European Parliament Adopts New Law Against Greenwashing

Multiple stakeholders, including retailers, consumers and investors, are demanding sustainable products. A heightened awareness among consumers that green products may help us live a safer, more secure and sustainable lifestyle is putting pressure on brands and retailers to focus on product sustainability.

Additionally, investors are asking companies to take concrete steps toward sustainability, such as certifying the claims of their products.

Investors showed their commitment to supporting sustainability when they called for companies, they invest in to issue annual key sustainability metrics reports.

The popularity of green product marketing has caused a rise in greenwashing — the act of misleading consumers regarding a product’s environmental benefits — making it difficult to differentiate between genuinely environmentally certified products and those that aren’t.

According to several recent articles¹, greenwashing is among the single biggest challenges specifiers and other purchasers face when trying to select greener, safer, and healthier products.

Just recently, the European Parliament announced that it was voting on the EU Green Claims Directive to prevent deceitful green marketing².

Members of Parliament agreed on stricter rules to back green claims and labels, and better governance processes for sustainability labels. The new law will also require companies and traders to submit all necessary documentation for a claim to be approved by independent third parties.

In addition, the Parliament agreed to introduce a Green Claims Consultation Forum, which will provide people with other stakeholders to influence future legislation resulting from the Green Claims Directive.

The law will also go through negotiations among Member States’ representatives within the Council of the EU.

The importance of sustainable certifications and verifications

Certifications and verifications help manufacturers and retailers demonstrate their product’s sustainability claims and communicate them to consumers, suppliers and investors. Products and operations associated with credible, independent certifications and validations send a signal that serves as a sustainability seal of approval to stakeholders.

Retailers, manufacturers, and suppliers that engage with an independent third party, like UL Solutions, can gain credibility — and a clear competitive edge in an otherwise murky green product marketplace.

Standards and certifications for sustainable products

UL Solutions offers a variety of global sustainability certifications and verifications developed in accordance to applicable ISO standards covering various products and sustainability attributes. With some of the most recognized and referenced third-party certifications and criteria, our services help manufacturers and retailers market the sustainable attributes of their products. Our sustainability marks help consumers, suppliers and investors identify products with sustainability features they can rely on. Our credible, independent certifications and validations send a signal that serves as a sustainability seal of approval to stakeholders.

References

1. Green Guides
   The Increasing Dangers Of Corporate Greenwashing In The Era Of Sustainability
   What is greenwashing and why is it a problem?
2. European Environmental Bureau