Silvia Dosio: What Assessors See Behind Everyday Products

In the interview series “What Assessors See”, Vugge til Vugge Communications Consultant Angela Antolini sits down with the organisation’s assessors to explore what lies behind product certification — from material decisions to supply chains and on-site verification.

In this conversation, Silvia Dosio, Lead Assessor, reflects on her journey into certification and what she sees behind everyday products.

“When I worked in marine environmental protection, I saw firsthand how materials accumulate in ecosystems,” says Silvia Dosio, Lead Assessor at Vugge til Vugge. “You realise very quickly that environmental impact doesn’t begin when waste reaches the ocean. It begins much earlier — with decisions about materials, chemistry, and how products are made.”

Today, Silvia works at that upstream stage — assessing products against the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard, at the point where those material decisions are documented, verified, and improved.

In this interview, she shares her journey into product certification, what assessors see behind the scenes, and the companies and moments that have stayed with her.

From environmental protection to product certification

How did you move from marine sciences into product certification?

My background is in marine sciences, and after my studies I worked on environmental protection and sustainability projects. Over time, I became increasingly interested in the systems behind environmental impact — not only the ecosystems themselves, but the industrial and material systems that shape them.

I wanted to work closer to where decisions are made. Product certification allows me to do that. Instead of reacting to environmental damage, we examine products at their source — how they are formulated, what substances they contain, how they are manufactured, and how they can align with circular principles.

For me, it felt like a natural progression. The goal remained the same, but the point of intervention shifted earlier in the lifecycle.

Understanding products at their most detailed level

How do you describe your role to someone unfamiliar with product certification?

I explain that my role is to assess products against the Cradle to Cradle Certified® Product Standard, which evaluates performance across five categories: Material Health, Product Circularity, Clean Air & Climate Protection, Water & Soil Stewardship, and Social Fairness.

In practice, this involves working closely with companies in guiding them through the certification process helping them gather and structure detailed information about their products — including chemical composition, material inputs, supplier documentation, and production processes.

At the same time, our responsibility is to independently review and verify this information. We look at products at a very granular level, examining individual substances, formulations, and components, and how they are sourced and used. The goal is to ensure transparency and verify that products align with circularity and safety principles.

Discovering the complexity behind everyday products

What did you discover when you first started working on product assessments?

What became clear very quickly is how much complexity exists behind products that appear simple.

For example, I worked on the assessment of wool slippers. At first glance, it seems straightforward — wool and a sole. But once you begin the assessment, you realize there are many additional elements involved, each of them with its own chemical composition and supply chain.

Understanding this requires gathering detailed information from suppliers. It really changes how you see products. What seems simple from the outside often involves multiple layers of materials, processes, and decisions.

Projects that left a lasting impression

Through these detailed assessments, certain companies and projects stand out more vividly.

Are there certification projects that stayed with you?

Yes, there are several that stayed with me, each for different reasons.

One example is CEWOOD. I worked with them on their first certification, when they achieved Full Scope Bronze. What stood out immediately was how structured and organised they were. They already had systems in place to gather material information, and they approached the process with focus and determination. It was clear that they were building a strong foundation.

What stayed with me was their mindset. They were not treating certification as a one-time exercise, but as part of a longer process of development.

When they later chose to recertify earlier than required and achieved Full Scope Gold under Version 4.1 — moving two levels up — it reinforced that impression. The structure and ambition they had demonstrated from the beginning enabled them to progress significantly and meet more demanding requirements.

Another example is glerups. What stood out there was the level of care and ownership throughout the certification process. There was strong internal engagement, and you could see that they were deeply involved in understanding and verifying their product.

Each of these projects highlights the different ways companies engage with certification and the effort involved in achieving transparency.

The realities behind certification: complexity, communication, and verification

What makes certification work challenging?

One of the main challenges is gathering complete and accurate information across global supply chains. You need to request detailed chemical and material data from suppliers who may operate in different countries, languages, and cultural contexts. Establishing clear communication and ensuring that information meets the required level of detail can take time.

Site visits are particularly important in this process. Being physically present allows you to observe how products are actually manufactured and to see the full production context.

I remember one case where, during a site visit and observing the production line step by step, I noticed additional materials being applied that were not initially included in the documentation. It wasn’t intentional — it was simply something that had not been formally captured. Seeing the process directly made it possible to identify those materials and ensure they were properly assessed.

These moments are essential because they ensure that the assessment reflects the real product and production conditions. They also help companies gain a clearer and more complete understanding of their own processes.

How the process deepens understanding

How has this work shaped your understanding of circularity?

One of the most important things I’ve learned is that circularity begins with material knowledge. It requires understanding exactly what goes into a product — every substance, every component, and every supplier involved.

Certification often requires companies to organise and verify information that was previously dispersed across teams or suppliers. Through this process, they develop greater visibility into their products, which enables better decision-making.

Circularity is not a single action, but the result of many interconnected decisions about materials, suppliers, and production. Certification helps bring those elements together in a structured way.

How circularity differs across sectors

Do different industries approach circularity differently?

Yes, very much. Each sector has its own challenges.

Cleaning products involve chemical formulations designed to interact with water and surfaces, which requires careful assessment of chemical safety and environmental impact.

Fashion presents different complexities, especially because products often consist of multiple fibres and blended materials. This makes circularity more difficult, and collection and recycling systems are still developing. Material selection and transparency are particularly important in this sector.

The built environment also presents specific challenges and opportunities. Building materials have long lifespans and significant environmental impact due to their scale. At the same time, this means that material decisions can have long-term positive effects. Certification helps ensure that materials used in buildings are assessed for safety, circularity, and long-term performance.

Looking ahead

What keeps you motivated in this work?

What motivates me most is seeing how companies engage with the process and how their understanding evolves. Certification often starts as a technical exercise, but it becomes a way for companies to gain clarity about their products and materials.

Looking ahead, transparency and verified information will become even more important. Companies will need to understand their materials and supply chains in greater detail, and certification will continue to play an important role in supporting that.

Being part of this process — helping ensure that products are truly understood, verified, and aligned with circular principles — is something I find deeply meaningful. It’s where environmental protection becomes practical and real.