LIVONIA, Mich. – Cabinetworks Group, the country’s largest privately-owned cabinetmaker, earned its second major certification of 2023 with the announcement that it had become the first manufacturer to meet the requirements of the Environmental Criteria for Safe and Sustainable Cabinetry (SASC) program developed by ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES).

To obtain the Safe and Sustainable Cabinetry (SASC) certification under EC-118, a company must separately have been (or must become) certified to ANSI 161.1 by an ISO 17065-accredited organization. Cabinetworks received its  ANSI 161.1 certification from ICC-ES in October 2022, a company spokesperson said. 

In April, the ICC-ES issued Cabinetworks its product certification for compliance with ANSI A161.1 Performance and Construction Standard for Kitchen and Vanity Cabinets. 

SASC is the first program in the industry that requires ISO/IEC 17065-accredited third-party evaluation of cabinets to the performance and construction standard ANSI A161.1. It also requires independent verification of compliance with US EPA TSCA Title VI.

In addition to these foundational requirements, Cabinetworks Group was evaluated against several more sustainability requirements: The company’s cabinet assembly manufacturing facilities had to implement a Greenhouse Gas emissions measurement program, a program for tracking water consumption and the total weight of waste produced, and a program to recycle or repurpose a minimum of 51% of such waste.

“We are proud to be the first cabinet manufacturer to be certified to the SASC program requirements, which raises the bar for sustainability and environmental impact evaluation in our industry,” said John Barkhouse, CEO of Cabinetworks Group. “Cabinet manufacturers rely heavily on natural resources to build cabinets. Sustainable materials and strong environmental stewardship will play a critical role in securing the future of our industry.”

“The SASC program is a first of its kind and incredibly important in establishing ICC Evaluation Service’s role in the sustainability initiative in the built environment. This program will encourage companies to stretch to higher levels of consistent, measurable quality and sustainability. We are pleased to issue the first certification to Cabinetworks Group, who has been a leader and ally in the environmental and safety efforts in the cabinetry field,” said Shahin Moinian, ICC-ES President.