The leader in green building product certification since 1990, SCS was the first company to offer manufacturers a program for verifying the accuracy of environmental claims on products. With the basic tenets of environmental protection now ensconced in the public mind, efforts by corporations to reduce waste in material content bring positive recognition and meaningful product differentiation.

Through SCS’s Material Content certification programs, manufacturers earn the right to label products with SCS third-party certification, verifying claims including recycled, reclaimed, salvaged, and bio-based materials content.

For manufacturers to continue building market demand for products using recycled, reclaimed, or salvaged material content, and to receive credit for their commitment to environmental responsibility, third-party certification is critical—and so is consumer recognition of product labels from third-party certifiers.

This distinction elevates the market status of products and also identifies products for credits in programs such as the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System (LEED). Products certified by SCS as containing a certain percentage of either pre-consumer or post-consumer recycled material meet the criteria for LEED MR 4.1 or MR 4.2. In addition, products certified as salvaged building material meets the criteria for LEED MR 3.1 and 3.2, while furnishings certified by SCS as salvaged meet the criterion for LEED MR 3.3.

Manufactures are required to:

1. Provide a description of product manufacturing process


2. Host an on-site audit of each applicable facility conducted by an SCS auditor


3. Provide samples of tracking documentation and any additional sample documentation requested during the on-site audit


4. Provide final formulation information for product


5. Provide key material supplier information including supplier contact information, sample documentation, and raw material purchase data


6. Provide consumption information and, if necessary, raw material inventory information


7. Provide final production information and, if necessary, finished product scrap information

GreenGuard™ is Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) certified for a minimum of 93% pre-consumer recycled content therefore the use of GreenGuard™ can help retailers earn Leadership and Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) credits.
( GreenGuard™ qualifies for MR Credit 4.1 & MR Credit 4.2 under LEED)

The SCS certification ensures customers that each and every piece of GreenGuard™ is made of material that would otherwise have ended up in the waste stream.

GreenGuard™ is 100% recyclable. All GreenGuard™ bumper is etched with the standard recycling symbol and resin identification codes so that it is able to be dropped into a common recycling bin.

These food service companies trust SCS as an approved third-party food safety auditor.

• Albertson's
• Amerifresh
• Giant Food
• Giant Food Stores
• Kroger Foods
• L&M Companies, Inc.
• Raley's
• Ralph's
• The Produce Exchange
• Publix Super Markets, Inc
• Safeway
• Sobeys
• Stop & Shop
• Sysco Food Services
• Tops Markets
• U.S. Food Service
• Wal-Mart
• Wild Rocket Foods / Fresh & Easy

CSR Purchasing (corporate social responsibility (CSR) purchasing programs)

Starbucks Coffee Company initiated C.A.F.E. (Coffee and Farmer Equity) Practices to evaluate, recognize, and reward producers of high-quality sustainability grown coffee. C.A.F.E. Practices is a green coffee sourcing guideline developed in collaboration with Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), a third-party evaluation and certification firm. C.A.F.E. Practices seeks to ensure that Starbucks sources sustainably grown and processed coffee by evaluating the economic, social and environmental aspects of coffee production against a defined set of criteria, as detailed in the C.A.F.E. Practices Guidelines. Starbucks defines sustainability as an economically viable model that addresses the social and environmental needs of all the participants in the supply chain from farmer to consumer.

The Home Depot Eco Options

The Home Depot, the world's largest home improvement retailer, expanded its long-term commitment to the environment and sustainably with the launch of its Eco Options program in the United States. Eco Options is a classification that allows customers to easily identify products that have less of an impact on the environment and empowers them to help make a difference in their own homes. Eco Options products fall into one of five categories: clean air, water conservation, energy efficient, healthy home and responsible forest management.

"The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a 501(c)(3) non profit composed of leaders from every sector of the building industry working to promote buildings
and communities that are environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work."

"The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a 501(c)(3) non profit that developed the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System."

USGBC’s vision is that buildings and communities will regenerate and sustain the health and vitality of all life within a generation.

McCue Corporation is a proud member and supporter of the USGBC

For more information go to USGBC.org

The LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction,
and operation of high performance green buildings.

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Green Building Rating System™ is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for high-performance buildings facilitated by the US Green Building Council (USGBC®)

LEED certifies buildings and systems based on credits obtained from several categories

Recycled Material Content – Products certified by SCS for at least 20% post-consumer or 40% pre-consumer recycled material qualifies for LEED MR 4.2
(GreenGuard is a minimum or 93% pre-consumer recycled Polycarbonate)

Polycarbonate is commonly recyclable. GreenGuard, since it is marked with the #7 recycling symbol can be taken to any major recycling center or even put in curbside recycling bins.