Author: sHq_LoGiNz

EMERYVILLE, Calif., October 22, 2025 /3BL/ – SCS Standards and Assurance Systems is pleased to announce the publication of version 2.0 of the SCS-111 Certification Standard for Rigid Core Resilient Flooring. The Standard and associated certification label (Assure Certified™) were first introduced by SCS Global Services for the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) in January of 2020. SCS-111 builds upon the well-established FloorScore® program by incorporating additional performance criteria. In addition to evaluating indoor air quality, it includes rigorous testing for rigidity, durability and performance, and low heavy metals and ortho-phthalates content.

Version 2.0 of SCS-111 has been revised to add a new ASTM testing method requirement, ASTM F3781 – Standard Test Method for Measurement of the Fracture Resistance of a Modular Resilient Flooring’s Profiled Edge(s) to an Applied Vertical Force. This additional performance criteria, based on an objective test method established through ASTM’s consensus-based process, will provide customers with an added level of assurance and confidence in product performance for the product’s intended use.

“SCS-111 provides customers the highest level of confidence in the safety and performance of Rigid Core products, supporting the growth of this rapidly expanding market,” states Victoria Norman, Executive Director, SCS Standards and Assurance Systems.

“The enhanced testing will improve the clarity and utility of the standard for product manufacturers seeking to certify products as Assure Certified,” states Bill Blackstock, President and CEO of RFCI. “Simply put, this robust certification delivers the confidence consumers demand.”

To download a copy of the standard, please visit the SCS Standards Website: Certification Standard for Rigid Core Vinyl Flooring | SCS Standards

For SCS-111 Certification Services, please visit the SCS Global Services Website:  ASSURE CERTIFIED™ | SCS Global Services

About SCS Standards and Assurance Systems

SCS Standards and Assurance Systems is an organization committed to the development of standards that advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Standards are developed in alignment with best practices and guidelines provided by internationally recognized bodies to ensure a robust, transparent, and collaborative approach. SCS Standards and Assurance Systems is the official standards development body for Scientific Certification Systems, Inc. For more information, visit www.SCSstandards.org.  

About SCS Global Services

SCS Global Services is a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, and standards development. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in climate mitigation, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, consumer products, and more. Headquartered in Emeryville, California and celebrating 40 years in business, SCS has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe, and Africa. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to companies, agencies, and advocacy organizations due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS is a chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. SCS is also a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business.

Media Contact

Victoria Norman

Executive Director, SCS Standards and Assurance Systems

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Poor purchasing practices place risks on both suppliers and workers, leaving global brands vulnerable to human rights violations in their supply chains. To combat this and help drive responsible purchasing practices across the industry, Cascale Better Buying collects anonymous data from suppliers on the purchasing practices of their brands and retailers, and publishes aggregated findings from these surveys twice a year, via two index reports.

Intro to Purchasing Practices, Better Buying

The first report is the Better Buying Partnership Index (BBPI) which Better Buying publishes in February and the second, larger report is the Better Buying Purchasing Practices Index (BBPPI), which we publish in October. For the BBPPI, we focus our reporting efforts on seven key categories that suppliers report are the biggest challenges in providing decent work and wages. These data and insights are fed back to those buyers, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses in their purchasing practices, so they can begin their journey towards improvement.

Ahead of the publication of the BBPPI 2025, here’s a quick breakdown of those seven categories:

1. Purchasing Practice #1: Planning and Forecasting measures the visibility buyers provide suppliers into ordering plans. This category also measures the accuracy of the buyer company’s planned production with suppliers as compared with the orders they actually place.
2. Purchasing Practice #2: Design and Development captures the extent buyers are late or inaccurate in providing necessary technical details about products to be sampled or put into production. This category also looks at how often suppliers receive orders for products they develop.
3. Purchasing Practice #3: Cost and Cost Negotiation captures whether suppliers receive sufficient funds to meet all the buyer’s expectations when production has been completed. This includes costs of all design details and the cost of compensation for workers that meet buyer codes of conduct and legal requirements.
4. Purchasing Practice #4: Sourcing and Order Placement considers two topics – whether supplier compliance to codes of conduct is incentivized, and how fluctuation affects month to month order volumes.
5. Purchasing Practice #5: Payment and Terms measures whether suppliers are paid on time and at the price agreed in the contract.
6. Purchasing Practice #6: Management of the Purchasing Process looks at whether the time suppliers need for production is offered and then maintained during the process of developing products and bringing them to market.
7. Purchasing Practice #7: Win-Win Sustainable Partnership includes the internal alignment of buyer staff on corporate social compliance goals and the buyer’s contribution to reducing industry-wide audit duplication.

