SCS Standards
SCS Standards and Assurance Systems is a non-profit, ANSI-accredited standards development organization that creates voluntary sustainability certification standards covering recycled content, carbon, water, diamonds, and chemicals for global enterprises, NGOs, and government agencies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersEmeryville, California, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What SCS Standards does
SCS Standards and Assurance Systems is a non-profit, ANSI-accredited standards development organization founded in 2020 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Scientific Certification Systems, with a five-person team headquartered in San Francisco. It develops and manages voluntary sustainability certification standards across at least 15 named programs covering recycled content (SCS-103), product carbon intensity for chemicals (SCS-115), sustainably produced diamonds and gemstones (SCS-007), water stewardship (SCS-116), responsible chemical recycling (SCS-004), gluten-free products (SCS-107), zero waste, plant-based products, biobased content, biodegradability, indoor air quality, and forest/legal harvest verification. Standards are produced through a multi-stakeholder consensus process aligned with ISO and ISEAL best practices, incorporating scientific research, expert consultation, and 30-day public comment periods for major revisions.
The organization operates an indirect monetization model: standards documents are made publicly available for download on scsstandards.org at no cost (with official translations provided on request), and revenue accrues from scheme management and oversight of independent third-party certification bodies, primarily its sister entity SCS Global Services. Customer-facing certification revenue (audit fees, badging) is captured by SCS Global Services, while SCS Standards monetizes its position as the recognized standards setter. Notable technical components include the iTraceiT blockchain-enabled chain-of-custody tracking system for the SCS-007 diamond standard and the Water Scopes 1-3 framework developed in coalition with WRI, WWF, and the CEO Water Mandate.
SCS Standards serves enterprises, NGOs, and government agencies seeking credible third-party-verified sustainability claims, with named ecosystem participants including Shell, Braskem, Mondelez, Dell, HP, Microsoft, Amazon, B Lab, Bonsucro, Leading Harvest, American Farmland Trust, the FIM, and the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The portfolio has expanded materially since 2022, with at least 10 new standards or major revisions released in the past three years, suggesting an organization in active buildout mode despite its lean staff, leveraging its parent organization's four-decade heritage and ANSI-accredited credibility to scale through partnerships rather than headcount.
SCS Standards firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SCS Standards
- Legal name
- SCS Standards and Assurance Systems
- Website
- https://scsstandards.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- SCS Standards and Assurance Systems is a non-profit, ANSI-accredited standards development organization that creates voluntary sustainability certification standards covering recycled content, carbon, water, diamonds, and chemicals for global enterprises, NGOs, and government agencies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SCS Standards industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sustainability Certification Standards
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Publishing (2741), Services-Services, Nec (8900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International Standards Development & Standardization Bodies (BPADANAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation (BPADANAI), Standards Development & Publishing (SDOs, Technical Standards) (MPAJACAB)
Keywords
Where SCS Standards is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Emeryville, California
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
SCS Standards business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Standards Documents Licensing: SCS Standards develops and publishes certification standards that are made available for download. Standards are open for use by interested businesses. Official translations available on request.
- Third-Party Certification Oversight: SCS Standards oversees certification bodies (like SCS Global Services) that conduct audits and certification against SCS standards. Standards include requirements for non-conformity management, suspension, and certificate withdrawal.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Standards available for public download with translations available on request |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
SCS Standards product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SCS Standards and Assurance Systems develops and manages voluntary sustainability certification standards and associated assurance systems through a multi-stakeholder process. It publishes standards documents covering recycled content, product carbon intensity, water stewardship, responsibly produced gemstones, chemical recycling, gluten-free products, plant-based products, indoor air quality, responsible sourcing, and zero waste. It also provides scheme management and oversight services for certification bodies, primarily SCS Global Services, which conduct third-party audits and certification against the standards.
Product overview
SCS Standards (SCS Standards and Assurance Systems) is a non-profit ANSI-accredited standards development organization that develops and manages voluntary sustainability certification standards and associated assurance systems. The portfolio comprises multiple certification standards covering diverse sustainability areas including recycled content (SCS-103), product carbon intensity (SCS-115), sustainably produced gemstones (SCS-007), water stewardship (SCS-116), responsible chemical recycling (SCS-004), gluten-free products (SCS-107), zero waste, plant-based products, biobased content, biodegradability, indoor air quality, and various Responsible Source and LegalHarvest verification standards. These standards serve as the foundation for certification programs operated by independent certification or verification bodies, primarily SCS Global Services. The organization also leads the Water Scopes 1-3 framework initiative in partnership with World Resources Institute, WWF, and CEO Water Mandate. The company operates as a platform of distinct certification standards rather than a unified software product, with each standard addressing specific sustainability attributes across supply chains, consumer products, and industrial sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Veriflora: Veriflora Sustainably Grown certification program for cut flowers and potted plants
- SCS-007 Sustainability Rated Diamonds
- SCS-103 Recycled Content
- SCS-115 Carbon Assured
- SCS-116 Water Stewardship
Products and services
- SCS-103 Certification Standard for Recycled Content Certification standard for products and materials containing mechanically or chemically recycled content, certifying that products contain specific percentages of recycled content from post-consumer and pre-consumer sources. For manufacturers and consumer goods producers seeking verified recycled content claims.
