Feedback from more than 180 stakeholders will help shape the next phase of CSC certification
As part of its 10th Anniversary activities, the Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC) has published the consolidated results of its first global Customer and Market Surveys, providing valuable insights into how the CSC certification system is perceived across the concrete value chain.
Between May and June 2026, CSC collected feedback from 180 stakeholders worldwide, including 121 responses from producers and 59 responses from external market stakeholders such as contractors, certification bodies, green building organizations, public authorities and consultants. The surveys covered all regions where CSC is active and were conducted anonymously to encourage open and constructive feedback.
The results confirm that organizations already certified by CSC see clear value in the certification. Respondents identified the main benefits as:
-Demonstrating sustainability performance;
-Strengthening corporate reputation;
-Supporting participation in tenders and procurement processes;
-Meeting the requirements of green building and infrastructure schemes.
-Overall satisfaction levels were positive, although the survey also highlighted opportunities to further strengthen the perceived value of certification.
Both surveys delivered a consistent message: greater market recognition is the strongest driver for wider adoption of CSC certification.
External stakeholders indicated that CSC would become significantly more valuable through:
wider recognition in green building and infrastructure certification schemes;
stronger integration into public procurement;
closer alignment with sustainability regulations; and
increased demand from customers and investors.
At the same time, respondents identified the main barriers to certification as limited customer demand, uncertainty regarding commercial benefits, certification costs and the administrative effort involved.
Beyond market perception, participants also shared practical recommendations for improving the CSC certification system.
Suggestions included further enhancing the Toolbox and user experience, expanding training opportunities, simplifying guidance where appropriate, strengthening recognition of other certification systems, and continuing to support innovation and low-carbon solutions across the construction materials value chain.
The surveys also identified areas of the Technical Manual where additional guidance would be beneficial, helping CSC prioritize future clarification and training efforts.
CSC will use the survey findings to guide the ongoing development of the certification system. Planned actions include:
-strengthening recognition within green building and infrastructure schemes;
-developing additional communication tools for certificate holders
-improving training programmes for auditors and members;
-further enhancing the CSC Toolbox;
-exploring solutions tailored to small and medium-sized enterprises; and
-continuing to build partnerships that increase the market value of CSC certification.
The CSC Secretariat would like to thank all certificate holders, Regional System Operators (RSOs), Certification Bodies and stakeholders who took the time to participate. Their feedback will play an important role in ensuring that CSC continues to evolve as a robust, transparent and globally recognised certification system supporting responsible sourcing and sustainable construction.