Bang & Olufsen has always been a brand that looks to use natural materials, recyclable materials and has always been conscious of the impact to the environment.

We continue that on a daily basis and are striving to have more of our products certified cradle to cradle....But what does that actually mean, what is Cradle to Cradle certification ?  

Cradle to Cradle (C2C) certification is a sustainability standard that evaluates the environmental and social impact of products throughout their entire life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to the disposal of the product. It is relevant to the electronics industry because electronics products are often made with hazardous materials and can be difficult to recycle. C2C certification helps to ensure that electronics products are made with safe materials and can be easily recycled, reducing their environmental impact.

In 2022, Bang & Olufsen became the first electronics company to have a product certified by Cradle to Cradle. The product that was certified was the Beosound Level, a wireless speaker.

To achieve C2C certification, we had to meet strict standards in five areas:

• Material health: The materials used in the production of the product must be non-toxic and safe for human health and the environment.
• Material reutilisation: The product must be designed to be easily disassembled and recycled.
• Renewable energy & carbon management: The product must be manufactured using renewable energy and must have a low carbon footprint.
• Water stewardship: The product must be manufactured in a way that minimizes water use.
• Social fairness: The product must be manufactured in a way that respects the rights of workers and the local community.

The certification of the Beosound Level is a significant achievement for us and for the electronics industry as a whole. It shows that it is possible to make sustainable electronics products that are both safe and desirable. We is committed to continuing to develop sustainable products and to leading the way in the electronics industry.

We have now gain certification for the BeoSound Emerge, a product that was first released in 2021. This shows not only are we constantly looking at way of improving the product via firmware updates but we are looking at the complete lifecycle of out products 

Here are some other ways that C2C certification is relevant to the electronics industry:

• It can help to reduce the amount of waste generated by the electronics industry.
• It can help to protect human health and the environment by ensuring that electronics products are made with safe materials.
• It can help to promote the use of renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions.
• It can help to improve working conditions and protect the rights of workers in the electronics industry.

Overall, C2C certification is a valuable tool for the electronics industry to use in its efforts to become more sustainable.

The BeoSound Level and Emerge are on demonstration along with all of our portfolio in our Nottingha, Birmingham and Leamington Spa stores