into glass recycling. As a founding member of ResponsibleGlass, Minerali Industriali represents the upstream of the value chain, working to reduce the carbon footprint of raw materials from the very first step of the process.
Ivano Menso is the R&D&I + QC Lab Director and leads in the technical work to reduce the carbon footprint of the Group’s raw materials. Read more about the value ResponsibleGlass brings to Minerali Industriali here.
From our CEO: What is the value of the ResponsibleGlass Standard and Certification system?
Independent certification has been developed for many industrial sectors over the last few decades, providing suppliers, manufacturers and their customers with significant economic and sustainability benefits.
The glass industry now has a unique opportunity to lead the way in sustainable manufacturing and ResponsibleGlass certification is the key.
By joining ResponsibleGlass and helping to develop this new global standard, you gain:
- Standardised requirements to prove responsible glassmaking.
- A unified method for collecting data and calculating GHG emissions.
- A certified product label that customers can trust.
- A competitive edge over non-certified glass and other materials.
But ResponsibleGlass is more than a checklist – it’s a community. It unites glassmakers, customers, suppliers, and civil society in a shared mission to define, agree, and promote the principles of ‘good’ glassmaking.
Join ResponsibleGlass
Be part of shaping a credible, transparent future standard for the glass sector.
