While some claims and labels are reliable, others mislead consumers by attributing environmentally friendly characteristics to unsustainable products or services. But the increased general ardour to go green is a fertile ground for greenwashing to flourish. Greenwashing exists because consumers are sensitive to green messages, but they do not have the cognitive and behavioural tools to distinguish between what is true and what is not. Green labels have proliferated, with over labels in use worldwide today.
On average one third of Europeans take ecolabels into account when shopping. Here are some reliable labels to look for:. Companies operating in the EU have been voluntarily using the flower-shaped logo on their best-in-class products for nearly 30 years. This has a positive effect on the market. You can find it on more than 70, non-food products from shampoos, washing liquid, paper tissues, or paints to textiles, floor coverings, nappies, or electronic displays.
Unlike some previous anxiety, we can see that the FTC is far from taking ecolabels and seals off the shelf. Rather they are insisting that even if you have a product that has been certified, you back it up — and fair enough too. The sheer proliferation of eco-labeling, certification and recognition programs, covering everything from food, to clothing, to energy and more, is bewildering—even to people who follow this stuff professionally.
Which is where the just-launched Ecolabel Index comes in. About labels worldwide — 80 in the United States — are issued by companies and nonprofit organizations that offer a promise of environmentally friendly qualities, according to a new survey by the World Resources Institute, Duke University and the environmental analyst Big Room Inc. They cover almost every category imaginable — from textiles to tea and tourism, from forest products to food.
While some eco-labels are little more than extensions of corporate marketing departments, many labels offer assurances about a product. He says many certification bodies rigorously investigate products before labeling them.
On the one hand, they can provide benchmark criteria to guide effective greening. As Trevor Bowden of Ecolabelling. A project of Vancouver, B.
According to the Web site Ecolabelling. In the Ivory Coast a large proportion of cocoa comes from its protected forests. This illegally grown cocoa is then marketed by major chocolate manufacturers, with certification procedures having little impact on this illicit trade.
WTO relaunches negotiations on fisheries subsidies The WTO has recently announced that negotiations on fisheries subsidies around the world will be relaunched, with the aim to secure an agreement by Ivory Coast cocoa sector hit by certification fraud In the Ivory Coast a large proportion of cocoa comes from its protected forests.
Subscribe to our newsletters Subscribe. It is a voluntary environmental product declaration scheme developed and provided by leading paper producers.
A Passive House is a very well-insulated, virtually air-tight building that is primarily heated by passive solar gain and by internal gains from people, electrical equipment, etc. Energy losses are minimized. Planet Positive is a mark of accreditation to the Planet Positive Protocol. The Protocol requires four steps: measuring, reducing, acting and reporting on GHG emissions. Planet Positive certifies businesses, products, events or people commit to taking positive action by either donating to community projects, or offsetting into verified carbon projects.
Processed Chlorine Free PCF audits require a chain of custody for all raw materials, measures the impact of a manufacturing process on the environment: water and energy use, chemistry, carbon gas releases, reviews environmental policy and permit compliance, reviews ethical management practices and compliance, financial performance, product stewardship, public information, funding of research and … Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification PEFC schemes The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification PEFC is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting Sustainable Forest Management SFM through independent third-party certification.
It works throughout the entire forest supply chain to promote good practice in the forest and to ensure that timber and non-timber forest products are produced with … Protected Harvest Protected Harvest is an eco-label with the stated mission of helping farmers meet environmental standards that yield high quality products and preserve healthy land for future generations. They certify farming, wildcrafting, livestock, processing, packing, and handling operations. QCS also certifies a diverse array of organic operations regardless of type, location, or size.
R is a voluntary, performance-based standard for new homes, which goes beyond building codes. The technical requirements involve three main areas of construction: energy performance, indoor air quality and environmental responsibility.
R homes must operate within a specific energy budget, based on the characteristics of the home and the climate conditions where it's built. Since electricity cannot be tracked in the electricity market the sources and the consumption must be certified. An auditing and verification process, based on tradeable green certificates, guarantees the quality of the product and excludes double selling and … Recycled Content Generic symbol used to show recycled content; also sometimes used to indicate that the product can be recycled.