- SCS-115 Certification Standard for Product Carbon Intensity and Reduction for Chemicals and Co-products Certification standard providing methodology for third-party certification of greenhouse gas intensity and reduction in carbon dioxide equivalents of chemical materials. Includes modules for Renewable Electricity, Biofeedstock and Recycled Content, Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage, Renewable Energy, and Asset Efficiency Improvement.
- SCS-007 Certification Standard for Sustainably Produced Gemstones Comprehensive sustainability standard for natural and laboratory-grown diamonds, emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. Structured around five pillars: Good Governance, Traceability, Environmental Stewardship, Social Responsibility, and Climate Responsibility. Integrates the iTraceiT blockchain chain-of-custody tracking system.
- SCS-116 Certification Standard for Water Stewardship and Resiliency Certification standard providing site-specific performance criteria for climate-related and water-related risks, water quality monitoring, and responsible water use practices. Includes optional Trailblazer Recognition categories for nature-based solutions and innovative technologies.
- SCS-103 Annex A: Supplemental Criteria for Electrical and Electronic Equipment Annex to SCS-103 setting minimum thresholds for recycled content in electrical and electronic equipment products, enabling the 'Climate Pledge Friendly' badge on the Amazon marketplace.
- SCS-004 Certification Standard for Responsible Chemical Recycling First independent certification standard for responsible advanced, chemical, and molecular recycling operations.
- SCS-107 Certification Standard for Gluten-Free Products Comprehensive gluten avoidance certification program covering products and best practices to avoid cross-contamination in facilities.
- SCS Zero Waste Certification Program Program recognizing waste diversion achievements, allowing facilities demonstrating 50% or more waste diversion to be recognized, with facilities achieving 99% diversion certified as 'Zero Waste'.
- Veriflora Sustainably Grown Standard Certification standard for sustainably grown cut flowers and potted plants, recognized as Veriflora Sustainably Grown. Achieved SAI FSA Silver Level Equivalence.
- SCS Plant-Based Products Standard Certification standard for plant-based products.
- SCS Biobased Content Standard Certification standard for certifying biobased content in products.
- SCS-104 Biodegradability Standard Certification standard for biodegradability claims.
- SCS-111 Certification Standard for Rigid Core Resilient Flooring Certification standard for rigid core resilient flooring products.
- Indoor Air Quality Certification Standard
Quantifiable outcome
- 100,000+ certified diamonds sold through 500+ stores in 14 countries
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use SCS Standards
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
SCS Standards technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
SCS Standards partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- World Resources Institute (WRI)coreWRI is a co-author of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and home of Aqueduct, the world's leading water risk tool. WRI is partnering with SCS Global Services, WWF, and CEO Water Mandate on the Water Scopes 1-3 initiative to develop the first globally aligned corporate guidance for assessing water dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities across value chains.
- WWFcoreWWF, one of the world's most influential environmental organizations with deep expertise in freshwater ecosystems, is partnering on the Water Scopes 1-3 initiative to develop standardized corporate water risk assessment guidance.
- CEO Water MandatecoreCEO Water Mandate is a flagship initiative of the United Nations Global Compact and the leading global platform for advancing corporate water stewardship and business action on water security and resilience. Partnering on Water Scopes 1-3 initiative.
- SCS Global ServicescoreSCS Global Services brings 40+ years of third-party environmental certification, verification, and standards development experience to the Water Scopes 1-3 initiative, including the SCS-116 Water Stewardship and Resiliency Standard. SCS Global Services is a separate legal entity from SCS Standards.
- Shell ChemicalscoreShell Chemicals collaborated with SCS Standards in the development of SCS-115, the Certification Standard for Product Carbon Intensity and Reduction for Chemicals and Co-products.
- Berry Global GroupcoreBerry Global Group collaborated with SCS Standards in the development of SCS-115, contributing industry expertise to the carbon intensity certification standard for chemicals.
- X (the moonshot factory)coreX, the moonshot factory, collaborated with SCS Standards in developing the SCS-115 standard for product carbon intensity and reduction for chemicals and co-products.
- AmazonmajorAmazon participated in the multi-stakeholder group developing the SCS-103 Annex A: Supplemental Criteria for Electrical and Electronic Equipment, focused on raising the bar for recycled content in consumer electronics products.
- Dell TechnologiesmajorDell Technologies participated in developing the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Annex to the SCS Recycled Content Standard, contributing industry expertise on sustainable electronics.
