BES 6001 Framework Standard for Responsible Sourcing
Responsible sourcing of construction products encompasses social, economic and environmental factors. Businesses can demonstrate their commitment to responsible sourcing through an ethos of supply chain management and product stewardship. The BES 6001 framework addresses stakeholder engagement, labour practices and the management of supply chains serving materials sectors upstream of the manufacturer.
How products and materials are assessed
The BES 6001 standard focuses on individual materials or products. That means it’s the materials or products that are covered by the certification, not the organisation itself. A company may sell some products that are certified, while still selling others that have not yet been assessed.
The standard is broken down into three sections:
Organisational management requirements
Supply chain management requirements
Requirements related to the management of sustainable development
It assesses the management practices of the organisation as well as the nature, sources and make-up of the various component materials in the product.
To meet the standard, organisations must satisfy certain compulsory elements. There are also higher levels of compliance that can earn the product or material a higher performance rating. This also offers a route to gaining credits under the BREEAM family of certification schemes.
About the BES 6001 Standard
Version 4.0 now available
Following public consultation, version 4.0 of the BES 6001 Standard has been published and is available for certification. V4.0 has enhanced emphasis on social aspects of responsible sourcing, sustainable procurement and supply chain engagement. It also adds environmental themes including biodiversity and site stewardship. Requirements have also been introduced to award science-based target setting and to encourage continuous improvement. The updated scoring structure enables manufacturers to focus on criteria most relevant to their organisations and products.
BRE Environmental and Sustainability Standard - BES 6001: Issue 4.0
The full text of the BES 6001 Framework Standard for Responsible Sourcing.
Guidance document for BES 6001 Standard
This document offers a more detailed understanding of the BES 6001 Standard. It is a supporting document aimed at all users, including certification applicants, auditors and licensee organisations.
BES 6001: Issue 4.0 – Summary of Changes
BRE published the reviewed and updated BES 6001 Standard in September 2022. This document summarises all the changes.
Benefits for product manufacturers
For product manufacturers, benefits of the BES 6001 Standard include:
- Differentiation of your products against competitors
- Securing increased competitiveness and market share
- Demonstrating sustainable procurement and supply chain engagement
- Enhancing your brand reputation and sustainability credentials
- Benchmarking your manufacturing performance and facilitate continuous improvement through certification
Benefits for specifiers and purchasers
For the individuals and businesses who are looking to purchase or specify products, the benefits of choosing BES 6001 certified products include:
Securing additional credits in green building certification schemes, including BREEAM
- Reducing risk throughout the supply chain
- Demonstrating responsible and sustainable procurement practices
The certification process
Step 1
Download and complete the application form, including details of the products and sites requiring certification and submit via email to responsiblesourcing@bregroup.com.
Step 2
Using the completed application form, BRE will generate a formal proposal for you.
Step 3
Once a proposal is agreed, submits the evidence pack to demonstrate compliance with BES 6001 requirements.
Step 4
BRE reviews the submitted evidence and complete the pre-assessment report to identify any non-conformances.
Step 5
A site visit is organised to visit the manufacturing site and review any identified non-conformances.
Step 6
The final assessment report is completed.
Step 7
Certification is published on our listing website, GreenBookLive.
Step 8
Certificate is valid for three years, with annual verification required in each year.
Enquire about BES 6001
If you have any technical queries regarding the BES 6001 certification process or want to apply for certification, please complete the online form.
Where to get certified
A range of organisations have been licensed by BRE Global Ltd to provide certification services to BES 600 so there are several certificating organisations to choose from.
BES 6001 case studies
Crossrail Steel Gains BES 6001 Certification
ACO Technologies first to achieve BES 6001 certification
