Comments on: Untangling the Web of Green Product Credentials http://corporateecoforum.com/ecoinnovator/?p=3028 EcoInnovator | Driving Corporate EcoInnovation and Sustainability Strategy Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:18:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: J. Babcock http://corporateecoforum.com/ecoinnovator/?p=3028&cpage=1#comment-1018 J. Babcock Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:37:41 +0000 http://corporateecoforum.com/ecoinnovator/?p=3028#comment-1018 What is missing from the discussion around certification is the effect on B2B companies whose customers are not consumers. In the chemicals industry, for example, where I work, there *are* no certification standards for some products, making it frustrating for companies and customers alike to agree on what's "eco-friendly" and what's not. This situation also leads to potential greenwashing; it's easy for companies to claim their product is "eco-friendly" because there are no agreed rules. What is worse, even among the third party certifiers in the industry (Green Seal, Eco Logo, etc.), there is often a consumer-based approach to setting standards that fails to understand the subtleties involved in creating chemical-based solutions. "Chemicals are bad, natural is good"--this motto may work well for a consumer cleaning product in the home, but it doesn't work well when you have to clean a hotel, for example. We need to think about B2B implications of third party certification. What is missing from the discussion around certification is the effect on B2B companies whose customers are not consumers. In the chemicals industry, for example, where I work, there *are* no certification standards for some products, making it frustrating for companies and customers alike to agree on what’s “eco-friendly” and what’s not. This situation also leads to potential greenwashing; it’s easy for companies to claim their product is “eco-friendly” because there are no agreed rules.

What is worse, even among the third party certifiers in the industry (Green Seal, Eco Logo, etc.), there is often a consumer-based approach to setting standards that fails to understand the subtleties involved in creating chemical-based solutions. “Chemicals are bad, natural is good”–this motto may work well for a consumer cleaning product in the home, but it doesn’t work well when you have to clean a hotel, for example.

We need to think about B2B implications of third party certification.

]]> By: Kathryn Papp http://corporateecoforum.com/ecoinnovator/?p=3028&cpage=1#comment-987 Kathryn Papp Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:57:40 +0000 http://corporateecoforum.com/ecoinnovator/?p=3028#comment-987 As with a number of certification systems these green product credentials will fail without price signals and strong national government action (as in tobacco in the USA) and fall far short of their intended goals. The global nature of trade makes ESG more relevant than ever. The next stage of development for most green certification systems should be building these two pillars, governmental enforcement and fair pricing, into the certification process so that sourcing is ultimately controlled. As with a number of certification systems these green product credentials will fail without price signals and strong national government action (as in tobacco in the USA) and fall far short of their intended goals. The global nature of trade makes ESG more relevant than ever.

The next stage of development for most green certification systems should be building these two pillars, governmental enforcement and fair pricing, into the certification process so that sourcing is ultimately controlled.

]]> By: Ted Hurlbut http://corporateecoforum.com/ecoinnovator/?p=3028&cpage=1#comment-889 Ted Hurlbut Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:41:30 +0000 http://corporateecoforum.com/ecoinnovator/?p=3028#comment-889 Most likely, the market will coalesce around a specific certification and labeling regime which will become standard. It's important that this happens quickly so that green-based independent retailers can begin to establish a strong presence in their markets, and streengthen the green retailing movement. Most likely, the market will coalesce around a specific certification and labeling regime which will become standard. It’s important that this happens quickly so that green-based independent retailers can begin to establish a strong presence in their markets, and streengthen the green retailing movement.

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