Environmental labeling

Environmental labeling is, at the same time, an economic and communication instrument, as it seeks to disseminate information that positively alters production and consumption patterns, increasing the awareness of consumers and producers of the need to use natural resources more responsibly.

It consists of declarations that appear on product labels, highlighting their environmental attributes.

Environmental labeling seeks to stimulate demand for products that cause less impact on the environment, promoting continuous environmental improvement driven by market forces. A product that respects a certain set of social and environmental requirements may be identified by a seal called an environmental label.

According to ISO – International Standards Organization – the objective of an eco-label is “to encourage the demand for and supply of products that cause less pressure on the environment throughout their life cycle, through the communication of verifiable and reliable, non-misleading information, about the environmental aspects of products and services” (ISO 14020:1998).

In this way, eco-labels differ from company certification systems (EMAS, ISO 14001).

How can we help them?