• What is Eco-Reinforcement?
• Responsible sourcing
• Eco-Reinforcement scheme council
• Requirements of Eco-Reinforcement
• Benefits
• Case studies
• Document download
• Certified companies

Become part of Eco-Reinforcement

E: enquiries@eco-reinforcement.org
T: +44 (0)1923 664312

Benefits

Full Supply Chain Transparency

Eco-Reinforcement certified products provide complete assurance that each part of the supply chain has been assessed to ensure it addresses responsible sourcing principles through the implementation and maintenance of appropriate management systems such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001. Full material traceability including environmental stewardship through supply chain organisations responsible for the extraction, harvesting or recovery of raw material is assured. Additionally, fundamental principles and rights at work are guaranteed in line with International regulations.

• BREEAM, CSH and CEEQUAL recognition

• Conforming with the requirements of BES 6001, Eco-Reinforcement provides a route to obtaining credits within Responsible Sourcing of Materials sections in BREEAM and the Code for Sustainable Homes - Eco-Reinforcement Very Good/Excellent ratings reach Tier Level 1 (3 credits) while Pass/Good certificates reach Tier Level 2 (2 credits in CSH, 2.5 for good, 2 for pass in BREEAM). Also through BES 6001 compliance, Eco-Reinforcement is also recognised as an acceptable responsible sourcing sector scheme within CEEQUAL.

• Sustainability standard compatibility

• Eco-Reinforcement is compliant with the requirements of BES 6001 (BRE Global's Framework Standard for the Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products) and conforms with BS 8902:2009 (Responsible Sourcing Sector Certification Schemes for Construction Products).

• Local sourcing

• The Eco-Reinforcement Standard encourages local sourcing by requiring companies to demonstrate their commitment to addressing the adverse social and environmental impacts of transporting both raw constituent materials from source, through to finished product to customers, supporting local employment and providing reduction targets for continuous improvement. Many companies claim to source locally, but the real proof is in complete supply chain certification.

• Construction product comparability

• The Eco-Reinforcement standard rating system in accordance with BES 6001 provides cross-sector comparability with other construction products.

• National structural concrete specification

• Eco-Reinforcement is recognised as a third-party certification scheme for the supply of reinforcement within edition 4 of NSCS Guidance for sustainable construction.

• Recycled content

• The management of resources is crucial to responsible sourcing. The recycling of materials is widely recognised to be one of the most sustainable approaches to the manufacturing of construction products. The Eco-Reinforcement Standard validates this through recognition of recycled content, providing additional credits as this figure increases. For example, reinforcing steel manufactured via the Electric Arc Furnace production route contains over 98% recycled content, and is 100% recyclable.

• Continuous improvement

• The standard rating system encourages continuous improvement, pushing manufacturers to aim for higher levels, increasing transparency by giving stakeholders the ability to review performance via public reporting mechanisms. This provides specifiers with the confidence that they are sourcing reinforcing steel from suppliers who are addressing the key criteria demanded by an ever increasingly, sustainability conscious construction market.

• Stakeholder engagement

• Stakeholder engagement was critical in ensuring the Eco-Reinforcement Standard was developed fairly, fully encompassing the needs of the construction sector. An independent Scheme Council continues to address these needs through the management and development of the Standard to ensure continuous improvement of the Eco-Reinforcement supply chain. As part of the social requirements section within the standard, Eco-Reinforcement certified companies are required to actively engage with their local community.