ESA members must be approved for membership by the ESA’s board and new applicants are assessed on their regulatory and operational standing.

Setting and achieving the highest industry standards is a strategic priority for the ESA. Our members are the industry leaders and this is reflected in our ambition to strive for ever-higher standards.

All members commit to adhering to the ESA’s Code of Conduct, and we work together in a collegiate way to develop and share best practice across Health and Safety, operational and processing standards, regulatory compliance and environmental protection – ensuring that members of all sizes are supported to achieve the necessary standards.

Some recent examples of our pursuit of high industry standards include the ESA’s Net-Zero Strategy, which commits members to achieving net-zero emissions by 2040, and our material export and quality standards, which commit members to producing recycled materials to a high, defined, specification. Additionally, we are undertaking workstreams to develop standards for biodiversity and social value, with many of our members signing up to our voluntary Social Value Charter.

You can view a selection of our most recent standards publications and articles below.