“This award exemplifies TÜV SÜD’s mission – to enable trust in a sustainable future,” said Mr. Jonas Strahberger, CEO of TÜV SÜD ASEAN. “Through visionary partnerships like this with Cora Environment, we demonstrate how technical assurance and global standards translate into practical solutions that advance both environmental integrity and business competitiveness. This achievement reflects the dedication of our teams and partners across the region who are turning sustainability ambitions into measurable, scalable activities.”

“Waste-to-resource transformation through recycling is a vital part of sustainable waste management. With the Responsible Recycling Mark, Cora Environment is enabling the ecosystem by aligning recycling partners to global best practices and future-ready standards. This initiative helps raise the bar for responsible recycling and supports a more resilient, circular economy,“ said Mr. Lee Kok Kin, Group CEO of Cora Environment.

From Global Standards to regional Industry Transformation

At the centre of this now award-winning collaboration lies a shared mission – to bridge the gap between evolving global standards and real-world transformation, creating performance-based system that drives measurable environmental and business outcomes.

The Responsible Recycling Mark (RRM) Assessment Framework, co-developed by TÜV SÜD and Cora Environment, represents Singapore’s first large-scale, multi-sector application of ISO 59014 – the global standard for environmental management and circular economy as well as and traceability of the recovery of secondary materials. The RRM-framwork is embedded into Cora Environment’s Closed-Loop Partners Network (CLPN) andtranslates international principles into day-to-day operational excellence.The network unites 14 specialised recyclers in Singapore and Malaysia spanning plastics, metals, paper, e-waste, textiles, glass, construction materials, and organics.

By combining ISO 59014 with ISO 14064 and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol), the framework establishes a transparent, data-driven scoring system to assess recovery efficiency, material traceability, and carbon performance. It creates a common language of responsibility and quality across the recycling value chain, empowering companies to benchmark against global peers and access markets that demand verified recycled content and low-carbon materials.

Standards become everyday practice

“Our real impact lies in translating holistic global standards into actionable practice — enabling organizations and – in this case – industries to achieve environmental and business competitiveness, and making sustainability ambition both operational and profitable for our clients and the region” said Dr. Thawatchai Maneerung, Project Lead & Senior Manager for Corporate Sustainability Office at TÜV SÜD. TÜV SÜD promotes the harmonization of standards and supports companies in implementing them efficiently. In this way, the service provider is fostering the transformation to a resilient, circular, and low-carbon economy.

Forward Outlook: From National Leadership to Regional Momentum

Building on its EuroCham recognition, the RRM framework has firmly positioned Singapore as a regional frontrunner in circular economy standardisation in ASEAN. By embedding the framework across Cora Environment’s Closed-Loop Partners, TÜV SÜD and Cora Environment has turned sustainability ambition into a living model of circular economy governance that brings the global standards and the nation’s Zero Waste Masterplan into actionable frameworks — aligning local industry practices with global market expectations for traceability, transparency, and environmental performance. 

At the regional level, the RRM framework has become a replicable ASEAN blueprint for circular economy transformation. It demonstrates how ISO 59014 can be applied at scale across diverse recycling sectors, offering policymakers and industry leaders a pathway to harmonise standards and accelerate the transition toward a circular, low-carbon economy.

Improved operational efficiency, enhanced material traceability

Beyond environmental benefits, the framework is driving measurable business outcomes. By standardising processes and embedding leadership accountability, it has improved operational efficiency, enhanced material traceability, and paved the way for growth opportunities for the entire recycling sector. Cora Environment’s Closed-Loop Partners will be able to compete more effectively in both domestic and export markets, while Singapore’s recycling sector gains international recognition as a trusted source of high-quality, traceable secondary materials. This evolution reflects a strategic commitment to weave sustainability into core businesses and governance within the recycling and resource management sectors.

About the EuroCham Sustainability Awards

Organised by the European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore, the EuroCham Sustainability Awards honour companies and leaders who exemplify innovation, impact, and collaboration in advancing sustainable development across the region. “TÜV SÜD is recognized as a leader in ‘sustainovation’ — where sustainability meets innovation — for its collaboration with Cora Environment in embedding sustainability ambition and standards into governance and driving transformative impact across industry and society,” said Nele Cornelis, Executive Director of EuroCham Singapore. Further information about TÜV SÜD and its services in the field of sustainability can be found here tuvsud.com/en/sustainability-overview