Identifying products that are environmentally and socially sustainable has become increasingly difficult. There are more than 200 so-called eco-labels in the EU market. Few are transparent, have regularly updated and demanding criteria, or cover the products’ entire lifecycle. Many also lack independent verification of criteria compliance, which is needed for a label to be credible. The uncontrolled spread of eco-labels goes against the purpose of guiding buyers to better choices and pushing for sustainable development.
Growing numbers of buyers and consumers have become increasingly aware of greenwashing and bluewashing as the incorrect use of exaggerated environmental and social sustainability claims for marketing purposes has become widespread. Products are said to be more environmentally friendly or a greener choice than alternatives without any proof to back up such claims.
To address the issue, the European Commission has proposed stricter rules that require sustainability labels used on the EU market to be more transparent and reliable. Under the proposal, labels must be backed by a robust certification system, reducing the risk of greenwashing and false marketing.
Such a system means that criteria and verification methods are science-based and are developed in an open process. Criteria development must also include a comprehensive life cycle consideration and drive change in the sustainable sphere.
Most importantly, an independent party must verify compliance with the criteria. Ultimately, it all comes down to proof. Even the most ambitious sustainability goals fall flat if they are not based on a system of independent verification and follow-up.
An eco-label or sustainability certification can be a great help, but only if it is credible and has a robust certification system. For example, at TCO Development, the organization behind sustainability certification TCO Certified, we spend more than 10,000 hours a year on developing criteria. Then we only focus on IT product categories. Furthermore, each year, accredited experts spend more than 20,000 hours on product testing and supply chain assessments to ensure compliance with the sustainability criteria in TCO Certified.
In other words, an eco-label must be based on a robust certification system that ensures that the label lives up to its promises. The proposal from the European Commission is welcome and will be critical in helping buyers make better choices and avoid greenwashing.
Sören is CEO at TCO Development and besides being interested in more sustainable IT products (who would have guessed?) he loves cross country skiing, bicycling in the mountains and kayaking at sea.
