Guidelines for Providing Product Sustainability Information
Training Webinars and Workshops on 'Communicating Product Sustainability'
In order to raise awareness and build capacity on the Guidelines for Providing Product Sustainability Information, the Consumer Information Programme offers tailor made trainings on how to best communicate product sustainability information. During the trainings, participants are guided through the 10 high-level principles of the Guidelines and discuss a hypothetical advertising to consider its positive and negative elements against the Guidelines. Participants are sensitized on what to look out for when providing such information (as a company), when receiving and validating it (as a consumer or civil society), or when setting institutional or policy frameworks around the issue (as a government or standard/ labelling body).
Self-Assessment Tool
If you are interested in self-assessing and improving the way you are communicating with consumers about product sustainability (through marketing claims, labels, voluntary standards, product declarations, etc.), this complimentary benchmarking tool is for you! This tool serves as a checklist following the Guidelines’ 10 principles and allows you to analyse one specific product’s sustainability information (a claim) of your choice (existing or in development) at a time.
You can also access here the printout version of the self-assessment tool.
The self-assessment tool is also available in Spanish.
Ready to Drive the Market: Experiences from Road Testing the Guidelines for Providing Product Sustainability Information
Real-life Case Studies
The case studies are published here as they are finalised. Our objective with these case studies is to share a practical and didactic application of the Guidelines' principles by companies and standard-setters. The One Planet network does not endorse any of the products or claims presented in these case studies in any way or for any purpose. Quality and quality control are the sole responsibility of the organizations which self-assessed the way they communicate with consumers.
Sector: Food and Agriculture
- Mondelēz International
- Zerya Producciones sin Residuos S.L.
- Marine Stewardship Council
- Rainforest Alliance/UTZ (road tester, but no case study developed)
- Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL
- Florverde Sustainable Flowers (road tester, but no case study developed)
Sector: Chemicals
Sector: Consumer Goods
- Selo Eureciclo (road tester, but no case study developed)
- Colgate-Palmolive
Sector: Garments and Textile
Sector: Financial Services
Sector: Manufacturing Sector
- TÜV Rheinland
- Sustainable Office European Association aisbl
- Confederation of Indian Industry
- WWF-Hong Kong
Sector: Retail
- Aditya Birla Retail (road tester, but no case study developed)
- Auchan Retail España
- Woolworths Food Group
Sector: Sports Equipment and Accessories
- Mavic SAS (road tester, but no case study developed)
Sector: Household and Personal Care
Sector: Tourism and Hospitality
Sector: Automotive Sector
Multi-sector initiative
- Initiative for Compliance and Sustainability - ICS (road tester, but no case study developed)
Research reports applying the Guidelines
The Consumer Information Programme has developed and supported research reports that applied the principles of the Guidelines for Providing Product Sustainability Information to product sustainability information provided to consumers. Two such studies have been published so far: one on plastic packaging and one on garments and textiles. We encourage others to follow the methodology outlined in these reports and apply it to other sectors or product categories to assess the sustainability information according to the Guidelines' principles and make recommendations how to better align provided sustainability information with our guidance.
Plastic Packaging
Garments and Textile
If you are working on product sustainability information, or if you are aware of a relevant initiative that should be linked up here, please reach out to us!
The Consumer Information Programme is running a working group that brings together experts and stakeholders in product sustainability information to implement the Guidelines. Find more information and how to get involved here.
Other Guidance Documents
A Members Guide to GENICES (GEN 2016)
Building Demand for Sustainable Commodities (ISEAL, 2015)
Code of Advertising and Marketing (ICC, 2018)
Consumer Information Tools and Climate Change (UNEP, 2020)
The Procura+ Manual: A Guide to Implementing Sustainable Procurement
Compliance Criteria on Evaluating Claims (MDEC, 2016)
Consumer Market Study on Environmental Claims for Non-Food Products (European Commission, 2015)
Eco-Promising: Communicating the Environmental Credentials of your Products and Services (BSR, 2008)
Environmental and Ethical Claims in Marketing (The Consumer Ombudsman Norway, 2009)
French Practical Guide to Environmental Claims for Traders and Consumers (French version available here)
Guía Communicación Verde (Fundación Chile) (in Spanish)
Guidance on the Application of Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (European Commission, 2016)
ISEAL Credibility Principles (ISEAL, 2013)
ISEAL Sustainability Claims Good Practice Guide
ISO 14020: Environmental Labels and Declarations - General Principles (ISO, 2000)
ISO 14021: Environmental Labels and Declarations - Self-declared Environmental Claims (ISO, 2016)
ISO 14024: Environmental Labels and Declarations - Type I Environmental Labelling (ISO, 1999)
On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL) Guidance
Product Environmental Footprint Pilots (European Commission)
Product Sustainability Information: State of Play and Way Forward (UN Environment, 2015)
UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection (United Nations, 2003)
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