- HPmajorHP participated in developing the SCS-103 Annex A for Electrical and Electronic Equipment, bringing expertise in sustainable technology products and circular economy.
- MicrosoftmajorMicrosoft participated in the multi-stakeholder group developing the SCS-103 Annex A for Electrical and Electronic Equipment recycled content criteria.
- The Ellen MacArthur FoundationmajorThe Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a leader in circular economy thinking, participated in developing the SCS-103 Annex A for Electrical and Electronic Equipment.
- Closed Loop Partners (Center for the Circular Economy)majorClosed Loop Partners' Center for the Circular Economy participated in developing the SCS-103 Annex A for Electrical and Electronic Equipment recycled content criteria.
- The Recycling PartnershipmajorThe Recycling Partnership participated in developing the SCS-103 Annex A for Electrical and Electronic Equipment, contributing expertise in recycling infrastructure and materials recovery.
- De'LonghiminorDe'Longhi participated in the multi-stakeholder group developing the SCS-103 Annex A for Electrical and Electronic Equipment.
- LogitechminorLogitech participated in developing the SCS-103 Annex A for Electrical and Electronic Equipment recycled content criteria.
- PhillipsminorPhillips participated in the multi-stakeholder group developing the SCS-103 Annex A for Electrical and Electronic Equipment.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SCS Standards competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fairtrade International: Fairtrade International develops and manages the Fairtrade certification standard across agricultural commodities. Comparable to SCS Standards as a sustainability-focused SDO with third-party certification bodies.
- SAI Platform: SAI Platform's Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) is the leading industry standard for sustainable agriculture and awarded SCS Sustainably Grown Standard Silver Level Equivalence. Direct peer in agricultural sustainability benchmarking.
- Rainforest Alliance: Rainforest Alliance develops sustainability certification standards for agriculture, forestry, and tourism. Direct peer to SCS Standards in voluntary sustainability certification, particularly for agricultural and natural resource standards.
- B Lab: B Lab develops the B Corp Certification standard for social and environmental performance. It is a direct peer as a voluntary sustainability standards development body, and B Lab is listed as a partner of SCS Standards.
- Bonsucro: Bonsucro is the global sustainability standard for sugarcane. Listed as a partner of SCS Standards and a direct peer in the development of sector-specific voluntary sustainability certification schemes.
- Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): MSC is the global standards and certification body for sustainable fishing. Listed as a partner of SCS Standards and a direct peer in voluntary sustainability certification for natural resource extraction.
Broad incumbents
- Underwriters Laboratories (UL): UL develops standards and provides certification and testing across safety, sustainability, and emerging technology. It is a broad incumbent competing with SCS Standards in sustainability standardization and certification, particularly for electronics and consumer products.
- NSF International: NSF develops standards and provides certification in food, water, and consumer products. Comparable to SCS Standards in operating overlapping standards for food safety, sustainability, and product certification through accredited bodies.
- ASTM International: ASTM International is a large, globally recognized standards development organization with a broad portfolio across materials, products, and sustainability. Comparable to SCS Standards as a standards development body, though its scope is far broader and it is not sustainability-focused.
Others
- ISEAL Alliance: ISEAL is the global membership association for credible sustainability standards. SCS Standards aligns its processes with ISEAL best practices, making ISEAL a peer in the broader sustainability standards ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
SCS Standards social profiles
Digital presenceSCS Standards compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
SCS Standards financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SCS Standards leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
SCS Standards funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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SCS Standards M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SCS Standards
What does SCS Standards do?
SCS Standards and Assurance Systems develops and manages voluntary sustainability certification standards and associated assurance systems through a multi-stakeholder process. It publishes standards documents covering recycled content, product carbon intensity, water stewardship, responsibly produced gemstones, chemical recycling, gluten-free products, plant-based products, indoor air quality, responsible sourcing, and zero waste. It also provides scheme management and oversight services for certification bodies, primarily SCS Global Services, which conduct third-party audits and certification against the standards.
Is SCS Standards a public or private company?
SCS Standards is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was SCS Standards founded?
SCS Standards was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is SCS Standards based?
SCS Standards is headquartered in Emeryville, California, United States, in the North America region.
How does SCS Standards make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Standards Documents Licensing is the primary driver. The others are third-Party Certification Oversight.
Who are SCS Standards's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fairtrade International, SAI Platform, Rainforest Alliance, B Lab, Bonsucro and Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). Broad incumbents are Underwriters Laboratories (UL), NSF International and ASTM International. ISEAL Alliance is listed as an others.
Does SCS Standards have an API?
No public API is recorded for SCS Standards.
What industry is SCS Standards in?
SCS Standards's product category is Sustainability Certification Standards. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADANAA, International Standards Development & Standardization Bodies, with a secondary code of BPADANAI, Environmental, Climate & Sustainability Standards & Reporting Cooperation. Its NAICS code is 54138 and its SIC code is 2741.