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90-486: The last few years have seen two key trends in the ecolabels space. There is an explosion in the numbers of different ecolabelling programs across the world and across business sectors and secondly the proliferation of umbrella labeling programs. Currently, there are around 264 active sustainability standards (according to ITC Standards Map) in 194 countries and 15 sectors, and about 457 ecolabels (according to Ecolabel Index ) in 199 countries, and 25 industry sectors. Within

180-499: A Certification Mark have had the government department responsible declare that the scheme has a standard and certifies that they are 'Competent to Certify'. The highest trust levels would be a government recognized certification mark that was also compliant with key ISO standards, especially ISO 14024- Type I Ecolabels that undertake ISO 14040 compliant life cycle analysis as part of their assessment. Type I ecolabels are voluntary labels that signify overall environmental preference of

270-438: A crop should be sustainably grown or a resource should be ethically harvested. This might cover, for instance, responsible fishing practices that do not endanger marine biodiversity or respect for human rights, and the payment of fair wages on a coffee or tea plantation. Normally sustainability standards are accompanied by a verification process – often referred to as " certification " – to evaluate that an enterprise complies with

360-571: A gross vehicle weight of 3855 kg (8500 lb). The label shows the city and highway fuel consumption ratings and an estimated annual fuel cost for that particular vehicle. Federal law in Canada, under Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations, requires that the EnerGuide label is placed on all new electrical appliances manufactured in or imported into Canada and that the label indicates the amount of electricity used by that appliance. This information

450-490: A higher-capacity but non-Energy Star rated dehumidifier may be a more energy efficient alternative than an Energy Star rated but lower-capacity model. The Energy Star program's savings calculator has also been criticized for unrealistic assumptions in its model that tend to magnify savings benefits to the average consumer. Another factor yet to be considered by the EPA and DOE is the overall effect of energy-saving requirements on

540-568: A maximum level of energy consumption for electric appliances (like the Energy Star label) or guaranteeing a responsible management of the world forests (like the Forest Stewardship Council ); other single issue labels assess the performance of the product on a range, for example grading its energy or water efficiency. There is a close relationship between the ecolabeling process and the eco-innovation because it promotes

630-490: A premium. Yet instead of guaranteeing a fixed floor price , the standard seeks to improve the economic situation of producers through higher yields and enhanced cost efficiency . UTZ Certified (formerly Utz Kapeh) was co-founded by the Dutch coffee roaster Ahold Coffee Company in 1997. It aims to create an open and transparent marketplace for socially and environmentally responsible agricultural products. Instruments include

720-532: A product family are measured and reported against an allowance set by the maximum throughput of the device. Operation modes (OM) are measured and reported for devices such as inkjet products against an allowance set by the functions present in the EUT (equipment under test). Devices that included "adders" such as Ethernet, on-board memory, wireless, etc. are mathematically "added" to increase the OM allowance. On February 1, 2011,

810-402: A product or services based on life-cycle considerations that address multiple environmental criteria, which are based on transparent standards for environmental preferability, verified by a qualified organization. Recent years have seen two key trends with ecolabels. There is an explosion in the number of different ecolabelling programs across the world and across business sectors and secondly

900-577: A proliferation of umbrella labeling programs. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has created standards for labeling practices within the ISO 14000 schema. ISO 14020 to 14025 series deals with environmental labels and declarations. ISO proposed three categories of environmental labels according to the aspects covered and the rigor required to award the seal: type I in ISO 14024; type II in ISO 14021; and type III in ISO 14025. Type I (ISO 14024)

990-780: A scale of 1 to 100, provide a means for benchmarking the energy efficiency of specific buildings and industrial plants against the energy performance of similar facilities. The ratings are used by building and energy managers to evaluate the energy performance of existing buildings and industrial plants. The rating systems are also used by EPA to determine if a building or plant can qualify to earn Energy Star recognition. In 2020 Energy Star released an updated guide for verifying Energy Star certifications. Energy Star ratings have been compared to other clean energy rating systems and green building certification systems such as those by independent firms like MiQ , or LEED certifications for office buildings. The number of space types that can receive

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1080-440: A standard, as well as a traceability process for certified products to be sold along the supply chain , often resulting in a consumer-facing label. Certification programs also focus on capacity building and working with partners and other organizations to support smallholders or disadvantaged producers to make the social and environmental improvements needed to meet the standard . The basic premise of sustainability standards

