The Vinyl Sustainability Council released the latest edition of its annual progress report, titled "On The Forefront," which highlights the significant progress made by the vinyl industry in advancing sustainability and fostering collaboration across the value chain. The report showcases achievements under the +Vantage Vinyl program, a third-party verification initiative that evaluates companies on their performance to 29 guiding principles related to five pillars of sustainability—environmental stewardship, social diligence, economic soundness, collaboration and open communications. The program added five new companies to the verification process in 2023, and totaled 30 companies verified as of August 2024.
The report also highlights the first-year success of the VIABILITY recycling grant program, which committed $3 million over three years to accelerate post-consumer vinyl recycling. In 2023, 16 projects were awarded $1.674 million. The first five completed projects have resulted in approximately a 30-million-pound annual increase in post-consumer PVC recycling capacity.
2023 +Vantage Vinyl verification program by the numbers
- 30 total companies
- 5 first-time companies
- 88% average compliance
- 94% average compliance of first-year companies
- 100% of program participants met the 50% compliance minimum
VSC's response
"This year's report reflects the vinyl industry's commitment to measurable progress and continuous improvement," says Jay Thomas, executive director of the VSC. "We are proud to have added 15 new VSC member companies in 2023, and to see 30 companies verified through the +Vantage Vinyl program. These milestones underscore the growing importance of sustainability across the vinyl value chain, and we look forward to seeing how our members continue to shape a more sustainable future."
