The superyacht industry runs on performance. It’s time environmental claims did too.
Environmental credentials are only as good as the process behind them. In a market where green claims are easy to make and hard to challenge, the Hub’s four-tier verification system exists to draw a clear line between marketing and proof. Grounded in internationally recognised standards, assessed independently, and open to every supplier willing to be measured.
A ladder of environmental proof
The Hub has four tiers; these four tiers are not a ranking of companies, they’re a framework of increasing scientific rigour. Tier 4 is the highest level of rigour; the numbering reflects depth of assessment, not ranking.
Whether you’re at Tier 4, the full LCA (the internationally recognised method ISO 14040/14044) or Tier 1 and just beginning your LCA journey, you’ve submitted to independent scrutiny and earned your place. The goal is always to climb. The direction is always Tier 4: full Life Cycle Assessment, published EPD, independently verified. The most credible standard and the benchmark every solution on the Hub is working towards.
You don't have to be at the top to belong here, you just have to be climbing.
The gold standard.
The product is compared against a Business-as-Usual (BAU) reference product, defined either by the applicable Product Category Rule (PCR) baseline or by a model representing the average market product. Any comparative assertion must comply with ISO 14044, including an independent critical review by qualified experts. The comparison must be based on the same functional unit, system boundaries, assumptions, and data quality requirements to ensure a fair and scientifically robust assessment.
Requirements:
- Complete cradle-to-grave or cradle-to-gate LCA per ISO 14040/14044
- Compared against a Business-as-Usual reference product
- Minimum 6 impact categories assessed from EF 3.1 or ReCiPe 2016, including climate change as mandatory
- At least 10% improvement across 50% or more of those categories (a Water Revolution Foundation Hub requirement)
- No more than 5% deterioration in remaining categories
- At least 70% primary data covering all vital production stages (aligned with EU Environmental Footprint method data quality requirements)
A rigorous, focused assessment, faster than a full LCA without cutting corners on credibility. For suppliers with real environmental data and a specific story to tell.
Requirements — choose one:
- Streamlined LCA covering 3–5 key impact categories with 40% primary data
- Carbon Footprint assessment per ISO 14067 or GHG Protocol, cradle-to-gate minimum, using IPCC AR6 (or AR5/AR4) global warming potential factors so results are comparable across suppliers
Certifications that procurement professionals already trust and recognise. A meaningful and credible starting point, particularly for smaller suppliers with existing accreditations.
Requirements — choose one primary qualification:
- Recognised eco-label certification (EU Ecolabel, Nordic Swan, Blue Angel, or equivalent)
- ISO 14001 certification of the manufacturer, plus independently audited product-level environmental data
- Material health certification (e.g. Cradle to Cradle Certified material health, Living Building Challenge Red List Free, or EPEA material health assessment)
Plus:
- Product composition disclosure covering more than 95% by weight
- End-of-life documentation
- Supply chain transparency
You have the data. An independent third party has checked it. That's a real commitment and it's where the climb begins.
Requirements:
- Environmental performance data (life cycle inventory) covering energy, water, waste, emissions, and transport per unit. This is inventory data only; no impact assessment is performed at this tier.
- Bill of materials with more than 90% disclosure
- Recycled and renewable content documented
- REACH compliance confirmed (or equivalent for non-EU markets)
- Performance comparison against an established baseline
Grounded in academic rigour
The environmental methodology underpinning the Hub has been developed and validated in partnership with leading independent research institutions, built on peer-reviewed science and internationally recognised frameworks.
