Founded in 1982, the Vinyl Institute (VI) serves as the central voice, technical authority, and educational resource representing North American manufacturers of vinyl resins, additives, compounds, and finished building materials. Operating on behalf of these leading manufacturers, VI equips the architectural community with scientific research, life-cycle inventory (LCI) data, health and safety performance benchmarks, and building code compliance documentation to support accurate specifications.
Vinyl Sustainability Council (VSC)
The Vinyl Sustainability Council (VSC), an arm of the Vinyl Institute, was started in 2016 to serve as a collaborative platform for advancing sustainability throughout the vinyl supply chain. The VSC unites more than 80 member organizations-a growing network of end-product manufacturers, raw material and resin suppliers, recyclers, and other stakeholders-to drive continuous improvement in environmental performance, social responsibility, and governance (ESG) practices. Achievements and industry sustainability benchmarks are tracked and published annually in the VSC Progress Report.
+Vantage Vinyl® Initiative Sustainability Standard
+Vantage Vinyl® is a sustainability standard developed by the VSC. Audited by independent, third-party GreenCircle Certified, verified companies have demonstrated continuous improvement in sustainability in the production of their vinyl products. The program recognizes organizations across the vinyl value chain for their leadership by demonstrating conformance to the following pillars of sustainability:
• Human Health:ensuring that substances are dealt with in a transparent and safe manner during the manufacturing and use of PVC products.
• Climate Responsibility:addressing the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, including the impacts of products and materials, and the energy used during production and operation.
• Ecosystem Protection: the preservation of biodiversity and the minimization of environmental degradation to the air, water, and soil.
• Social Health and Equity: ensuring fair labor practices throughout the supply chain, as well as community well-being.
• Circular Economy: promoting the reuse, recycling, and incorporating sustainable materials management to improve end of life solutions through a lifecycle perspective.
Specifying +Vantage Vinyl® Verified Products
For architects and design professionals, specifying products from +Vantage Vinyl® verified companies provides auditable confidence that a project's material selections align with rigorous sustainability standards and directly supports sustainable design goals, facilitates compliance with green building rating systems like LEED v5, WELL, and Green Globes, and ensures that building performance does not come at the expense of environmental stewardship. Review our Specification Guidelines to integrate these requirements into project manuals.
