What is Eco Labeling?
- States environmental preferences & the products life cycle
- Indicates ecological criteria
- Gives information about quality
Declarations
Recyclable, recycled content, eco-friendly, low energy
ISO 12040 Types of Eco Labeling
ISO TYPE I:
Voluntary, multiple-criteria based, third party program
Focuses on attributes
ISO TYPE II:
informative environmental self-declaration claims
ISO TYPE III:
voluntary third party program, provides quantified data of a product, how it was produced
Why labelling programs exist
- Growing global concern for protecting the environment
- Changing views of governments, businesses and the public
- Concerns are a market advantage in developed countries
Ecolabeling Objectives
- Protecting the environment
- Encouraging environmentally innovation in businesses
- Building consumer awareness of environmental issues
Protecting the environment
Encourage consumers to use environmentally friendly goods
- By recycling & reducing waste
- By educating about harmful chemicals
- By promoting the inefficient use of non-renewables
Encouraging environmentally innovation in businesses
- Market niche is reinforced
- Corporate image is increased
Building consumer awareness of environmental issues
- Provides reliable info on environmental impacts & products
- Used to promote environmentally friendly actions
Principles
- Voluntary participation
- Level of performance
- Credible, relevant & measurable criteria
- Independence
- Open & accountable processes
- Consistency with ISO guiding principles
Participants in Ecolabeling
- Consumers
- International communities
- Program managers
- Media
- Industry
Key Steps to an Ecolabel Program
1) Selection and determination of product categories
- Comparison of all products with the same function
- Guiding principles
2) Development of appropriate criteria, standards, guidelines
- With focus on a simple performance review: the life cycle of the product + key attributes
3) Certification and licensing
- Businesses apply for a certificate & are verified
- Approved product has permission to hold their ecolabel symbol
Measuring Success
- Improvement in environmental quality of certified products
- Industry participation and credibility factors
Group dynamics between businesses: Increase/decrease of sales / Consumer focus or trends on quality, value - Consumer recognition and demand: Evidence is crucial for industry participation / Recognition implies trust & motivation in purchasing
- Raising awareness: Get involvement & support from organisations and media / Information about the label has to reach consumers
Environmental labels
- can be either mandatory or voluntary
- are seals of approval given to products having fewer impacts on the environment
- can identify and express the overall environmental quality of a product.
Benefits of Eco-Labeling
- Informing consumer choices
- Promoting economy efficiency
- Stimulating market development
- Encouraging continuous improvement
- Promoting certification
- Assisting in monitoring
Problems with labels
- lack of transparancy
- credibility
- greenwashing
Success stories
- blauer engel
- fair trade
- forest stewardship council