Does not mean that the product has been certified. In the US, the Federal Trade Commission gives the following guidance: A recycled content claim may be made only for materials that have been recovered or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream, either during the manufacturing … RenewablePLUS RenewablePLUS is a label for green electricity based on Guarantees of Origin.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials is an international initiative, which develops and implement the RSB Global Sustainability Standard , a global standard for sustainable production, conversion and use of biomass.
The RSB Standard is de to demonstrate sustainable production of all derivatives from biomass, including biofuels, bioenergy, bio-plastics, bio-packaging, food additives, bio-chemicals, … RSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil RSPO Certification is a seal of approval that the palm oil used in the product is produced sustainably and volumes are traceable.
Producers are certified through strict verification of the production process by accredited ceritifying agencies and may be withdrawn at any time on infringement of the rules and standards. RTRS is a global platform made up of the main stakeholders of the soy value chain with the common objective of promoting the production of responsible soy through cooperation and open dialogue with the parties involved for making … Safe Agri-Food Product This ecolabel certifies pollution free agricultural products.
Salmon-Safe is an Oregon-based nonprofit that certifies urban and agricultural operations based on the protection of water quality and native biodiversity. Founded by a leading U. The Biodegradable Certification is designed to verify that products degrade safely and efficiently under worst-case circumstances and prevent chemicals from entering the environment at a rate that could reach harmful concentrations before degradation can occur. Developed in conjunction with the Resilient Floor Covering Institute, products must comply with indoor air quality and VOC emission requirements set by California Section , and meet rigorous quality management standards in manufacturing.
Certification and documentation help … SCS Indoor Advantage SCS Indoor Advantage certifications demonstrate that products meet indoor air quality standards pertaining to emissions that may be harmful to human health and the environment. The percentage of post-consumer or pre-consumer recycled content is reported in compliance with Federal Trade Commission guidelines and ISO standards.
The certification process includes company auditing and supply chain verification. Certification and … SCS Sustainable Choice Sustainable Choice certification ensures that carpet products meet measurable environmental performance and social responsibility criteria for continuous improvement. Sustainable Choice is awarded on three certification levels Silver; Gold; Platinum through points achieved … SeaChoice SeaChoice is a program of Sustainable Seafood Canada that produces sustainable seafood advisory lists.
The program is designed to raise consumer awareness about the importance of buying seafood from sustainable sources. They publish consumer guides for responsible seafood purchasing. Businesses interested will undergo a confidential pre-assessment, which will include the development of a customized testing regime based upon the intricacies of their particular products.
These companies are involved in the home furnishings industry. The scheme hopes to encourage manufacturers to design and manufacture with the environment in … SIP Certified The Sustainability in Practice SIP Certification program offers consumers a way to ensure that the wines they enjoy are coming from vineyards and companies fully committed to protecting natural and human resources. The regulations for organic production consists of European and Dutch legislation and regulations by Skal.
It is the result of 17 years of standardization with six national votes of consensus approvals involving thousands of professionals. The Smart WaterMark label is licensed to be used on products which have been approved as water saving by an independent Technical Expert Panel.
Criteria include:. Water Saving: That the primary purpose of the product or service is directly … Soil Association Organic Standard Organic certification for farmers, growers, food processors and packers, retailers, caterers, textile producers, health and beauty manufacturers and importers, in the UK and internationally. A Sourcemap ecolabel points to information on a product's components and their origins, as well as optional environmental and social footprints.
The information … Spiel Gut The label indicates that a toy has been tested in accordance with the following criteria: play value, material, workmanship, durability, safety, child-adequate size, quantity and design, quality of user instructions, suitability for different age groups etc. Environmental aspects are also considered such as detailed controls on pollutants such as cadmium, PVC and softeners. The goal is to manage a process that will maintain the integrity of food products produced without the use of restricted chemical imputs.
Stemilt uses the Responsible Choice label to represent all that is done in the land to conserve water, reduce inputs and promote good fruit production in a safe manner. The core of the system is a database of substances, materials and products. Farmers may apply for certification for all land in production and companies may request that all of their source farms be certified. Certifies farms for coffee, bananas, cocoa, orange, pineapple, flower and fern farms according to environmental and social standards.
