Glass Futures Joins ResponsibleGlass to accelerate global low-carbon standards, a partnership that strengthens efforts to enable transparent, sustainable glass production worldwide.
DRIVING DECARBONISATION AT SCALE
Glass Futures has become the latest organisation to join ResponsibleGlass, strengthening the international coalition’s mission to accelerate low-carbon, transparent, and responsible practices across the global glass value chain.
As a global centre of excellence for glass research and development, Glass Futures brings scientific expertise, large-scale testing capability, and innovation leadership to the newly formed international multi-stakeholder programme.
Glass Futures’ membership marks a significant step forward in the development of the first independent, global standard and certification system for responsible, low-carbon glass production.
DRIVING A UNIFIED SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORK
Glass plays an essential role in modern life – from buildings and solar panels to vehicles and packaging – yet its production remains energy-intensive, generating approximately 95 million tonnes (t) of CO₂ emissions globally each year.
Unlike sectors such as steel or timber, the glass industry has not previously operated under a unified sustainability framework or certification system; ResponsibleGlass is seeking to change this.
The international not-for-profit initiative is working to lower carbon emissions, increase supply chain transparency, and accelerate a transition towards more responsible practices across the entire glass industry.
Bringing together stakeholders from glass manufacturing, industrial processing, automotive, and mining sectors, the programme is developing a practical and credible blueprint for sustainable glass production.
Founding members include Arup, Belron, Ciner Glass, Nippon Sheet Glass (NSG) Group, Stara Glass, WE Soda, dss+, Climate Group, Equitable Origin, and the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA).
The initiative has been backed by some of the world’s largest glass and industrial companies, global mining standards organisations, and major automotive brands – the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM), Cary Group, Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Glass Technology Services, and ERM Certification and Verification Services (ERM CVS), to name a few.
It is spearheaded by Francis Sullivan, Chair of ResponsibleGlass and former Head of Sustainability at HSBC, and Alan Knight, Chief Sustainability Officer at WE Soda and former board member at ResponsibleSteel.
FROM VISION TO INDUSTRIAL-SCALE IMPACT
Established in 2022, Glass Futures operates a 165,000 square foot Global Centre of Excellence in St Helens, UK.
The facility houses an independent pilot-scale furnace capable of producing up to 30 t of glass per day, enabling industrial-scale decarbonisation trials.
Its specialist capabilities span low-carbon furnace innovation, hybrid fuel and electrified systems, sustainable raw materials, circularity solutions, and digital transformation in glass manufacturing.
By joining ResponsibleGlass, Glass Futures will support the co-development and validation of the ResponsibleGlass Standard and contribute to its global adoption.
A multi-stakeholder council – comprising manufacturers, suppliers, and major glass users across sectors from automotive to soda ash production – has already been established and is progressing development of a first version of the ResponsibleGlass Standard, which is set to be published later this year.
LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVES
Sarah Harrold, Head of Strategy and Government Engagement at Glass Futures, described becoming a founding member of ResponsibleGlass as an important and positive milestone for the organisation.
She noted that although glass is fundamental to a wide range of industries, the sector has never previously operated under a truly independent, global sustainability standard.
By helping to develop the ResponsibleGlass Standard, she explained, Glass Futures is contributing to a future in which transparency, circularity, and accountability are embedded throughout the entire glass supply chain.
Harrold added that Glass Futures is proud to back an initiative that not only strengthens sustainability expectations across the sector but also stimulates innovation by enabling new technologies, processes, and partnerships that will influence the industry’s direction.
She said the organisation looks forward to working with international partners to establish a standard that elevates performance across the sector and delivers measurable, tangible outcomes.
Francis Sullivan, Chair of ResponsibleGlass, said he was pleased to welcome Glass Futures as the coalition’s newest member.
He explained that as ResponsibleGlass works to develop a credible and independent standard for the industry, the involvement of an innovation-led organisation such as Glass Futures represents a significant development.
Sullivan highlighted Glass Futures’ strength in translating forward-looking research and development into practical, large-scale industrial applications, adding that this capability will be instrumental in ensuring the glass industry’s future is decarbonised, sustainable, and responsible.
