Earth Day: Writing a Greener Future with EPD Certifications 

Every year on April 22, the world pauses to celebrate Earth Day, a moment to reflect on our environmental impact and renew our commitment to a healthier planet. In industries across the board, from fashion to construction, sustainability is no longer just a nice-to-have — it’s a necessity. That includes a space you might not expect: the whiteboard industry.

Yes, even your office or classroom whiteboard has an environmental footprint, but thanks to innovative materials, manufacturing improvements, and third-party certifications like EPDs, Claridge Products is stepping up.

The Hidden Environmental Impact of Whiteboards

Whiteboards are everywhere — in schools, offices, hospitals, design studios, and boardrooms, but whiteboard production can carry environmental costs, such as raw material extraction (aluminum, steel, plastics) and energy for the manufacturing process. As demand grows for sustainable spaces, from LEED-certified classrooms to WELL-compliant workplaces, these impacts can’t be ignored.

How EPD Certifications Drive Sustainability

Enter the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), a powerful tool that’s bringing transparency and accountability to the whiteboard world.

An EPD is a third-party verified document that outlines the environmental impact of a product over its entire life cycle, from raw materials to end-of-life. Think of it as a “nutrition label” for environmental performance, but instead of calories and sugar content, you’re getting CO₂ emissions, resource usage, and potential environmental impacts from raw material extraction to disposal.

Here’s how EPDs are helping reshape the whiteboard industry:

• Transparency: Customers and designers can see exactly how a whiteboard was made and what its impact is. EPDs give clear, credible, third-party verified data about a product’s environmental performance. No greenwashing here, just facts backed by science.
• Smarter Materials: Claridge opts for more sustainable surfaces like porcelain-on-steel, which are longer-lasting and recyclable.
• Design for Longevity: Products are being built to last decades, not years, reducing waste and replacement frequency. Claridge LCS porcelain and glass whiteboards are guaranteed for the life of the building.
• Green Building Credits: EPDs contribute to points in systems like LEED, WELL, and BREEAM, making EPD-certified whiteboards a smart choice for sustainable projects.

Leading by Example

Claridge is already getting on board (pun intended) by publishing EPDs for our whiteboard products, and going even further by using recycled materials, low-emission adhesives, and modular designs to extend product life and reduce environmental burden. Our first EPDs were published in 2020, and we have just finished a nine month long process to not only renew them but to extend the scope to cover every product that we manufacture. These documents will help customers such as schools and businesses make informed, responsible choices and can be found on our sustainability resources webpage.

Earth Day Is Every Day

Whiteboards are tools for collaboration, ideation, and innovation — the very things we need to solve the world’s biggest environmental challenges. So, it’s only fitting that the boards we write on are built with the planet in mind.

This Earth Day, Claridge celebrates the shift toward sustainable design in every industry, including ours. EPD certifications aren’t just paperwork, they’re part of a larger movement toward honesty, longevity, and responsibility.

Let’s keep writing the future — sustainably.