SFI chain of custody labels allow the use of fiber from certified forests, certified sourcing, and post-consumer recycled material. All of these terms are defined in the SFI Definitions Section 13 of … Sustainable Green Printing Partnership The mission of the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership is to encourage and promote participation in the worldwide movement to reduce environmental impact and increase social responsibility of the printing industry through certification and continuous improvement of sustainability and best practices within manufacturing operations.
STEP is based on a framework that measures all aspects of sustainability for tourism businesses and serves as a practical tool for assessment, benchmarking and education. Participating businesses learn how to manage their triple bottom line more effectively by discovering … Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand provides the framework for companies to continually work towards improving all aspects of their performance in terms of environmental, social and economic sustainability in both the vineyard and the winery.
SustentaX is a Brazilian ecolabel that assists consumers to identify sustainable products, materials, equipments and services. Products with the SustentaX Seal are evaluated for their quality and human safety. Manufacturers must prove their social, environmental and marketing responsibilities. Swiss Q-label certification scheme is a member managed, independent and self-governing legal association, who owns and manage the development, administration and maintenance of the Swiss PEFC scheme.
TCO Certified is an international sustainability certification for IT products and includes a wide range of criteria ensuring that the manufacturing, use and recycling of IT products is carried out with regard to environmental and social responsibility. TCO Certified combines requirements for social responsibility at the facilities where the product is manufactured, user safety and ergonomic … TerraCycle TerraCycle runs national waste collection programs in 10 countries where non-recyclable post-consumer waste used candy wrappers, tooth brushes, pens, juice pouches and many other categories of waste is collected and made into new products and materials.
The TerraCycle logo informs a consumer that the product or package is no longer waste, and can be collected and sent postage paid to TerraCycle. In exchange for this compliance, participants may use a marketing logo identifying their products as certified … Thai Green Label The Green Label is an environmental certification awarded to specific products that are shown to have minimum detrimental impact on the environment, in comparison with other products serving the same function.
The Thai Green Label Scheme applies to products and services, not including foods, drinks, and pharmaceuticals. The goal is to provide consumers with visibility into the footprint Timberland creates. Timberland products are rated on a scale of 1 to 10 using a system created to measure environmental footprint from raw materials to the finished product. The lower the score, the lower the environmental footprint.
The label indicates compliance with all aspects of the standard excluding site factors. The TRA Green Certification program includes a directory of suppliers that supply the manufacturer with construction material, electrical, cooling, heating, plumbing, floors, etc; and highlights those suppliers who have been Verified Green. The Tunisian ecolabel is a Type 1 national ecolabel established by decree in It was created in order to facilitate the access of Tunisian products and services to the European and International markets.
The technical and ecological criteria for the certification of textile products and tourism accommodation services are established while Agro-food products criteria are under development. Price surcharges are used for building new renewable sources of energy. Simultaneous generation and consumption in quarter-hour … U. The program uses EPA 's chemical knowledge and resources to carefully evaluate products and to label only those that have met the program's leadership standard.
By allowing use of the logo on products, EPA empowers consumers and commercial … UK Fuel Economy Label The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership's voluntary label shows how much of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide a vehicle emits and relates that figure to the vehicle tax that must be paid. UL Underwriters Laboratory provides a service for the verification of products that meet the appropriate requirements for energy efficiency and which are also Listed or Recognized by UL.
Through UL's Energy Efficiency Certification Program, manufacturers can show consumers, competitors, and regulators that their products are helping lower energy demand. These voluntary, multi-attribute, lifecycle-based environmental certifications indicate that a product has undergone rigorous scientific testing, exhaustive auditing, or both, to … UL Environmental Claim Validation Environmental claim validations are agents of assurance, providing independent proof that products are exactly as they claim to be.
Claims validated include: recycled … Umwelt-Etikette The Swiss ecolabel "Umwelt-Etikette" labels paints and coatings and comprises 7 classes from A to G. Class A labels paints and coatings have the highest standards with regard to environmental friendliness and user friendliness. This Swiss ecolabel facilitates the selection of environmentally compatible and suitable products.
