The following outlines the framework and individual stages that comprise the Living Product Challenge certification process. Though the framework represents the basis of engagement with all manufacturers, it remains flexible to accommodate a manufacturer’s specific situation. Certification may take as little as three months (shorter, if similar products have been previously certified or manufacturers already possess all of the requisite documentation), or upwards of a year depending on factors not limited to product complexity and materials, level of company sustainability investment to-date, or the ability to invest time in documentation and/or documentation components.
Establishing any specific deadlines early are important to ensure that all parties are aware of priorities for certification for product launches, conferences or trade shows. Based on previous LPC certifications, ILFI estimates a 16-week certification process after all initial documentation is submitted if all parties abide by the projected timeline. In order to guarantee that a determination will be made on certification achievement by a desired date, ILFI requires all final documentation be submitted no later than 8 weeks prior to the certification announcement. This timeline should be clearly understood at the kickoff meeting for all parties to meet their deadlines.
Table 1 Certification Overview Timeline
| Weeks from Certification | Certification Step |
|---|---|
| Pre-Registration | Contact LPC.Support@living-future.org Product(s) and Certification Goals Set LPC Assessor Selected Note: Completion of LCA, 3PV Declare and/or Transparent Material Health is outside the purview of the LPC contract and Assessor role) |
| Registration and Kickoff | LPC Proposal Signed Kickoff Meeting (ILFI, Manufacturer + Assessor) Certification Submission Account Created Note: Manufacturers are encouraged, but not required, to complete their LCA and Declare 3PV prior to LPC Certification or early in the process |
| 16+ Weeks | Initial LPC Documentation Submitted (95-99%) |
| 14+ Weeks | Documentation Completion Check by Assessor |
| 12+ Weeks | Site Audit (in-person or remote as appropriate) |
| 10+ Weeks | Documentation Clarification Request |
| 8+ Weeks | Final Documentation Submitted for Certification |
| 6+ Weeks | Assessor Review Complete, Certification Report Drafted |
| 5+ Weeks | ILFI Review Complete, Certification Report Finalized |
| 4+ Weeks | LPC Label Drafted; Case Study Uploaded |
| 2+ Weeks | Certification Documents Finalized and Sent to Manufacturer |
| 0 Weeks | LPC Certification Announcement Coordinated by ILFI and Manufacturer |
| 1 year post-certification | Annual Check-In (notification 3 months prior) |
| 2 years post-certification | Annual Check-In (notification 3 months prior) |
| 3 years post-certification | Recertification (notification 6 months prior) |
Site Audits
On-site requirements are an important component of certification, allowing the assessor to confirm important components of documentation at the final facility.
The date of site audit(s) is flexible, but should occur after the manufacturer has submitted initial documentation (defined as 95-99% documentation submitted for initial review). This allows the assessor to get a sense of documentation completion and any potential areas for review before the site review.
Audits typically require 1-2 days of on-site visit. The LPC Assessor goes on a manufacturing tour to review the on-site processes, and the other half of the day is often used to review documentation in-person and gain a common understanding of what, if anything, needs to be submitted further, or altered in either the production process or the product.
The LPC checklist includes the audit requirements and may be used to prepare those at the facility for what needs to be reviewed on-site.
Audit Exceptions
Please see the COVID-19 Impact to Program Requirements guidance for information related to changing documentation requirements and additional allowances and direct any additional questions to lpc.support@living-future.org.
There may be extenuating circumstances in which audits can not take place, such as travel restrictions or safety issues. In this case, an audit may either be postponed or a remote audit may be permitted. For a remote audit, if the Assessor can obtain all visuals and documentation needed for certification from the site in question, the audit will be considered complete. If the Assessor cannot verify documentation as needed, the audit will be considered postponed.
Postponed site visits will not hold up the certification timeline, but certification will be awarded on a provisional basis until an audit is completed. To determine whether an Audit can be conducted remotely or postponed, please reach out to LPC.Support@living-future.org.
