RS Expands ‘Better World’ Product Range

FORT WORTH, Texas – RS, a trading brand of RS Group plc, a global provider of product and service solutions for industrial customers, is proud to bring its new “Better World” product range to the Americas.

Initially launched by RS Group in the U.K. in March 2023, the Better World product range is designed to simplify the procurement process for engineers, innovators, procurement professionals, and problem solvers seeking more sustainable and responsible solutions by making these products quick and easy to identify and validate.

Earlier this year, RS and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) partnered on an indirect procurement report that identified sustainable and ethical procurement as a key driver for procurement professionals. This report also revealed that 71% of the procurement professionals polled consider environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors when selecting products and services, that 80% of them were willing to pay a premium for sustainable products that could help improve their organization’s operational efficiency and achieve its sustainability goals, and that 90% of them would buy products certified to sustainability standards if they were easier to identify and trust — which is a key part of what the RS Better World product range aims to do.

The Better World product range is comprised of products in the RS portfolio that are made using more sustainable processes, designed to enable sustainable engineering practices, and/or built to support circularity and are backed by robust evidence and verifications. The framework behind the Better World product range was developed with and verified by external sustainability consultants to ensure the clear and robust categorization of product sustainability claims aligned to developing green claims legislation and industry standards, such as the ISO 14021 standard for product environmental labels and declarations. This claims-based framework covers key areas of the product lifecycle and classifies Better World product claims into one or more of three main categories:

• Products that are made more sustainably, using greener materials and/or manufacturing processes
• Products engineered to enable sustainable solutions that help organizations improve energy efficiency, reduce emissions, protect the environment, or otherwise support ESG goals
• Products designed to support circularity and reduce waste via long useful lifetimes, reusability, repairability, or recycling

RS Americas currently offers more than 16,000 Better World products, including around 9,000 from Schneider Electric and roughly 6,000 from Siemens, and is actively working to add new suppliers and products to the range using the RS U.K. Better World product portfolio, which just added 10,000 new products in April to offer more than 30,000 products from more than 90 suppliers, as a guide.

Customers can view Better World products available in the Americas by visiting the RS Better World products page or by searching the RS website for “Better World” products and can easily identify them amidst other product search results via the Better World badge. They can also review the Better World product claims that apply to each, as well as a factsheet with details about the specific sustainability benefits the product offers, by navigating to individual Better World product pages.

“Our customers want to buy greener products to support their sustainability goals, but they find it difficult when there is such a limited selection,” said Danny Hobson, head of product and supplier sustainability at RS Group. “Our Better World framework has been developed to provide more simplicity and transparency for purchasing decisions, as well as to ensure peace of mind that our green claims are genuine, comply with the latest regulatory guidelines, and are backed by evidence. We have an important role to play across the value chain to encourage customers and suppliers to adopt greener choices, and today’s announcement ensures we are working collaboratively to design and build as sustainably as possible.” 

“We are thrilled to bring the Better World product range to the Americas market,” said Frank Cantwell, vice president of product and supplier management – Americas. “Like us, many of our customers want to do their part to preserve our environment. But it’s not always easy to make better choices — or at least it wasn’t until now. Our Better World product range not only provides customers with quick and easy access to more sustainable solutions but also to the evidence that supports sustainability claims ranging from greener materials and manufacturing processes to the ability to conserve resources like water and energy or reduce waste. As we go forward, we will continue to grow our offering and provide customers with an even broader spectrum of sustainable solutions engineered to help them create positive change one product at a time.” 

RS Group’s claims-based Better World product framework sets a clear standard and precedence for sustainable products for the industry and is just one of many ways in which the company acts on its commitment to advancing sustainability, championing education and innovation, empowering our people, and doing business responsibly. 

For more information about the Better World product range, visit the new RS Americas Better World products page to view product selection criteria, factsheets, certifications, and FAQs or check out the RS Group Better World Products Guidelines 2024 presentation. To learn more about RS Group ESG efforts, including the company’s plan to offer customers 100,000 Better World products by 2030, visit RS Group’s Sustainability page to view its 2030 ESG Action Plan, 2022/23 ESG Report, and H1 2023/24 ESG Highlights Pack.