1170-475: A system of standards, applications for licenses, and independent verification. In the Netherlands, the private label EKO is granted to products with at least 95% organic agricultural content. In Asia ASEAN is moving towards adopting the ISO's TC 207 environmental management system. Anyone can contribute verifiable sources substantiating its adoption and implementation by member countries as this information

1260-625: A variety of tests to prove that the products will display the following characteristics: New homes or apartments that earn the Energy Star label have been verified to meet energy efficiency requirements set by U.S. EPA. Energy Star certified homes are at least 10% more efficient than homes built to code and achieve a 20% improvement on average, while providing homeowners with better quality, performance, and comfort. Nearly 1.9 million Energy Star certified homes and apartments have been certified to date. These high-performing homes can be found across

1350-482: A voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products, Energy Star began with labels for computers and their peripherals . In 1995 the program was significantly expanded, introducing labels for residential heating and cooling systems and new homes. In 2000, the Consortium for Energy Efficiency was directed by members to begin an annual survey of Energy Star impact. According to

1440-591: Is a joint initiative of FAO, UNEP, ITC, UNCTAD, and UNIDO on Sustainability Standards. UNFSS is a neutral and credible platform to maximize the potential of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS) as a means to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through: Facilitating emerging economies' access to lucrative markets, stimulating well-informed dialogue among key stakeholders at the national and international level, and building capacities for producers and SMEs, to enhance opportunities in international trade. Energy Star Energy Star (trademarked ENERGY STAR )

1530-437: Is a self-declared claim made by manufacturers or retailers without third-party auditing . Developed internally by companies claims can take the form of a declaration, a logo, or a commercial. Type III (ISO/TR 14025) an environmental product declaration consisting of quantified product information on the life cycle impacts. Instead of assessing or weighting the environmental performance of a product this type of label only shows

1620-457: Is a self-regulatory new environmental policy instrument, ecolabelling. Eco-labeling standardization is a new form of regulation which is voluntary in nature but impose upon large companies market forces in order to harmonize production of goods and services with stronger ecological practices. Recently, it has turned into a new form of non-state authority at both national and international levels. This idea of entrepreneurial democracy based on

1710-488: Is a voluntary multi-criteria ecolabel program assessed by an independent third party who considers the life cycle impacts of a product.  Awarded certification authorizes the use of environmental labels on products and indicates overall environmental preferability of a product within a product category. The awarding body may be either a governmental organization or a private non-commercial entity. (e.g. EU Ecolabel , Nordic swan and German Blue Angel ) Type II (ISO 14021)

1800-516: Is also available on energy efficient homes and buildings in the United States. American automobile manufacturers are required to use certified U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy test results and cannot use any other fuel mileage results to advertise vehicle fuel efficiency. The state of California has green sticker license plates issued to OHVs is introducing green stickers for all new automobiles in 2009. The EU Ecolabel

1890-522: Is also strictly regulated. Genetic engineering and the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are forbidden . With increasing awareness, The tourism industry has a variety of sustainability standards for different subsectors. This includes standards for sustainable hotels , sustainable tour operators, sustainable events and conferences, sustainable destinations, and so on. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design standards were developed by

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1980-572: Is an energy-efficiency program administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The EPA establishes energy efficiency specifications, and those that meet these specifications are eligible to display the ENERGY STAR logo. More than 75 product categories are eligible for the ENERGY STAR label, including appliances, electronics, lighting, heating and cooling systems, and commercial equipment such as food service products. In

2070-426: Is an example of an standards organization who develop international standards following a voluntary consensus process for sustainability under Technical Committee 207, Environmental management and Technical Committee 268, Sustainable cities and communities. These Committees connect with Technical Committee 61, Plastics working on mandates such standards for eliminating plastic pollution. In September 2023, ISO and

2160-646: Is as follows. Green Stickers on consumer goods have been evolving since the late 1970s, when the German Blue Angel (Der Blaue Engel) certification became the first ecolabel worldwide in 1978. The main drivers have been energy and fuel consumption. These stickers first started appearing on major appliances after government agencies in the United States and Canada legislated their requirement. Manufacturers are also required to meet minimum standards of energy use. The automobile industry in North America

