Washington, D.C., March 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Vinyl Sustainability Council (VSC) announced the release of +Vantage Vinyl® Standard Version 4.1, an update that expands eligibility for the program to all companies across the vinyl value chain, regardless of VSC membership.  

“Opening the program to all companies strengthens collaboration and accelerates sustainability progress industry wide,” said Jay Thomas, Executive Director of VSC. “Broad participation helps ensure our standard reflects both the diversity and shared responsibility of the vinyl value chain.”  

Version 4.1 builds on the major enhancements introduced in Version 4.0, which was the result of a two-year, consensus-driven development process involving stakeholder input across the industry. Version 4.0 significantly increased the rigor of the standard by: 

•    Enhancing transparency and reporting expectations to strengthen accountability across all participating companies. 
•    Updating tiering and mandatory requirements to reinforce continuous improvement. 
•    Adding advanced and innovative practices that encourage companies to excel beyond minimum thresholds. 
•    Ensuring the program aligns with wider sustainability frameworks, including the Common Materials Framework, which emphasizes clarity, consistency, and broader applicability. 

The strengthened requirements introduced in Version 4.0 remain fully in place under Version 4.1. Version 4.1 further demonstrates VSC’s commitment to continuous improvement by opening the program to a broader range of companies, enabling best practices to spread more widely across the materials supply chain. This expanded participation strengthens industry alignment and supports more uniform progress toward shared sustainability goals. 

Consistent with VSC’s transparent and consensus-driven development approach, Version 4.1 was released following a public comment period held from December 17, 2025 through January 17, 2026. This process maintains the program’s long-standing emphasis on stakeholder engagement and collaborative refinement. 

About the Vinyl Sustainability Council 

The Vinyl Sustainability Council (VSC), founded in 2016 in partnership with the Vinyl Institute, is a collaborative platform for companies, organizations, and other industry stakeholders to come together to advance the U.S. vinyl industry’s contribution to sustainable development. Through its +Vantage Vinyl® verification program, the VSC aims to drive continuous improvement across all three aspects of sustainability – environmental, social, and economic performance. For more information, please visit https://vantagevinyl.com.  

Evan Tracey
Vinyl Institute
2022852803
etracey@vinylinfo.org