UPS calculates the emissions and purchases carbon offset credits equivalent to the GHG emissions created in shipping the package to make it "carbon neutral". Companies participating in this program allow UPS to conduct an evaluation of transportation packaging processes i. The program requires participants to regularly test their compost products for a range of characteristics and properties, and to make this information available to all who request it. The Farm Bill Food Conservation and Energy Act of expanded the existing preferred purchasing program for federal sector and reauthorized the voluntary labeling program for the broad scale consumer marketing … USDA Organic The U.
Department of Agriculture has put in place a set of national standards that food labeled must meet, whether it is grown in the United States or imported from other countries. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers … UTZ Certified Sustainability is important for everyone.
After all, our future is at stake. The manufacturers of these brands need raw materials on a large scale — raw materials that are produced by farmers in developing countries. By increasing the … Verified Carbon Standard The Verified Carbon Standard provides a global standard and program for approval of credible voluntary offsets.
Developed by The … VeriFlora VeriFlora is a sustainability certification program for cut flowers and potted plants. It is administered by Scientific Certification Systems SCS , a third-party certifier of environmental, sustainability and agricultural product quality claims. Certifies accommodation businesses, destinations and other tourism businesses in Germany.
The mandatory rating system is similar to the energy rating labelling, with six stars. By choosing to use more water-efficient products in the home, Australians will save water and cut down on water and energy bills. It is open to all companies who manufacture or sell product in the United Kingdom that meets the criteria for water efficiency products as defined by technical experts within the United Kingdom bathroom Industry.
The purpose of the scheme is to encourage … Water Lily: Lithuania Ecolabel for various products. The Marque is awarded annually to products which reduce water wastage or raise the awareness of water efficiency in the U. The products in this Wholefoods Market program must meet specific criteria that demand quality in four areas of responsibility: meets quality standards, provides more money to producers, ensures better wages and working conditions for workers, and Cares for the environment.
Members of the WFA who abide by our food production standards and sell their produce locally are entitled to use our quality symbol to certify their production methods. Successful Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Certification programs are designed to provide benefits to communities, increase employee morale, further sustainability goals, and strengthen relationships with stakeholders.
The Window Energy Rating Scheme enables windows to be rated and labelled for their annual energy impact on a whole house, in any climate of Australia. Rated windows carry a label which certifies that the window has been rated by the Australian Window Association. PEFC - the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification - whose standards seek to transform the way forests are managed globally — and locally - to ensure that all of us can enjoy the environmental, social and economic benefits that forests offer.
The Gold Seal Program offers certification of all products and chemicals that contact drinking water. This certification means that production of the listed drinking water treatment systems has been audited and evaluated by the Water Quality Association, … WSDA Organic Protects consumers and supports the organic food industry by ensuring the integrity of organic food products through establishing organic standards and certifying organic producers, processors, and handlers.
The program provides technical information about organic food production and assists in the development of markets for the organic food industry. Zque fibre combines natural performance wool with an accreditation program that ensures environmental, social and economic sustainability, animal welfare non-mulesed and traceability back to the source. It's a label guaranting the low output of dangerous emissions.
The ecolabel provides consumers with guidance in order to choose products or services with least hazardous to the environment or health. The ecolabel draws the consumers attention to aspects of environment, health and quality fitness for use. Aims to safeguard Norway's organic future. All providers of organic products in Norway are part of Debio's inspection scheme, which includes all activities from farm to table. Want full access to Ecolabel Index?
Ecolabel Index PRO subscribers can: Access full ecolabel profiles with over 60 data points Filter ecolabels by region, product category, and other criteria Compare ecolabels to save time finding which one's right for you See plans and pricing. No contract — upgrade, downgrade, or cancel at any time. Free access for ecolabelling organizations. Ecolabel Index , the global directory of ecolabels, is brought to you by Big Room Inc.
