What are the different versions of the Materials Matter standard, and what do they mean?

Drafts: There were two draft versions of the standard criteria shared publicly in 2023 for open feedback to help refine content.

Pilot: Version used for pilot testing and policy/system updates during 2024 and 2025. Criteria used for auditing has been drafted, consulted and tested on the ground for feasibility.

Published: Final version of the standard that will become available for auditing and certification on a specified effective date. Criteria are finalized after amendments have been made from pilot testing. The final standard and policies that support implementation of the standard are released to the public on the published date, but the standard is not yet available for certificates to be issued.

Effective: The published version of the standard will state an effective date that represents when certification bodies may start auditing and issuing certificates against the new standard. An ideal period of time from the published date to the effective date is 6–months to allow all standard users time to adjust their systems, including training and documentation, and be ready for audits with the new standard. The period of time between the effective date and mandatory allows some audits to move forward on a voluntary basis.

Mandatory: The published version of the standard will state the mandatory date that specifies when all applicable audits from this date onwards are required against the new standard. Applicable audits represent certificate scopes for current standards that are superseded by the Materials Matter Standard. Our policies state that the mandatory date shall be a minimum of 12–months from the published date.