Effective 1 April 2025, we are launching a significant update to the ZDHC Gateway Chemical Module, designed to streamline chemical product upload and verification processes. It will reimagine workflows for all stakeholders.
Recognising the need for increased efficiency and improved user experience, we’ve developed APIs to enable seamless communication between the Gateway and ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifiers’ databases. This automation eliminates manual verification, leading to:
- Faster verification and publication of ZDHC MRSL conformant chemical products.
- Improved data accuracy.
Please refer to the below FAQs for a more detailed understanding of the new process.
Chemical formulator. The process for formulators to upload and create product profiles remains. They will continue to provide essential information such as product names, application fields, and Safety Data Sheets (SDS).
Chemical formulators will no longer need to upload certification information manually. This will now be handled directly by the ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifiers.
No, the certifier’s primary responsibility is to add and manage the certification information through the API or via the Bulk Upload on ZDHC Gateway. The formulator continues to be responsible for the accuracy of their general product information.
ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier. Certifiers will manage and add certification details directly to the product profiles via APIs or the Bulk Upload on the ZDHC Gateway.
The formulator's unique ZDHC AID (Account ID), Product Name and optionally PID (Product ID). The ZDHC AID ensures that the certification data is added to the correct account, especially for formulators with multiple accounts. PID provides a more accurate matching.
A certificate PDF file is no longer necessary. To further simplify the process and avoid duplicating the efforts, we encourage ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifiers to stop creating PDF certificates that demonstrate compliance with ZDHC MRSL, as products being published on the Gateway are sufficient.
"Stop creating PDF certificates" means that ZDHC no longer requires ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifiers to issue physical certificates (or PDF files) to formulators. This is because uploading the product to the ZDHC Gateway for verification is now the key step. So, if a product is certified for a formulator, it will only be recognised as ZDHC MRSL-conformant if it is uploaded and published on the Gateway.
The mandatory information for the certifiers to feed in the API includes: ZDHC MRSL Certification Standard, ZDHC MRSL Version Name, Issue Date, Expiration Date, Formulator Name, Formulator ZDHC AID, Product Name, and ZDHC Product ID (not mandatory but highly recommended).
Once the product is recertified offline, ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifiers will use the API or a Bulk Upload process to update the certification details within the formulator's product profile. The formulator is only required to provide their ZDHC AID (Account ID), Product Name and optionally PID (Product ID) to the certifier during the offline re-certification process.
The certification details will appear on the formulator's "Products” page. If the product is new, a formulator will then review and publish the product. If the certification details are updated within an existing product, no further action is needed.
This change streamlines the process by assigning certification data management to the ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier, as the certification process occurs offline before products enter the ZDHC Gateway. It improves efficiency and reduces redundancy.
No, there are no additional costs. The process remains as is for both chemical formulators and ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifiers.
No, only ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifiers can upload product data via APIs.
In case a published product's certification details have not yet expired, when a ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier renews those details, a formulator only gets a notification and does not need to accept them or re-publish the product.
However, if the published product's certification details have already expired, the product automatically unpublishes. If now a certifier recertifies the product and updates certification information - the product can then be easily re-published by the formulator.
When uploading certification details, the platform will verify for any incorrect formats or other inconsistencies and return an error to the ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier. However, if an incorrect level or date was entered and the details were pushed into the product profile, a formulator can still decline them in case a product is completely new. If a product is existing or if a formulator accidentally accepted incorrect certification details, a ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier should go through the process again to adjust those details.
Formulators should proactively provide the ZDHC AID and PID to the ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier when certifying a product. This ensures that the certification data is pushed directly into the ZDHC Gateway without missing any requests.
Yes, certifiers should only push certification data if the product has successfully passed all required tests and meets the criteria for the registered level.
This can only occur if the product has already been created under a different account. If this happens, the certification may be mapped to the incorrect organisation. It's the formulator's responsibility to make sure they share the correct ZDHC AID and PID with the ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier.
Each commercial name should have a separate product profile, which will generate a unique Product ID (PID). The ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier must add certification information to each product separately if multiple commercial names fall under the same certification.
No, there are no changes. The product remains valid until its natural expiry date.
If you renew an existing certification with a ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier, there is no need for you to do anything besides sharing your ZDHC AID (Account ID), Product Name and optionally PID (Product ID) with the certifier during the offline re-certification process. The certifier then needs to push the new certification information into the ZDHC Gateway. If the product is unpublished in the meantime, you can publish it once the information is adjusted by the certifier.
Both are possible. We recommend having the original name registered and the local language name only added under the Local Language Names field. In your case though if you also have an Italian SDS it is also fine to create a separate product like you have it now. Important is that the name on the SDS and the name of the product is the same.
We do not expect ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifiers to have a higher workload because of the new process. However, price adjustments on their side are out of ZDHC's control.
Yes, both are also possible.
There will be a phase when there are products still pending with the ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier submitted in the old process. Those products will be handled via the old process. Certifiers are aware that they need to clear the backlog first and verify the products in the old process before they start with the new process.
In the same way as at the moment. Formulators are responsible for updating the SDSs if needed.
If your SDS is updated every 2 years, you should also add the new SDS every 2 years.
No, for bluesign or Inditex-approved products, the same process applies. The formulator must first create the product in the ZDHC Gateway before bluesign or Inditex can add the certification information.
Yes, the process remains the same.
The formulator must first create the product in the ZDHC Gateway. Once the product is available, the ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier can proceed with pushing the certification information.
Does your product have any certification details in its profile (in any status: Approved, Pending or Declined)?
If your product doesn't have any certification details yet, you can adjust the product name yourself by following the steps:
- Go to Products and make sure the Products tab is selected.
- Find the product you would like to edit by utilising the search bar. Click on the product name.
- In the Product Profile, click on Edit.
- Adjust the product name as needed.
- Click Save in the bottom right-hand side of the page.
- Click OK to confirm your selection. Your product's name is successfully updated!
However, if your product already has certification details in any status, you would need to create a new product profile.
Is the product name change very minor (e.g. Test Product A vs. TEST PRODUCT A)? Our system will see your new product as a duplicate and will not allow it. To work around this:
- Deactivate the incorrect product. You can do so by going to Products (Products tab), finding the product in question, selecting it, clicking on the Deactivate Product button at the top right-hand side and clicking Yes to confirm the deactivation.
- Contact the ZDHC Approved MRSL Certifier(s) of your valid (not expired) certification(s) under this product and request them to remove or "expire" those certification details. You may refer them here for instructions.
- Now that the "duplicate" product is inactive and doesn't have any valid certifications, you can create a new product with the correct name.