GLASS Futures has been confirmed as the latest organisation to join ResponsibleGlass, the coalition working to accelerate low‑carbon, transparent, and responsible practices across the global glass value chain.
Glass is essential to modern life — from packaging to buildings — but its production is energy-intensive. Unlike steel or timber, the glass sector lacks a unified sustainability framework and certification system.
The ResponsibleGlass initiative has been backed by some of the world’s largest glass and industrial companies, in addition to global mining standards organisations and car brands such as Jaguar Land Rover.
The programme brings together organisations to develop the first multi-stakeholder independent, global standard and certification system for responsible, low‑carbon glass production. Founding members include ARUP, Belron, Ciner Glass, NSG Group, Stara Glass, WE Soda, DSS+, Climate Group, Equitable Origin and IRMA, with supporters such as ARM, Cary Group, JLR, Glass Technology Services and ERM CVS.
Glass Futures is a global centre of excellence for glass R&D, innovation and training, which opened in 2022. The organisation runs a 165,000 sq ft facility in St Helens, featuring an independent pilot‑scale furnace capable of producing up to 30 tonnes of glass per day for industrial‑scale decarbonisation trials. Its capabilities include low‑carbon furnace innovation, hybrid‑fuel and electrified systems, sustainable raw materials, circularity solutions, and digital transformation in glass manufacturing.
Sarah Harrold, head of strategy and government engagement at Glass Futures, said, “Joining ResponsibleGlass as a founding member is an exciting step for us. Glass plays an essential role across so many industries, and yet the world has never had a truly independent, global sustainability standard for this vital material. By co‑creating the ResponsibleGlass standard, we’re helping to shape a future where transparency, circularity, and accountability are embedded across the entire glass supply chain.
“We’re especially proud to support an initiative that not only raises the bar for sustainability, but also encourages innovation — unlocking new technologies, processes and partnerships that will shape the industry’s future. We look forward to collaborating with partners worldwide to build a standard that will raise the bar for the sector and support real, measurable impact.”
Francis Sullivan, chair of ResponsibleGlass, added, “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Glass Futures as our latest member. In our mission to co-create a credible independent standard for the glass industry, having a powerhouse of innovation like Glass Futures at the table is a significant milestone. Their unique ability to bridge the gap between visionary R&D and practical, industrial-scale application is exactly what ResponsibleGlass needs – to help ensure that the future of glass is decarbonised, sustainable and fundamentally responsible.”