Bonus: Soft Goods Versus Hard Goods

In our Better Buying reports, you will see us reference both soft goods and hard goods. Soft goods are consumer products made from flexible materials, primarily textiles and fabrics, that generally have a shorter lifespan than hard goods. Hard goods encompass durable, non-apparel products that have a slower consumption cycle, such as electronics, furniture, and appliances. Think of hard goods as the opposite of soft goods.

Now that you’ve had your Purchasing Practices 101, we remind you to stay connected and informed for our BBPPI 2025 report coming soon.

Don’t Miss an Update from Better Buying

CALGARY, Alberta, October 22, 2025 /3BL/ – Benevity Inc., the global provider of social impact software, today announced the release of a first-of-its-kind research report exploring the state of corporate grantmaking around the world. This latest report from the Benevity Impact Labs, The Grants Confidence Gap: Uncovering the Hidden Barriers to Effective Corporate Grantmaking, is based on responses from 120 global companies.

The report reveals that while 74% of organizations say they are implementing best practices in grantmaking, only 51% feel they are doing so effectively exposing a lack of confidence in their work. This confidence gap can pose challenges for teams under increasing pressure to demonstrate tangible social and business value, while also exposing untapped opportunities to transform well-intentioned granting programs into truly high-impact ones.

“We often talk about impact in terms of dollars and outcomes, but the data shows that confidence is another subtle indicator of an effective grantmaking program,” said Sona Khosla, Chief Impact Officer at Benevity. “We hope that this new research will allow teams to transform their programs into platforms for real, sustained change by identifying areas where they can improve their practices. The fact that so many companies are already embracing best practices proves that the will is there. The opportunity is to support grantmakers in doing it well.”

The study takes a deep dive into the foundational practices of a successful modern granting program, what makes a best-in-class grantmaking program, and how grantmakers feel about their ability to deliver with excellence.

Key Findings

The Grants Confidence Gap report studies four key areas of practices and highlights where there is opportunity:

• Strategic Alignment and Execution: Nearly all organizations participating in the self-assessment reported having key supports in place: leadership buy-in, annual budgets and even dedicated staff. Yet a deeper dive reveals misalignment in the confidence grantmaking teams have in the value executives assign to grantmaking programs, both in terms of buy-in and budgetary support.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Impact: Responses that fall under the heading Stakeholder Engagement and Impact have some of the lowest “do it well” self-assessments. The study reveals that there are a lot of organizations engaging broadly with many stakeholder groups, but most report that they are not generating the kind of success they expect.
• Innovation and Adaptability: Grantmakers are practicing many of the tenets of trust-based philanthropy, an increasingly popular movement in recent years. While fewer express deep confidence in these practices, the scores in this section performed notably better than the average “do it well” score of 51% for all practices in the report.
• Communication: While 62% of organizations communicate impact data to employees, only 41% believe they do it effectively. Most organizations focus communications efforts on ESG reporting and public-facing communications, indicating an opportunity to reinforce brand value, especially with employees.

“The real barrier isn’t effort, it’s making the hard choices,” said Sona Khosla, Chief Impact Officer at Benevity. “Grantmaking teams care deeply, but to grow programs and partnerships over time, there are decisions to be made about where to invest precious time and how best to build trust. When organizations align around what truly matters, the confidence gap will narrow, creating more opportunities for programs,partnerships and impact to grow.”

The Grants Confidence Gap Report is based on data collected through the Benevity Impact Index, a comprehensive, proprietary self-assessment completed by CSR and grantmaking practitioners that benchmarks companies on the depth and breadth of their impact programs and investments across eight key areas considered critical for success.

About Benevity

Benevity, a certified B Corporation, is the global leader in enterprise social impact software. Benevity’s all-in-one platform empowers the world’s most purpose-driven companies to seamlessly integrate corporate social responsibility into their core business strategy – driving measurable, scalable, and lasting impact. Benevity has supported more than $34.5 billion to over 500,000 nonprofit organizations and enabled more than 8.5 million changemakers worldwide since 2008, empowering organizations to build trust, engage employees, boost retention, and drive innovation. Its unified platform supports giving, volunteering, granting, and employee mobilization – backed by intelligent insights and a secure, global infrastructure. For more information, visit benevity.com.

About Benevity Impact Labs

Benevity Impact Labs is a social innovation lab that brings new data, research and insights to help companies, nonprofits and individuals accelerate their impact and inclusion efforts. With unparalleled access to the world’s most iconic brands, Benevity Impact Labs combines Benevity’s robust data and insights with third-party research to report on the top trends shaping corporate purpose and to provide measurable proof of the value of social impact.

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Media Contact:
Indrani Ray – indrani.ray@benevity.com