Guiding Principles

+Vantage Vinyl™’s Guiding Principles set the direction and parameters for what companies strive to achieve over time and are organized within five pillars that serve as the guideposts for companies on their journey of continuous improvement. The Guiding Principles support improved industry performance across the three material impact categories of resource efficiency, emissions, and people & community.

Companies applying for +Vantage Vinyl verification are measured for compliance to the principles and informed of their relative performance versus their peers. The aggregate compliance of all +Vantage Vinyl verified companies is reported on an annual basis. In this way, the vinyl industry can measure and report on its progress in improving on the most important areas of sustainability performance.

Employ responsible sourcing practices that encourage supplier reductions in environmental impacts and minimal use of natural resources with positive lifecycle implications.
  • Objective:

    To document a sourcing procurement policy

  • Impact Category:

    People & Community

Responsibly recycle products that contain RoHS metals and/or other regulated additives.
  • Objective:

    To encourage the safe use and conversion of post-consumer recycled materials into own products.

  • Impact Category:

    Resource Efficiency

Reuse, recycling and recovery in accordance with sustainable materials management principles throughout the vinyl value chain.
  • Objective:

    To reduce carbon footprint through recycled products

  • Impact Category:

    Resource Efficiency

Minimize waste.

Pathway 1: Divert materials from landfill

Pathway 2: Reduce overall waste generation from a facility

  
  • Objective:

    To reduce managed volumes that are landfilled

  • Impact Category:

    Resource Efficiency

Demonstrate a commitment to improving the energy and greenhouse gas emission profile of PVC products.
  • Objective:

    To reduce end-product embodied carbon

  • Impact Category:

    Emissions

Support third-party water and sanitation conservation and development programs.
  • Objective:

    To increase the availability of clean water and sanitation

  • Impact Category:

    Emissions

Implement water reuse and conservation practices to reduce the depletion of water resources and thereby support the availability of clean water.
  • Objective:

    To conserve water

  • Impact Category:

    Emissions

Use land and other natural resources prudently to protect biodiversity and ecosystems.
  • Objective:

    To prevent releases of product to the environment

  • Impact Category:

    Emissions

Reduce releases to the environment.
  • Objective:

    To reduce emissions to water, air, and soil

  • Impact Category:

    Emissions

Contribute to charitable outreach in the communities in which we operate.
  • Objective:

    To participate with charities in the community

Commit to recruiting, developing, and promoting a diverse workforce while respecting the fundamental values and dignity of all individuals.
  • Objective:

    To ensure equal employment opportunity practices

Provide ready and easy-to-understand access to relevant information about the company’s compensation, benefits, recognition, and incentive opportunities that meet the changing needs of employees.
  • Objective:

    To encourage transparent communications with employees regarding employment and benefits

Safely employ additives based on current data and scientific assessment methodologies.
  • Objective:

    To ensure the safe manufacture and use of PVC products

  • Impact Category:

    People & Community

Avoid the use of lead, hexavalent chromium, and cadmium as added ingredients in vinyl components.
  • Objective:

    To avoid substances of concern in PVC products

  • Impact Category:

    People & Community

Avoid the use of VCM that relies on mercury as a catalyst or reactant in any part of the process.
  • Objective:

    Avoid substances of concern in PVC products.

Use of environmental and safety management systems and operational best practices that minimize risk to employees.
  • Objective:

    To document evidence of implementing best manufacturing practices

  • Impact Category:

    People & Community

Manufacture safe and user-friendly products, and consider potential effects throughout the product life cycle.
  • Objective:

    To create a transparent policy for safer product manufacturing

  • Impact Category:

    People & Community

Provide open disclosure of additives in PVC products.
  • Objective:

    To disclose information on additives used in PVC products to stakeholders upon request

  • Impact Category:

    People & Community

Subscribe to corporate governance policies that are opposed to discrimination, child labor, bribery and corruption, human trafficking, and forced labor.
  • Objective:

    To avoid discrimination and exploitation of any population segment

Sustainability Portfolio Analysis
  • Objective:

    Safe manufacture and use of PVC products.

Establish resource conservation and material efficiency when setting business strategy objectives and goals.
  • Objective:

    To conserve resource and improve efficiency integrated in business planning

Establish sustainability as a criterion in identifying research and development and innovation projects.
  • Objective:

    To include sustainability as a criteria when evaluating R&D projects or capital projects

Treat suppliers, customers, and business partners fairly and ethically through honest and mutually beneficial dealings.
  • Objective:

    To encourage transparent and ethical business practices

Promote open and fair competition throughout industry and in dealing with other business entities, regulators, and government officials. This includes compliance with competition and antitrust laws.
  • Objective:

    To promote open and fair competition

Engage external stakeholders in development of company sustainability programs.
  • Objective:

    To gather external stakeholder input in company sustainability programs

Work within the industry to find solutions, create pilot programs, identify opportunities, and implement them for sustainability-driven advances and innovation.
  • Objective:

    To foster industry collaboration

Communicate company sustainability initiatives.
  • Objective:

    To create sustainability initiative transparency

Provide company operational performance metrics in annual survey for use in industry reporting.
  • Objective:

    To gather data to measure progress against goals

Promote industry and company's vinyl sustainability work
  • Objective:

    To promote the advancement of vinyl sustainability programming

©2024 Vinyl Sustainability Council