2250-531: Is becoming blurred, with leading trade buyers increasingly demanding Fairtrade certification , for example, and consumers increasingly recognizing the FSC mark. In recent years , the business-to-business focus of sustainability standards has risen as it has become clear that consumer demand alone cannot drive the transformation of major sectors and industries . In commodities such as palm oil , soy , farmed seafood , and sugar , certification initiatives are targeting

2340-811: Is determined by standardized test procedures. A third-party agency verifies that an appliance meets Canada's minimum energy performance levels. All major home appliances must meet the Appliance Standards Program set by the US Department of Energy (DOE) on cooperation with the US Federal Trade Commission. Manufacturers must use standard test procedures developed by DOE to prove the energy use and efficiency of their products. Test results are printed on yellow EnergyGuide label, which manufacturers are required to display on many appliances. This label estimates how much energy

2430-636: Is limited by the current specifications. Standby power consumption for televisions must be 3 watts or less. A wider range of Energy Star qualified televisions will be available. Other qualified home electronics include cordless phones, battery chargers, VCRs and external power adapters, most of which use 90% less energy. The Energy Star Program Requirements for Imaging Products are focused on product families such as electrophotographic (EP) printers, inkjet printers (e.g., thermal), copiers, facsimile machines and other imaging equipment including MFD 's (multifunctional devices). Typical Electrical Consumption (TEC) of

2520-532: Is not easily accessible. There are a plethora of sustainable seafood ecolabels. Many conservationists feel that the increasing number of labels is further confusing consumers in regard to what seafood is sustainable. As of 2010, ecolabels that can be found on seafood include Marine Stewardship Council , Friend of the Sea , KRAV (Sweden), Naturland (Germany), Thai Quality Shrimp, Global Aquaculture Alliance's Best Aquaculture Practices standard, Label Rouge (France), and

2610-448: Is required to meet a minimum emissions standard. This led to fuel efficiency labels being placed on new automobiles sold. The major appliance manufacturers were required to use standard testing practices and place clear labels on products. The International Organization for Standardization has developed international standards for addressing environmental labelling with the ISO 14000 family which grew out of ISO's commitment to support

2700-416: Is tangible in the products through the awarding of ecolabels, which are visibly displayed on goods and services". Consumer desires for sustainable consumption is driving the global marketplace with desire to regulate product production. The globalization of economies is shifting control of sustainability away from traditional command and control measures imposed by governments towards market governance which

2790-424: Is that some standards can be applied internationally (usually with mechanisms to ensure local relevance and appropriateness), in contrast other standards are developed entirely with a regional or national focus . Additional differences between standards might relate to the certification process and whether it is conducted by a first, second or third party; the traceability system in place and whether it allows for

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2880-513: Is two-fold: A leading example of a consumer standard is the Fairtrade movement, administered by FLO International and exhibiting huge sales growth around the world for ethically sourced produce. An example of a B2B standard that has grown tremendously in the last few years is the Forest Stewardship Council ’s standard (FSC) for forest products made from sustainably harvested trees. The line between consumer and B2B sustainability standards

2970-662: The Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), and the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS). During the UN Earth Summit Conference in 1992, an international consensus was generated to integrate environmental issues into manufacturing procedures. The idea was to manipulate consumption patterns in order to achieve sustainable development . The result of this

3060-567: The Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) is in development. Seafood is also labeled "organic", but USDA standards for organic seafood are still in development. There are a variety of dolphin safe labels , asserting that tuna is caught in a manner that does not harm dolphins . In May 2019 consumers brought class-action lawsuits against Bumble Bee Foods , Chicken of the Sea , and StarKist for falsely labeling their tuna cans as "dolphin-safe.” The suit claimed that

3150-1132: The Energy Star program, European Union energy labels , and the Energy Saving Trust Recommended logo administrated by the Energy Saving Trust in the United Kingdom. These labels document how much energy an appliance consumes while being used; energy input labeling documents how much energy was used to manufacture the product, an additional consideration in the full life cycle energy use of product. Carbon emission labels are an alternative methodology for certification, examining impact on greenhouse gas emissions rather than direct energy use. Sustainability standards and certification Sustainability standards and certifications are voluntary guidelines used by producers, manufacturers, traders, retailers, and service providers to demonstrate their commitment to good environmental, social, ethical, and food safety practices. There are over 400 such standards across

3240-548: The Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) is an international non-profit network of third party type I ecolabelling organizations focused on encouraging and promoting type I ecolabelling development worldwide. GEN has members represented from more than 50 territories and countries, with a particular focus in Europe and Asia. GEN's mission is to educate and encourage government, industry, and consumers to recognize