We also operate. Get your own. Home All ecolabels Consulting Contact Don't have an account? All ecolabels Alphabetical index of ecolabels. AB Agriculture Biologique France's national logo for organic products since L'Agence Bio began managing and promoting the label in They certify organic products and companies in a broad range of categories, including: food detergents farms cosmetics stores bio-fibres AISE Charter for Sustainable Cleaning The Charter for Sustainable Cleaning is a voluntary initiative for the European soap, detergent, and maintenance products industry, managed by the Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products AISE.
The standard: requires animals to be raised on pasture or range prohibits dual production awards approval only to family farmers charges no fees to participating … Aquaculture Stewardship Council The Aquaculture Stewardship Council ASC offers standards for aquaculture and for the seafood chain of custody.
Audubon International Audubon International's environmental and sustainability education and certification programs require individuals responsible for the membership type to meet specific environmental or sustainability performance requirements. Australian Certified Organic ACO provides certification services to operators from all sectors of the organic industry.
Australian Forest Certification Scheme Enables users and consumers of timber and wood-based products to be assured that the origin of timber or wood-based products are derived from sources that have been independently, third-party certified from sustainably managed forests.
B Corporation B Corporations are a new type of corporation which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. Also provides inspection services for the organic products according to: Naturland standard Biosuisse standard Demeter … BIO Hotels This certification covers organic and regional products in Hotels. Bio Suisse Indicates fully organic, produced in Switzerland. Biokreis The Biokreis is a non-governmental organisation. Its goals are: to help farmers to grow organically, to bring farmers and manufacturers together - regionally and on a fair basis, to promote organic agriculture, to inform consumers about organic agriculture and a healthy lifestyle.
Bioland Based on the organic-biological method the Bioland farmers gave themselves organic farming standards, which they continuously maintained, adapted and developed, so that it now includes all aspects of a modern ecological agricultural production, animal husbandry as well as food processing. Blue Angel The Blue Angel was initiated by the German government and awarded by an independent Jury to products that are environmentally friendlier than others serving the same use.
Bonsucro Bonsucro is a multi-stakeholder association established to reduce the environmental and social impacts of sugarcane, by designing a Standard and program to transform the sugarcane industry.
BREEAM provides clients, developers, designers and others with market recognition for low environmental impact buildings assurance that best environmental practice is incorporated into a building inspiration to find innovative solutions that … British Allergy Foundation Seal of Approval Endorsement scheme for a wide range of products from air conditioners and bedding to cars and cleaning products which specifically restrict or remove high levels of named allergens from the environment.
Built Green Built Green promotes and recognize environmentally responsible residential home construction and renovation with four standards or labels.
California Certified Organic Farmers - CCOF CCOF promotes and supports organic food and agriculture through a premier organic certification program, trade support, producer and consumer education and political advocacy.
Canada Organic Permitted for use only on those food products certified as meeting the revised Canadian standard for organic production and that contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients.
Canadian Certified Environmental Professional Responsible for the certification of environmental practitioners in Canada. Carbon Reduction Label The Carbon Reduction Label is a public commitment that the carbon footprint of a product or service has been measured and certified and the owner of the product or service has committed to reduce that footprint over the following two years.
Certified Envirodesic The Envirodesic certification mark is licensed to qualified builders, manufacturers and service-providers whose buildings, products and services meet stringent standards for healthy indoor environments. Certified Pesticide Residue Free Means that products are tested for pesticide residues and sets limits of detection for each specific pesticide residues.
Production has a positive impact on the local economy. Individuals or communities living with wildlife participate in the production, harvest, processing or manufacture of the product. China Organic Food Certification This is an organic food and product label whose mission is to promote the development of organic agriculture and food in China.
Coop Naturaline: Switzerland For textiles and natural cosmetics made from cotton by controlled biological cultivation according to the guidelines of BIO Suisse or the European Union. Cradle to Cradle Certification is a third-party sustainability label that requires achievement across multiple attributes: use materials that are safe for human health and the environment through all use phases product and system design for … CRI Green Label In , the Carpet and Rug Institute CRI launched its Green Label program to test carpet, cushions and adhesives to help specifiers identify products with very low emissions of VOCs.
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