Lewis Perkins has joined the Institute as Senior Vice President, Development, and Textiles and Apparel Specialist. Many of you will recognize Lewis from his work as director of sustainable strategies with the Mohawk Group, as well as his consulting with numerous companies on creating programs and awareness for environmental and social initiatives. His passion for nonprofit work has put him in advisory or leadership roles with EarthShare of Georgia, the Green Chamber of the South, the Captain Planet Foundation, and Sustainable Life Media.
The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is a non-profit organization created to bring about a large scale transformation in the way we make things. Our mission is to guide product manufacturers and designers in making safe and healthy things for our world.
The Institute, using the Cradle to Cradle® framework, works with leaders from academia, the NGO environmental community, government and industry to establish a rating system for assessing and constant improvement of products based upon five categories:
1. safe and appropriately sourced materials;
2. material reutilization;
3. renewable energy;
4. release of clean water; and
5. social fairness.
Products that meet the transparent criteria of this rating system will receive the Cradle to Cradle CM certification mark.
McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry has licensed the certification mark along with the Cradle to Cradle ® protocols to the Institute, which will be responsible for certifying products moving forward. Many companies representing multiple industries have already demonstrated the viability and benefits of designing products according to the Cradle to Cradle® framework, such as Herman Miller, Shaw Industries, Ford Motor Company and Aveda. To date, nearly 400 products and 90 companies have engaged in the Cradle to Cradle certified CM process.
