Case Study – A Distributor’s Journey to Adopting Certifications That Matter for Sustainable Suppliers
🏗️ Turning paperwork into purpose—with real results.
Certifications can feel overwhelming for distributors: EPDs, HPDs, FSC, GREENGUARD, Declare—the list goes on. But one forward-thinking distributor chose to embrace them head-on, and with the help of a modern ERP system, they transformed certifications into a growth engine.
In this case study, we walk through how EcoBuild Materials revamped its supply chain, catalog, and sales process to align with modern sustainability standards—and grew its business in the process.
🏢 Company Overview
Name: EcoBuild Materials
Region: Northeast U.S.
Products: Structural lumber, siding, insulation, adhesives
Customer Base: Commercial contractors, architects, municipal buyers
Initial Challenge: Spotty certification coverage, scattered documents, limited use of certs in sales
🔍 Problem Areas Before ERP Integration
No centralized system for certification tracking
Difficult to quote LEED projects with required documentation
Sales teams lacked product transparency
Missed RFPs due to unverified or expired certs
✅ The Transformation Strategy
✅ 1. Standardized Product Certification Process
Created certification requirements per product category
Used ERP to store and organize FSC, EPD, and HPD docs by SKU
✅ 2. Vendor Audit and Realignment
Reviewed supplier certifications
Prioritized partners with updated and well-documented materials
✅ 3. Sales Enablement
Added auto-attach certification feature in ERP for quotes
Created a searchable green product catalog within ERP
Trained reps to highlight certifications as a sales advantage
✅ 4. Marketing Integration
Launched a campaign: “Every SKU tells a story”
Included impact metrics in newsletters and on product pages
Used ERP data to show growth in certified product adoption
📈 Results After 12 Months
🧾 78% of SKUs now include at least one certification
📦 92% of LEED project quotes automatically include required documentation
💰 24% YoY increase in sales from certified product lines
🏆 Won 5 major bids previously lost due to documentation gaps
🏁 Final Thoughts
EcoBuild’s journey shows that certifications are more than a checkbox—they’re a business advantage. With ERP support, they turned complexity into clarity, and compliance into a competitive edge.
📞 Want to implement a similar certification strategy? Let’s build your ERP system around it.
