Environmental Certification Programs

Environmental certification programs are useful for identifying environmentally preferred goods and services. They are typically run by third party organizations that establish environmental standards for goods and services and then certify supplier offerings against them. Certification programs usually maintain a catalogue of goods and services that are certified to their standards.

In some cases, requiring certification in green procurement specifications would limit the number of qualified suppliers too much. In those cases, the criteria used for the certification standards provide a valuable source of green specifications that can be included in solicitation and contract documents.

This page provides an overview of the types of environmental labels available will be provided, followed by more detail on general eco-labels and commodity-specific labels.

• Types of Labels
• Programs
  • General Information
  • General Goods and Services
  • Energy Efficiency
  • Hotels
  • Research on Programs

Types of Labels

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has defined three types of environmental performance labels. These are all voluntary labels that the supplier can qualify to use for their goods and services.

• Type I: These labels are commonly known as eco-labels. They are multiple-criteria-based, third party programs that award a license that authorizes the use of environmental labels on goods and services indicating overall environmental preferability within a particular good or service category based on life cycle considerations.
• Type II: These labels are environmental self-declarations made by manufacturers/importers/distributors/suppliers. Typically, they are based on a single attribute such as "contains x% recycled content" or "biodegradable". The labels are not independently verified, however they may be defined by a regulatory body.
• Type III: These labels provide quantified environmental data on goods or services, sometimes in the form of a data list, similar to a nutritional label for food. They are similar to Type I eco-labels in that the information is based on the life cycle performance of pre-defined parameters set by a qualified third party and the claims are independently verified. But unlike Type I eco-labels, they are not applied only to the top performers in a class, but broadly to any good or service in the class.

The ISO has identified that these environmental performance labels all share a common goal, which is:

Programs

General Information

Eco-labels are symbols used for goods and services to indicate that they have been certified to a specific environmental standard. Eco-label programs exist in most countries in North America and Europe. On the following pages we will look at some of the more common ones. This is not an exhaustive list as there are constantly new programs being created and many that exist for niche markets.

Respectable eco-labels are most valuable in allowing for rapid identification of environmentally preferable goods, especially where life cycle costing may be too time-consuming or may not be warranted based on the value of the purchase. For example, eco-labels are informative for the following goods and services:

• Low individual value items, particularly those of a consumable nature, such as office supplies, cleaning supplies, paper, etc.
• Electronic goods such as computers and printers
• Industrial supplies
• Building products
• Furniture
• Services, such as hotels

In general, certification programs ensure, first and foremost, that certified goods and services are effective for their intended purpose. An environmentally preferable good or service is not an alternative unless it performs as expected.

Keep in mind that before you give full credence to an eco-label you should fully investigate the criterion that was used to award the certification – particularly if the certification body is not well known or widely accepted. Many companies promote their goods and services as environmentally preferable, when in fact there is no substantial evidence to verify their claim. This has become known as "greenwashing" .

Using labels from certification organizations that are members of the Global Ecolabelling Network helps to ensure that the certification is meaningful. Most eco-label certification programs have websites that you can quickly consult to determine the standards required for certification. Information on the eco-labels can also be found on the Ecolabel Index and Consumer Reports' Eco-labels Centre .

Example

The list below provides examples of criteria that a bathroom cleaner would need to demonstrate to obtain certification by EcoLogo^M:

• Effective as a cleaner, for its designated purpose
• Has a pH within a certain range
• Is not considered corrosive, according to the Hazardous Products Act
• Contains less than 25% VOCs
• Does not contain bleach

In cases where a certification cannot be applied, consult the criteria document (e.g. EcoLogo^M Certification Criteria Document-146: Hardsurface cleaners ) to see what elements can be incorporated and work with suppliers over the longer term to raise their performance to the level of the certification.

General Goods and Services

The following programs grant certification to various goods and services that meet specific guidelines allowing them to be deemed environmentally preferable. Such goods and services have met established criteria for low life cycle impact on the environment.

The EcoLogo^M Program

A Type I eco-label program founded in 1988 by the Government of Canada, EcoLogo^M is North America's largest, most respected environmental standard and certification mark.

The official symbol of certification is the EcoLogo^M, shown to the left. Goods and services bearing the logo meet stringent standards of environmental leadership. EcoLogo^M certifies environmental leaders covering a large variety of commodities. For details of standards and certification, visit the EcoLogo^M website.

