Ceasing of COVID-19 client support and response service

Global GreenTag International ceases its COVID-19 Emergency flexibility and additional support arrangements.

Following the recent World Health Organisation (WHO) announcement on May 5th, 2023 which stated that impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic "no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern" Global GreenTag International has decided to cease COVID-19 certification flexibility options.

Global GreenTag introduced its emergency COVID-19 Policy in early 2020 to enable some flexibility in the certification renewal period requirements by offering the option of extended data re-submission timeframes when it became obvious that international supply chains and Applicants' staff availability were being significantly impacted by the pandemic to the point that the submission period requirements within GreenTag's Contracts, were not being able to be met. These 'flexibility arrangements' have since provided a safeguard for the continuity of service for manufacturers and enabled GreenTag to maintain the product Certifications for industries and professionals that require them for projects.

Dr Nana Bortsie-Aryee, Program Director of Global GreenTag International says that David Baggs (serving as CEO and Program Director at the onset of the COVID impacts) made a long-term commitment to provide this service that would extend certification cycles and help minimise impacts and disruptions to the workflows of clients.

"David followed all reports by the WHO and identified that it was going to be difficult for clients to provide the timely information updates to maintain or renew certification processes when factories and supply chains were being forced to close for such extended periods."

During the time, Global GreenTag staff monitored the impacts of the pandemic on its manufacturing partners, observing and evaluating feedback from clients, globally.

Although, the recent WHO downgrade of the pandemic, which noted that long-term management strategies for further outbreaks were now in place, provided the final catalyst to close off the GreenTag COVID-19 Policy, the decision was also made because of positive signs of recovery for manufacturers in the last 12 months. Nana adds:

"We have become very busy again with a notable influx of new manufacturers who have signed up their products to be assessed under Global GreenTag programs – as well as existing clients adding new certifications and declarations to their green product portfolios."

Closure of Global GreenTag's COVID-19 client support and response service took effect from May 1st.
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Global GreenTag's product certification standards and reputation have earned the trust of thousands of buyers, hundreds of companies and numerous green building councils, certification bodies and governments around the world, including named as one of the Top 100 Most Trusted Building Sector Brands in Australia, assisting with the advancement and uptake of healthy, ethical and environmentally conscious products.
Global GreenTag currently has over 16,000 products certified with GreenTag programs from more than 230 manufacturers, produced in factories in over 22+ countries.