3330-491: The International Social and Environmental Accreditation and Labelling Alliance (ISEAL) is a private organization harmonizing a body of sustainability standards setting organizations (SSOs) , set up to advance and develop sustainability standards for products across the globe. Its membership is open to all multistakeholder sustainability standards and accreditation bodies that demonstrate their ability to meet

3420-672: The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO); standards for climate and development interventions like the Gold Standard, retailer-led sustainability certification initiatives such as GlobalGAP ; Corporate own-brand sustainability initiatives such as Starbucks' C.A.F.E. Practices ; and national programs such as the Irish Food Board 's 'Origin Green' scheme. The United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS)

3510-618: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a Statement of Intent, as a joint commitment to the role of International Standards in addressing sustainability. Many of the international standards developed to help guide sustainability goals and certification schemes originate from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO has promulgated several standards for certifying bodies to adhere to. In particular,

3600-631: The ENERGY STAR NextGen Certified Homes and Apartments, will be launched in 2023. This new certification uses a baseline of the ENERGY STAR Single-Family and Multifamily certification, with additional requirements such as heat pump water heaters and EV-ready charging capabilities. The Energy Star program has developed energy performance rating systems for several commercial and institutional building types and manufacturing facilities. These ratings, on

3690-743: The ENERGY STAR program are implemented in Canada, Japan, and Switzerland. In 2018, a 15-year long agreement with the European Union expired. A previous agreement with the European Free Trade Association also ended. The Energy Star program was established by the Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 and operates under the authority of the Clean Air Act , section 103(g), and the 2005 Energy Policy Act , section 131 (which amended

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3780-527: The EPA. Energy Star 4.0 specifications for computers became effective on July 20, 2007. The requirements are more stringent than the previous specification and existing equipment designs can no longer use the service mark unless re-qualified. They require the use of 80 Plus Bronze level or higher power supplies . Energy Star 5.0 became effective on July 1, 2009. Energy Star 6.1 became effective on September 10, 2014. Energy Star 7.1 became effective on November 16, 2018. The Version 8.0 specification for computers

3870-620: The EPA/DOE added the requirement that all products registered under the Energy Star service mark, must be tested by an AB (Accredited Body) or CB (Certification Body) Laboratory. The Energy Star is awarded to only certain bulbs that meet strict efficiency, quality, and lifetime criteria. Energy Star qualified fluorescent lighting uses 75% less energy and lasts up to ten times longer than normal incandescent lights . Energy Star Qualified light-emitting diode (LED) Lighting: To qualify for Energy Star certification, LED lighting products must pass

3960-777: The EU Ecolabel is set through the Regulation (EC) No 66/2010 of the European Parliament and of the Council. The European Commission published its proposal in March 2023 for a Directive on substantiation and communication of explicit environmental claims (Green Claims Directive). This proposed Directive requires mandatory accreditation of verifiers. The Nordic swan is the official ecolabel in Nordic countries. It uses

4050-655: The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, section 324). Since 1992, Energy Star and its partners are estimated to have reduced various energy bills by at least $ 430 billion. The EPA manages Energy Star products, as well as home and commercial/industrial programs. The EPA develops and manages Energy Star Portfolio Manager, an online energy tracking and benchmarking tool for commercial buildings. The DOE manages Home Performance with Energy Star and provides technical support, including test procedure development for products and some verification testing of products. Initiated as

4140-544: The Energy Star program. The award was established in 1999. In March 2010, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) performed covert testing of the Energy Star product certification process and found that Energy Star was for the most part a self-certification program that was vulnerable to fraud and abuse. While the GAO demonstrated, by submitting fake products from made-up companies, that cheating

4230-549: The FAO has issued guidelines and standards designed to make agriculture, fisheries, and forestry more sustainable. Some of the sustainability standards were initiated by social movements in particular countries, such as Rainforest Alliance in the United States and Fairtrade certification in the Netherlands . Standards were initiated by individual companies, using private standards , such as Utz Certified (Ahold), C.A.F.E. Practices (Starbucks), and Nespresso AAA ( Nespresso ). With

