Modernising glass: why collaboration is key to building a sustainable future

Alan Knight, (see below), Chief Sustainability Officer at WE Soda, discusses the formation of Responsible Glass, an independent sustainability standard for the global glass sector.

Glass is one of the most versatile materials in existence and is central to modern life.

Yet behind its transparency lies a challenge that remains unclear – agreeing across the sector, and with society as a whole, just what sustainability looks like.

How do manufacturers find the right path to follow, and how do they reassure customers and their customers that they are on that path? The answer is sustainability standards and verification.

Standards that are supported by a range of stakeholders and players throughout the supply chain.

The glass industry is energy-intensive, heavily reliant on raw materials like soda ash, lime, and sand, which produce carbon emissions.

According to the European Commission, glass manufacturing produces around 22 million tonnes of CO₂ annually in Europe and 95 million tonnes worldwide.

Transitioning glass production to a sustainable process is one of the most complex sustainability hurdles the industry faces.

Glass furnaces operate at temperatures above 1,500°C, traditionally powered by fossil fuels, making deep emissions cuts technically and economically demanding.

Add to this the variability in recycling rates, concerns over raw material sourcing, and the need to meet global net-zero targets, it becomes clear that the sector faces a pressing need to prove to stakeholders that high sustainability standards can be achieved.

Unlike other industries – such as steel, aluminium, timber, and pulp – which have long benefited from global sustainability standards, the glass sector has missed this opportunity.

This gap has left manufacturers and end-users without a clear benchmark for responsible production and sourcing.

And, without that benchmark, how can the market choose the best, giving the market reward for glass makers and raw materials suppliers to invest in sustainability.

Sustainability cannot be achieved in isolation. The complexity of glass production – from raw material extraction to manufacturing and recycling – demands a collaborative approach.

Solutions will require a mix of strategies: electrification of furnaces, large-scale adoption of renewable energy, and breakthrough technologies like the use of hydrogen production.

No single company, however committed, can solve these challenges alone.

We need a shared vision, common principles, and a mechanism to verify progress along the production ecosystem and benchmark clear standards that are expected in glass production.

This is why WE Soda is proud to support the launch of ResponsibleGlass - the world’s first independent sustainability standard for the global glass sector.

The goal is simple yet ambitious: to establish a multi-stakeholder framework that sets clear, auditable standards for responsible glass production, raw material sourcing, and recycling.

ResponsibleGlass will not only define what 'responsible' means for glass but also provide a trusted certification mark that businesses and consumers can rely on.

This mark will signal that the glass has been sourced and manufactured to high sustainability standards, covering everything from carbon emissions and circularity to worker safety and responsible sourcing.

Whilst some might believe there are already standards for glass, the ResponsibleGlass standard will differ in two aspects.

It will religiously follow the principle of true multi-stakeholder governance and decision making, and the same standard and label will apply to all forms of glass, be it the window in your house, the glass fibre in your loft, the glass on your laptop, or the beer bottle you are drinking from.

We know this approach works because we’ve seen it succeed elsewhere, having played a pivotal role in developing ResponsibleSteel, which has become the global benchmark for sustainable steelmaking.

In less than a decade, ResponsibleSteel has grown into a network of more than 160 members worldwide, including major steelmakers, NGOs, and end-users.

Today, the initiative spans 14 countries, with dozens of certified sites representing millions of tonnes of steel production.

This progress has created a trusted certification system that drives transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement across the steel value chain.

The learnings from ResponsibleSteel are clear and will guide ResponsibleGlass.

Multi-stakeholder engagement works because bringing together all parts of the supply chain ensures standards are robust and widely adopted.

Certification drives change because a trusted mark gives customers confidence and incentivises manufacturers to improve.

Global reach matters because ResponsibleSteel’s success shows that industry transformation requires international collaboration, not isolated efforts.

These principles will underpin ResponsibleGlass.

This coalition will be the driving force behind the initiative, working throughout 2026 to develop the first global standard and certification scheme for glass.

Together, we will build a framework that accelerates innovation, reduces emissions, and strengthens trust across the entire value chain.

The urgency is clear, and the opportunity is huge.

Regulatory pressures are mounting, customers are demanding transparency, and the climate crisis requires every sector to play its part.

Glass is fundamental to modern life, but its sustainability credentials must improve if we are to meet global targets.

By collaborating, we can ensure that glass—one of the most essential materials of modern life—also becomes one of the most sustainable.

ResponsibleGlass is here to make that happen.

Join us in building a coalition that will shape the future of glass for generations to come.