International Stone Group Moves Forward

The Natural Stone Strategic Alliance (NSSA) took another step toward its international consolidation at a virtual meeting July 1.

At that time, members reviewed progress on the federation’s institutional structure and aligned the next steps for its ongoing strategic projects.

Officially incorporated as a non-profit organization in the United States, the NSSA currently lists as members 11 organizations from 10 natural stone producing and consuming countries. Members are Brazil, Germany, Greece, Iran, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Plans are to expand membership to 20 organizations by the end of the year, further increasing global representation. Expanding and strengthening the organization’s governance structure was a major topic of discussion, along with enhancing the board’s decision-making process.

Another topic on the agenda was the federation’s institutional development. The NSSA continues to build partnerships with major international trade shows. It’s expected that initiative will expand its institutional reach and support its global cooperation projects.

As part of that, members discussed the development of the organization’s official website, which will serve as a hub for its main initiatives.

Fabio Cruz, vice president of the Brazilian Natural Stone Association Centrorochas, said that NSSA shows that the challenges facing the industry require increasingly coordinated action among countries.

Meanwhile, work continues on the federation’s first collaborative initiative, the Environmental Product Declaration or EPD initiatives developed by member countries. The project seeks to map the developmental stage of each national EPD program and provide a global overview of the natural stone industry’s environmental progress.

Occupational safety remains a priority for the NSSA, and discussions surrounding exposure of respirable crystalline silica remain a priority for the organizations that make up the federation.

Of particular interest are Australia’s restrictions on engineered stone products and the ongoing regulatory debate in California. The board of directors composition is expected to be approved during an in-person meeting scheduled as part of Marmomac in September in Verona, Italy.