4320-719: The Fairtrade private standard was developed based on pilot projects with Mexican farmers. 4C builds on development projects in Peru, Colombia, and Vietnam, involving GIZ, major coffee roasters, and local producers. The most widely established and adopted standards are in agriculture, with 40% of global coffee production certified to one of the main schemes, and approximately 15–20% of cocoa and tea production being compliant with major international standards . Forestry and wild seafood are also sectors in which standards have been influential, with certified production pushing past 10% of

4410-481: The Fairtrade label is the guarantee of a minimum price and a social premium that goes to the cooperative and not to the producers directly. Recently , Fairtrade also adopted environmental objectives as part of their certification system. In 2020, Fairtrade International issued a position statement, defending their use of private standards , in response to a report from The Institute for Multi-Stakeholder Initiative Integrity (MSI Integrity). The Rainforest Alliance

4500-884: The ISEAL Codes of Good Practice and accompanying requirements. Its members are primarily single attribute focused ecolabelling organizations and include the Forest Stewardship Alliance, the Marine Stewardship Council , Fair Trade International, the Rainforest Alliance, and the Alliance for Water Stewardship, among many others. The goals of the ISEAL Alliance are to improve the impacts of private standards , define credibility for sustainability standards, increase

4590-506: The U.S. Energy and Employment Report for 2016, 290,000 American workers are involved in the manufacture of Energy Star certified products and building materials. The report also projects that employment in energy efficiency will grow much faster than other areas of the energy sector—9 percent in 2017 vs. average projected growth of 5 percent across all of the energy sector—and that Energy Star will be an integral part of that market. Energy Star specifications differ with each item, and are set by

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4680-548: The U.S. and include a complete thermal enclosure system, a high-efficiency heating, ventilation and cooling system, a comprehensive water management system, and energy-efficient lighting and appliances. Together, U.S. homeowners living in certified homes saved $ 360 million on their energy bills in 2016 alone. In 2020, ENERGY STAR separated single-family and multifamily construction types into their own programs: Single-Family New Construction (SFNC) and Multifamily New Construction (MFNC). A new tier of ENERGY STAR certification, called

4770-640: The US Green Building Council in an effort to propel green building design in the United States. LEED certification can be attained through "compliance with all environmental laws and regulations, occupancy scenarios, building permanence and pre-rating completion, site boundaries and area-to-site ratios, and obligatory five-year sharing of whole building energy and water use data from the start of occupancy (for new construction) or date of certification (for existing buildings)". Other types of standards include sector-specific schemes such as

4860-573: The UTZ Traceability System and the UTZ Code of Conduct. The traceability system makes certified products traceable from producer to final buyer and has stringent chains of custody requirements. The UTZ Code of Conduct emphasizes both environmental practices (e.g. biodiversity conservation, waste handling, and water use) and social benefits (e.g. access to medical care, access to sanitary facilities at work). The Organic standard

4950-523: The United States, the ENERGY STAR label often appears with the EnergyGuide label of eligible appliances to highlight energy-efficient products and compare energy use and operating costs. One of the most successful voluntary initiatives introduced by the U.S. government, the program has saved 5 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity, more than US$ 500 billion in energy costs, and prevented 4 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Elements of

5040-1100: The absence of government regulation. The creation of the ISEAL Alliance as a private organization in 2002 was the first collaborative effort amongst a group of sustainability standards organizations to agree to follow common good practices for harmonized standards implementation and also to work together to drive up the use of private standards and certification globally. In 2022, ISEAL reported 42% of their funding came from government grants. With generous support from organizations such as The Walmart Foundation, Fairtrade USA and Rainforest Alliance . Numerous sustainability standards have been developed to address issues of environmental quality, social equity , and economic prosperity in global production and trade practices. Despite similarities in major goals and certification procedures, there are some significant differences in terms of their historical development, target groups of adopters, geographical diffusion, and emphasis on environmental, social, or economic issues. One of

5130-469: The appliance uses, compares the energy use of similar products, and lists approximate annual operating costs. Appliances that meet strict energy efficiency criteria set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are eligible for the blue Energy Star label. The Energy Star label is also available on energy-efficient televisions, computers, audio visual equipment and electronics, office equipment, heating and cooling equipment, and many more products. Energy Star

