Methodological challenges for ecolabels in the Global Ecolabelling Network - Evaluation and traceability of critical raw materials and determination of quantitative environmental relief potentials

The overall objective of the project is to strengthen the use and cooperation of type-I ecolabels worldwide and contribute towards establishing them as one of the key instruments for sustainable consumption. In concrete terms, the project pursues the following objectives: (1) Analysis and description of two common challenges faced by type-I ecolabels (2) Analysis of the current situation of the identified common challenges within the ecolabelling schemes as well as within companies and potential license holders (3) Identification of suitable solutions and approaches for overcoming the common challenges, followed by the implementation of two concrete measures in cooperation with the ecolabelling schemes (4) Support the discussion process on common challenges between the type-I ecolabelling programmes within the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN), and (5) Conceptual planning, organization and implementation of the Annual GEN Meeting in 2018 in Berlin as well as of an international conference and a parliamentary discussion on topics relevant for the ecolabels (6) Publication of a special issue on ecolabels in an international scientific journal The project is intended to contribute to ensuring that solutions to common global environmental problems are implemented as uniformly as possible by the ecolabels in future. This facilitates more effective communication to consumers and public authorities as well as provides a stable orientation for potential ecolabel license holders. The main objective of this project was to strengthen the use and cooperation of type-I ecolabels worldwide. As markets are becoming increasingly international and products are no longer developed for national markets, the cooperation and joint efforts of ecolabels in developing common environmental standards are indispensable. Specifically, the project addressed two central challenges faced by ecolabels worldwide: (1) Integrating sustainability issues of raw material supply chains in ecolabelling schemes, and (2) Measuring the performance of ecolabels. For the first challenge, the project proposed a set of potential ecolabel criteria based on sustainable mining of raw materials in notebooks, with focus on supply chain due diligence for environmentally and socially critical raw materials. As the focus of the due diligence efforts has mostly been on addressing conflict financing and human rights violations, the project proposed an approach on how ecolabels can extend the due diligence concept to cover severe environmental issues. As for the second challenge, the project concluded that calculation of the environmental savings through ecolabelled products could be a promising approach for measuring the performance of ecolabels. In this regard, the project developed and tested a methodological guidance document for measuring the performance of ecolabels. The methodological guidance document was designed primarily for the practitioners in ecolabelling institutions. The results showed that it is possible to calculate the environmental savings reliably by ecolabelling schemes, if they are provided with capacity building on methodological and technical aspects. The project activities were conducted in close cooperation with the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN).