KEY POINTS:
A planet-and-tick symbol which started out on the top of a paint can has propelled New Zealand's reputation for environmental standards to the top of the world stage.
A global study commissioned by the British Government has rated the Environmental Choice eco-label as having one of the strongest environmental assessments in the world.
Robin Taylor, Environmental Choice's general manager, said it was like scoring an Olympic medal for the environment. "This puts Environmental Choice on the map with organisations that are legendary for their commitment, their standards and depth of authority, and whose breadth of environmental certification shows the way forward."
Mr Taylor said one of the criteria for belonging to the exclusive listing was that the standard should go beyond existing European Union requirements.
"It's very encouraging that New Zealand's official eco-label outperforms international benchmarks."
The study scored organisations for thorough consultation in developing standards, the frequency of updating them, backing by government, the strength of evidence collected for assessments, and the use of whole-of-lifecycle considerations.
Environmental Choice was cited as an example of best practice in environmental labelling internationally by Britain's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
Mr Taylor said Defra studied 207 standards and methods used to measure environmental sustainability over a wide range of products. It put Environmental Choice up with world leaders in the field such as Fair Trade, Forest Stewardship Council, and Energy Star.
Environmental Choice was found to have provided a credible and independent guide across a range of product types for consumers who wanted to purchase products with reduced environment impacts.
"The Environmental Choice process has been proven by this study to be tough, true, and transparent."
Mr Taylor said it had marked the robustness of standards, the range of criteria applied, and the methodology.
"Very few global competitors made the cut ... this global achievement is of such significance that it uplifts our country's whole environmental reputation."
Mr Taylor said when it came to the selection of a world-class authority using furniture and paper as representative standards, Environmental Choice was assessed as best practice internationally.
It took a comprehensive view of the environmental issues posed by the manufacture of furniture and made a credible attempt to address each of them. In locating a leading agency using paper manufacturing as a representative standard, Environmental Choice was again named in the trio of the world's best.
Mr Taylor said New Zealand consumers and businesses now needed to look for only one certification if they wanted to quickly cut through the greenwash and know which products to trust.
He said not all eco-labels displayed the same robustness as Environmental Choice.
"It is not sufficient to just put ticks in boxes and hold that up as some kind of environmental proof."
Without peer reviews, third-party verified published standards and open industry consultation, the box tick mentality had little chance of any valid certification of sustainability that could be recognised internationally, he said.
Mr Taylor said the Ministry for the Environment, which owned the label, had much to be proud of along with the independent trust set up to administer it.
At the launch of a government eco-labelling directory in Wellington last week Environment Minister Trevor Mallard said New Zealand was making good progress in what was a fast-changing area.
He said the Environmental Choice label had been government owned and supported since 1992, and its success reinforced the clean, green brand which helped exporters and traders to compete in international markets.
The online directory would help businesses and consumers understand the validity of environmental claims.
It brought together more than 200 labels, certifications and other claims used to describe the sustainability of products and organisations.
Information on each claim included who owned the label, its applicability, whether it met specified standards, was independently audited and how frequently it was reviewed.
"Many people find it difficult to tell the difference between genuine claims and greenwash untested claims that a product is eco-friendly," Mr Mallard said.
"The directory will help people to judge the credibility of claims, and understand the subtle differences between different labels."
www.med.govt.nz/ecolabels
GIVING YOU A CHOICE
What is an eco-label?
It is a label, certificate, membership, ranking or statement that makes claims about the environmental or social sustainability attributes of a product or service.
What is the purpose of the directory?
Intended to improve the availability of information about eco-labels and other indicators of sustainable products and companies. Designed to be relevant for New Zealand users.
Why is the directory useful?
Better understanding of the attributes of eco-labels, and differentiation between types of eco-labels.
Does the directory provide comprehensive information about eco-labels?
Provides only a summary for each eco-label. Users are encouraged to use the links provided to view further details about eco-labels they are interested in.
How do I differentiate between good labels and other labels?
The most robust eco-labels are those that are audited at least annually by an independent third party, and based upon recognised standards.
Where has this information come from?
Provided either by the eco-label owners, or summarised from material available on their website. Reasonable steps have been taken to ensure claims are valid.