5220-873: The category, including floor area , occupancy and energy consumption data into a free online tool provided by Energy Star. Energy Star energy performance ratings have been incorporated into some green buildings standards, such as LEED for Existing Buildings. In the U.S., builders of energy efficient homes are able to qualify for Federal Income tax credits and deductions. Energy Star estimated in 2020 that energy use in commercial buildings accounts for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions, costing more than $ 100B per year. Some examples of specialised industrial facilities which Energy Star has designed specific performance ratings for include: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) annually recognizes small businesses that demonstrate abilities to reduce waste, conserve energy, and recycle. The businesses use resources and ideas outlined in

5310-676: The companies were violating the 1990 Dolphin Protection Consumer Information Act by marketing their fishing practices as “dolphin-safe,” even though they use drift nets or purse seine nets which are known to harm and kill dolphins and other marine life. The suit also argued that these companies did not adequately separate between tuna that was dolphin-safe and tuna that was not. Many consumer appliances have labels indicating whether or not they are energy efficient compared to similar products. Common labels include yellow EnergyGuide tags found in North America as part of

5400-594: The durability and expected service life of a mass-market appliance built to a consumer-level cost standard. For example, a refrigerator may be made more efficient by the use of more insulative spacing and a smaller-capacity compressor using electronics to control operation and temperature. However, this may come at the cost of reduced interior storage (or increased exterior mass) or a reduced service life due to compressor or electronic failures. In particular, electronic controls used on new-generation appliances are subject to damage from shock, vibration, moisture, or power spikes on

5490-488: The ecolabel is nearly identical with the common NGO definition of the rules for ecolabelling. Label trust is an issue for consumers because some manufacturers and manufacturing associations have set up "rubber stamp" labels to greenwash their products with fake ecolabels. High trust levels can be created when ecolabels apply for governmental recognition as formal Certification Marks (recognized by logos or names with 'CTM', CM or 'CertTM'). Typically this means schemes approved as

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5580-570: The electrical circuit to which they are attached. Critics have pointed out that even if a new appliance is energy efficient, any consumer appliance that does not provide customer satisfaction, or must be replaced twice as often as its predecessor contributes to landfill pollution and waste of natural resources used to construct its replacement. Energy Star qualified heat pumps, boilers, air conditioning systems, and furnaces are available. In addition, cooling and heating bills can be significantly lowered with air sealing and duct sealing. Air sealing reduces

5670-602: The emergence of new green products and it improves the organizations environmental management strategy. Moreover, ecolabeling process is a "cyclical eco-innovation process in which consumers, firms, governments and institutions interact. Its final purpose is to contribute to the development of sustainable and ecological ways of production and consumption. In this process, consumers' environmental expectations are met; firms increase their created and captured value and enhance their sustainability, and governments and institutions foster cleaner production and consumption. Finally, this process

5760-541: The energy performance rating in Portfolio Manager is expanding and now includes housing, bank/financial institutions, courthouses, hospitals (acute care and children's), hotels and motels, houses of worship, K-12 schools, medical offices, offices, residence halls/dormitories, retail stores, supermarkets, warehouses (refrigerated and non-refrigerated), hotels (see hotel energy management ) , data centers, senior care facilities, and wastewater facilities. See

5850-466: The environment. Some of them administer labelling standards; other set minimum requirements for manufacturers. The Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE) run by the Department of Natural Resources Canada regulates both the automobile and appliance manufacturers. The EnerGuide label for vehicles is found on all new passenger cars, light-duty vans, pickup trucks and special purpose vehicles not exceeding

5940-787: The exporting country's environment and local conditions. In 1995, after the introduction of the World Trade Organization (WTO), the possible impacts of voluntary product standards and labelling schemes were covered in the WTO Agreements. Several of the WTO Agreements contain rules applicable to eco-labels, including the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT 1994 or GATT),the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS),

6030-931: The global share. Cotton, palm oil , soy , biofuels and farmed seafood are some of the commodities in which certification is growing the fastest, due in part to major roundtables that have been set up to bring the whole industry together. More recently, standards have started to emerge for mining and the extraction of metals – including gold, silver, aluminium, and oil and gas – as well as for cattle, electronics, plastics and tourism. Evidence suggests that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) adopted willingly by firms can be more effective than government-regulated CSR so global standards by private companies show promise for effective social impact. Counter-arguments are discussed which express concerns around private sector, corporation-led, multistakeholder governance who adopt "weak or narrow standards" that "better serve corporate interests than rights holder interests" for self-regulation in

