Certification crosswalk

certifies

A chamber test protocol for volatile organic compound emissions from interior products, specifying chamber conditions, loading and a list of individual compounds reported against chronic reference exposure levels.

does not certify

Nothing on its own. It is the method that several certification marks are built on, which is why two marks citing it are comparable and two marks citing different methods are not.

certifies

That a sample met chemical emissions criteria under specified chamber conditions, with Gold applying the stricter criteria and the ones intended for sensitive populations.

does not certify

Acoustic, tactile, thermal or visual performance. Semi-volatile compounds. What the product emits after years in service, or after being cleaned with whatever the operator actually uses.

certifies

That a hard-surface flooring product, and its associated adhesives and underlayments, met VOC emissions criteria under the CDPH method.

does not certify

Slip resistance, acoustic performance, durability, or anything about the installed assembly beyond the tested components.

certifies

That a carpet, cushion or adhesive met emissions criteria for a defined compound list.

does not certify

Acoustic absorption, which is the property carpet is most often specified for. The two are tested by entirely separate methods and only one of them is on the label.

certifies

Indoor air quality performance of furniture and interior products against emissions criteria.

does not certify

Anything outside the tested emissions scope.

certifies

A published ingredient list to a stated residual threshold, with final assembly location, expected service life and end-of-life options, plus a statement of Red List status.

does not certify

That the ingredients are safe. It is a nutrition label, not a health verdict, and its value depends entirely on the residual threshold it declares to.

certifies

A standardised open format for reporting product contents and associated health hazards, with the disclosure threshold stated.

does not certify

Any performance claim. It is a reporting format, self-published unless separately verified, and a complete HPD on a hazardous product is still a complete HPD.

certifies

Quantified life cycle environmental impacts against a product category rule, third-party verified.

does not certify

Indoor exposure, human health outcomes, or sensory performance. Two EPDs under different product category rules are not directly comparable, which is the most commonly ignored thing about them.

certifies

Assessment across several categories including material health, product circularity, clean air and climate protection, water and soil stewardship, and social fairness, at an achievement level.

does not certify

Sensory or acoustic performance. The overall level is set by the lowest category, so a high level does not mean uniform performance and a low one does not mean uniform failure.

certifies

A performance-based standard covering ingredient transparency, place, water, energy, health and equity.

does not certify

Sensory performance or occupant response.

certifies

That wood fibre is traceable to forests managed under the scheme's requirements.

does not certify

Anything about the finished product's emissions, finish chemistry or performance. A certified timber with a high-emitting lacquer is still certified timber.

certifies

That every component of a textile article was tested against a list of harmful substances, with limits set by the intended skin contact class.

does not certify

Emissions into room air, durability, acoustic behaviour, or the substances not on the list.

certifies

Organic fibre content with processing, chemical input and social criteria through the supply chain.

does not certify

Indoor emissions performance or any sensory attribute. Organic is an agricultural and processing claim.

certifies

Product-category criteria that commonly include indoor emissions alongside other environmental requirements.

does not certify

Sensory performance. Criteria are category-specific, so the mark means different things on different products.

certifies

Life cycle criteria set per product group.

does not certify

Sensory performance, and nothing consistent across product groups.

certifies

A project, against features across ten concepts including Air, Light, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Materials and Mind.

does not certify

A product. Products contribute documentation toward project features; they are not themselves WELL certified, and a product marketed as WELL certified is misdescribed.

certifies

A project across energy, water, materials, indoor environmental quality and other categories.

does not certify

A product. Products contribute toward credits.

certifies

A project against health-promoting design and operational strategies.

does not certify

A product.

certifies

That a product or service has documented alignment with specific WELL features, giving project teams a documentation pathway.

does not certify

That using the product produces a health outcome, or that a project using it will certify. The programme's pathways have been revised over time, so any mapping must carry the version it was made against.