Sustain Condoms Earns FSC® Chain of Custody Certification

Leading third-party certifier SCS Global Services (SCS) announced that it has certified Sustain brand condoms under the internationally recognized Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) Chain of Custody Standard.  Independent audits conducted by SCS confirmed that Sustain, co-founded by legendary sustainability entrepreneurs Jeffrey and Sheila Hollender of Seventh Generation fame and daughter Meika Hollender, sources 100% of the latex for its line of condom products from an FSC-certified rubber tree plantation. 

Along with its FSC certification, Sustain is also a member of the Fair Rubber Association, dedicated to fair trade practices for workers in rubber tree plantations.  With its FSC certification, Sustain now has independent verification that it is protecting the health of the land as well as protecting the people who work it.  Sustain is the first brand of condoms in the U.S. to offer this level of certified assurance.

“Sustain’s commitment to environmentally sustainable and ethical manufacturing is demonstrated by a procurement strategy that focuses on sourcing latex from a responsibly managed plantation and supply chain,” said SCS Executive Vice President Robert J. Hrubes.  “This accomplishment provides consumers with an environmentally sound choice, and sets a precedent for others to follow.”

Sustain was launched with the intention of serving as a model green business in its sector.  The company is committed to operating its business with the highest level of responsibility, and was designed to address the entire system in which it functions. Whether the issue is social equity, climate change, poverty, water pollution, population growth or Fair Trade, Sustain aspires to operate as a model for how a business can have a positive impact in every area it touches.  In addition to procuring supplies from responsibly managed sources, Sustain created “10%4Women,” a program in which 10% of all pre-tax profits go to organizations that provide women’s reproductive healthcare and family planning services to low-income women in the U.S.

“We see ourselves as a force for positive change in the reproductive health care industry, helping it move toward better products and increased transparency—all with a focus on common good,” said Jeffrey Hollender.  “This FSC certification by SCS reinforces the efforts of our entire supply chain to actively manage, harvest and use rubber from FSC-certified operations, benefiting the environment, workers and the community.”

FSC certification is the leading international benchmark for responsibly managed forests. The FSC, a non-governmental not-for-profit organization, has established essential principles and criteria for environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable forest management. FSC Chain of Custody certification guarantees the integrity, credibility and transparency of the FSC claim by ensuring that products derived from FSC certified forests have been verified at each stage of processing and transformation along the supply chain, and confirming that these products are separated from non-certified products.

About SCS Global Services

SCS Global Services (SCS) has been providing global leadership in third-party environmental and sustainability certification, auditing, testing, and standards development for three decades. Programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in green building, manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, apparel, and more. SCS is a Certified B Corporation™, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. www.scsglobalservices.com

FSC license code FSC-A000521

About Sustain Condoms

Launched by Hollender Sustainable Brands, LLC, Sustain aims to revolutionize the condom industry, providing women and men with an alternative to mass-produced condom brands. Sustain Condoms are sustainably produced using natural, certified Fair Trade rubber from a multigenerational, family-run plantation that ensures the absence of child labor. There are no detectable levels of nitrosamines in Sustain Condoms, a carcinogen that can be formed during the condom manufacturing process. Sustain Condoms are individually electronically tested, vegan certified, free of dyes, fragrances, spermicides, and odor-blocking agents, and sustainably produced. All packaging is made from recycled, post-consumer content. The way Sustain’s rubber is grown, harvested and manufactured is gentler on the earth. http://sustaincondoms.com/ FSC license code FSC-C123693