6120-631: The label. In order to be recognized, labs and certification bodies must meet specified criteria and be subject to oversight by a recognized accreditation body. In addition, a percentage of Energy Star certified product models in each category are subject to off-the-shelf verification testing each year. As of 2017, there are 23 independent certification bodies and 255 independent laboratories recognized for purposes of Energy Star product certification and testing. Most cover multiple product types. In 2016, 1,881 product models were subject to verification testing with an overall compliance rate of 95%. In March 2017

6210-839: The mainstream adoption of better practices and pre-competitive industry collaboration. Major brands and retailers are also starting to make commitments to certification in their whole supply chain or product offering, rather than a single product line or ingredient. The number of Sustainability Standards has continued to grow; currently, there are around 264 active VSS (according to the International Trade Center Standards Map) in 194 countries and 15 sectors, and about 457 ecolabels (according to Ecolabel Index) in 199 countries, and 25 industry sectors. Sustainability standards can be categorized as either voluntary consensus standards or private standards . International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

6300-600: The major differences is based on the level of strictness of the standard . Some standards set the bar high for a sector, promoting strong social and environmental practices and working with the top performers to constantly push up sustainability expectations . Other standards are more focused on eliminating the worst practices and operate at more of an entry level to get a large proportion of an industry working incrementally towards better practices. Often there are strategies between standards to move producers along this performance ladder of sustainability . Another important distinction

6390-485: The minimum guidelines, purchasing an Energy Star labeled product does not always mean one is getting the most energy efficient option available. For example, dehumidifiers that are rated under 25 US pints (12 L) per day of water extraction receive an Energy Star rating if they have an energy factor of 1.2 (higher is better), while those rated 25 US pints (12 L) to 35 US pints (17 L) per day receive an Energy Star rating for an energy factor of 1.4 or higher. Thus

6480-488: The minimum standard. Dishwashers need at least 41% savings. Most appliances as well as heating and cooling systems have a yellow EnergyGuide label showing the annual cost of operation compared to other models. This label is created through the Federal Trade Commission and often shows if an appliance is Energy Star rated. While an Energy Star label indicates that the appliance is more energy efficient than

6570-401: The objective data, facilitating product comparison among buyers. Additionally, a different category called "Type I – like" is present in the literature, which represents environmental labels focused on just one environmental or social aspect; these labels have been launched by independent organizations. Type I-like or single issue labels can be based on a pass/fail criterion, for example setting

6660-603: The objective of standard harmonization , some standards were launched by coalitions of private firms (also referred to as multistakeholder governance , development agencies, NGOs, and other stakeholders, such as the Marine Stewardship Council , or MSC standard, developed as a collaboration between Unilever and the World Wildlife Fund . For example, the Common Code for the Coffee Community (4C)

6750-781: The objective of sustainable development discussed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, in Rio de Janeiro, in 1992. Green Labelling worldwide is moving beyond traditional country borders. Most of these initiatives are voluntary eco-labels, however, there is an initiative underway in North America to broaden the scope of Green Stickers to include other consumer goods. Although consumers tend to prefer ecolabeled products, recent research show that consumers do not fully understand ecolabels and do not fully trust ecolabels, especially when learning negative environmental consequences of production. Founded in 1994,

6840-498: The outdoor air that penetrates a building, and duct sealing prevents attic or basement air from entering ducts and lessening the heating/cooling system’s efficiency. Energy Star qualified room air conditioners are at least 10% more energy efficient than the minimum U.S. federal government standards. Energy Star qualified televisions use 30% less energy than average. In November 2008, television specifications were improved to limit on-mode power use, in addition to standby power which

6930-540: The segregation or mixing of certified and non-certified materials; and the types of sustainability claims that are made on products. The Fairtrade label was developed in the late 1980s by a Dutch development agency in collaboration with Mexican farmers . The initiative performs development work and promotes its political vision of an alternative economy, seeing its main objective in empowering small producers and providing these with access to and improving their position on global markets . The most distinguishing feature of

7020-577: The standard profile, ITC provide the typology which explains if it is an international standard or a private standard e.g. the entity in charge is a private association or company. Ecolabelling systems exist for both food and consumer products. Both systems were started by non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Since then the European Union has developed legislation for conduct of ecolabelling and also have created their own ecolabels, one for food and one for consumer products. At least for food,

