C2C Certified® Full Scope

Version 5 is ready! Driving better product design in a data driven economy

The book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, written by our co-founders William McDonough and Michael Braungart, remains as relevant – and urgent – as ever. But the context is changing quickly: fragmented regulatory environments, tighter margins and material supply volatility, and digital platforms and AI tools reshaping how products are discovered and purchased.

“This is the moment. Cradle to Cradle Certified® is recognized as the preeminent product quality standard for a safe, then circular economy – bringing trusted assurance that connects the global demand for safer, better products with the companies committed to creating them. Now is the time to bring this program to a whole new scale.” - William McDonough, Co-Founder of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute

These forces create an opportunity for Cradle to Cradle Certified® to make a bigger difference.  Here’s how.

Version 5 is ready – streamlined to focus on measurable product and production-level impacts

On February 10, 2026, we launched Version 5 of the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard, a significant refinement of Version 4, grounded in five years of implementation experience.

Version 5 sharpens the focus while preserving the vision, rigor, and continuous improvement framework that define Cradle to Cradle Certified®. From the V5 Standard, we derive our family of product certifications: Full Scope, Material Health, and Circularity.

“Cradle to Cradle is about innovation to do good rather than less bad.  The focus of the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard on product and production level outcomes in Version 5  is a vital step to help companies on this journey.” - Michael Braungart, Co-Founder of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute

“I was delighted to see the intensive listening and teamwork across the whole Cradle to Cradle Certified network in rapidly developing Version 5.”  - Dr. Christine Lemaitre, Board Chair of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute

Letting verified data do the work

Version 5’s focus on measurable sustainability impacts supports our efforts to communicate detailed information on achievements of our certified products in our data driven economy.

Online shopping platforms are already narrowing the gap between what customers say they want and what they actually buy, with a proven sales advantage for certified products. AI will accelerate this shift, bringing sophisticated product discovery support to individual and corporate buyers alike and relying heavily on trust signals such as Cradle to Cradle Certified®.

In 2026, our new digital certification platform, redesigned product database and machine-readable standard will make certified products more visible for online and AI-supported purchases. It will give certification holders access to a rich store of verified data, in a new visual scorecard ready for the EU’s digital product passports, and our rapidly growing set of external program recognitions such as LEED, DGNB, WELL, Green Key, and Amazon CPF.

“In this changing landscape, Cradle to Cradle Certified® is constantly innovating to help designers make products they would welcome into their own homes.”  - Elwyn Grainger-Jones, Executive Director of the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute

Join us!

Version 5 is a key pillar of our broader transformation: a growing global network of expert Conformity Assessment Bodies; and a more refined, data-focused certification system designed to drive better product design, with further innovations soon to be announced. We commend the companies already in the Cradle to Cradle Certified community and invite others to join us on this journey to double our positive impact by 2030.