7110-783: The success and adoption of international standards , this includes the ISO 14000 standards on the management of environmental quality and the ISO 9000 standards on quality production control. Once an industry sector decides to get this certification, it has to provide evidence of documented proof of compliance required. In terms of ISO 14042 standard, it is obligatorily for all applicants to respect environmental legislation and related legislation; breaching of any laws may result in licensing suspension. The increasing use of ecolabels by governments, industry and non-governmental organizations has led to international trade issues over ecolabels acting as non-tariff trade barriers. In particular developed countries and industries have expressed concern regarding

7200-403: The technical descriptions for models used in the rating system at. These documents provide detailed information on the methodologies used to create the energy performance ratings including details on rating objectives, regression techniques, and the steps applied to compute a rating. Energy Star maintains a 1–100 national benchmarking rating for buildings based on building attributes depending on

7290-514: The unique and important value of Type I ecolabelling. More specifically, GEN functions to foster cooperation and information exchange across members and ecolabelling programs, facilities access to information on ecolabelling standards, engages with international organizations to promote ecolabelling, and encourages demand for ecolabelling products through the promotion of sustainable public procurement. GEN supports its members in developing environmental leadership standards and criteria. Created in 2002,

7380-577: The uptake of credible sustainability standards, and improve the effectiveness of private standards , including driving innovations in standards. ISEAL received criticism from Institute for Multi-Stakeholder Initiative Integrity, with a conclusion that private sector Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs) adopt weak or narrow standards that better serve corporate interests than rights holder interests. Governments of many countries have environmental protection agencies . These agencies are mandated watchdogs of industry and regulate releasing chemical pollution into

7470-416: The variety of diverse national or regional labelling requirements. In order to qualify for an ecolabel exporters have to adjust to the production standards of different markets abroad which may entail significant cost, information and technical expertise. Labelling programs also tend to be based on domestic environmental priorities and technologies of the importing country, often lacking relevance in regard to

7560-423: The world. The trend started in the late 1980s and 1990s with the introduction of Ecolabels and standards for organic food and other products. Most standards refer to the triple bottom line of environmental quality, social equity, and economic prosperity. A standard is normally developed by a broad range of stakeholders and experts in a particular sector and includes a set of practices or criteria for how

7650-445: Was created in the late 1980s from a social movement and is committed to conserving rainforests and their biodiversity. One key element of the standard is the compulsory elaboration and implementation of a detailed plan for the development of a sustainable farm management system to assist wildlife conservation. Another objective is to improve workers’ welfare by establishing and securing sustainable livelihoods. Producer prices may carry

7740-415: Was developed in the 1970s and is based on IFOAM Basic Standards. IFOAM stands for International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements and is the leading global umbrella organization for the organic farming movement. The IFOAM Basic Standards provide a framework of minimum requirements, including the omission of agrochemicals such as pesticides and chemical-synthetic fertilizers. The use of animal feeds

7830-593: Was established in 1992 by the European Commission. It helps to identify products and services that have a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle. Recognized throughout Europe, it is a voluntary label promoting environmental excellence which can be trusted. It is the only pan-European Type I official ecolabel. The EU Ecolabel is awarded according to ecological criteria agreed on by experts, industry, consumer organizations and NGOs and verified by independent third parties. The implementation of

7920-783: Was finalized on October 15, 2019 and became effective on October 15, 2020. The EPA released Version 1.0 of the Computer Server specifications on May 15, 2009. It covered standalone servers with one to four processor sockets . A second tier to the specification adding active state power and performance reporting for all qualified servers, as well as blade and multi-node server idle state requirements became effective December 16, 2013. The Version 2.0 Energy Star specification for Computer Servers came into effect on December 16, 2013. The Version 3.0 Energy Star specification for Enterprise Servers came into effect on June 17, 2019 [1] . As of early 2008, average refrigerators need 20% savings over

8010-470: Was initiated by an alliance of large American coffee roasters, including Kraft Foods , Sara Lee , and Nestle , assisted by the German Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development ( GIZ ). One important facilitator of the development of most global standards was a series of local development projects involving NGOs, coffee roasters, and producers in different developing countries. For example,

8100-410: Was possible, they found no evidence of consumer fraud relating to the quality or performance of Energy Star qualified products. In response, the Environmental Protection Agency instituted third-party certification of all Energy Star products starting in 2011. Under this regime, products are tested in an EPA-recognized laboratory and reviewed by an EPA-recognized certification body before they can carry

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