Green Seal

Green Seal is a private organization based in the United States. Green Seal is a Type I eco-label that sets environmental standards and certifies a wide range of goods and services that are environmental leaders, based on a science-based life cycle analysis For more information, visit the Green Seal  Web site.

EUROPA – Ecolabel

The EUROPA – Ecolabel is Europe's Type I eco-label, identifiable by the flower symbol shown to the left.

The criteria are agreed at European level, following wide consultation with experts. The criteria are stringent and the label is only awarded after verification that the goods or services meet high environmental and performance standards.

The Ecolabel covers a wide range of goods and services, with further groups being continuously added.

Energy Efficiency

The following programs are used to identify the energy efficiency of goods, a key element of resource efficiency.

EnerGuide

EnerGuide is a Natural Resources Canada Type III environmental performance label initiative that helps consumers in their decision-making to purchase more energy-efficient equipment on the market. The goal is to increase public awareness of the link between energy and the environment and to promote the opportunities opened up by energy-efficient technology.

The EnerGuide label shows how much energy goods consume in a year of normal service and makes it easy to compare the energy efficiency of each model to others of the same size and class.

For more information visit the Natural Resources Canada EnerGuide website.

ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR is an international symbol of energy efficiency and a Type I environmental performance label. The ENERGY STAR symbol helps consumers quickly and easily identify major appliances and other energy-using equipment that save energy. ENERGY STAR identifies goods as a top high efficiency performer in their category.

ENERGY STAR in Canada is administered by Natural Resources Canada's (NRCan's) Office of Energy Efficiency (OEE). The ENERGY STAR symbol is on many goods sold in Canada. The symbol, where applicable, is found on the EnerGuide label. While the EnerGuide label provides buyers with the ability to shop and compare energy ratings, ENERGY STAR goes one step further and identifies goods that meet prescribed higher levels of energy efficiency.

Hotels

Using resources efficiently and reducing excess waste are key environmental factors. This is especially true for the hospitality industry where the increasing cost and use of energy, water, and waste disposal have a significant impact. Hotel certification programs are designed to recognize hotels, motels, and resorts that are committed to improving their environmental performance. These businesses may achieve this through conserving energy and water, eliminating harsh chemical cleaners and reducing both household and hazardous waste.

Green Key ECOmmodation

The Hotel Association of Canada's ECOmmodation Rating Program is a graduated rating system designed to recognize hotels, motels, and resorts that are committed to improving their fiscal and environmental performance. Based on the results of a comprehensive environmental audit, hoteliers are awarded a 1-5 green key rating and given guidance on how to "unlock" opportunities to reduce operating costs and environmental impacts through reduced utility consumption, employee training, and supply chain management. Visit the Hotel Association of Canada's  website for more details. Green Key ratings are also listed for participating hotels in the PWGSC Accommodation and Car Rental Directory.

Greenleaf^TM

The Greenleaf program is an international eco-rating program for the lodging industry. It uses a graduated rating system designed to recognize environmental achievements through a reward of 1 to 5 Green Leaves; 1 for a minimum of committing to a set of environmental principles and 2 through 5 for results in applying those principles. The program was developed based on best practices identified by stakeholders from industry, government, and the environmental community. The best practices are reviewed periodically to ensure that leading practices and technologies define environmental leadership in the program.  Greenleaf ratings are listed for participating hotels in the PWGSC Accommodation and Car Rental Directory.

Research on Programs

The following organizations are useful for investigating certification programs. These are independent sources that can help you understand what programs are available, what they do, and how recognized and meaningful the programs are.

Ecolabel Index

The Ecolabel Index is a global database of eco-labels. It provides detailed information on each eco-label and does not exclude any eco-labels. It has a number of goals, including:

1. Collect and structure data on all of the world's eco-labels on one common platform
2. Increase transparency around the characteristics and qualities of these eco-labels
3. Help producers, manufacturers, retailers, purchasers, consumers, and governments use eco-labels more efficiently and effectively.

Eco-labels Centre

The Eco-labels Centre has search tools that can be used to get Consumer Union's evaluation of eco-labels. You can search by product, category, or certifier, and compare labels using report cards. It is part of GreenerChoices.org, a web-based initiative launched by Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports, to inform, engage, and empower consumers about environmentally preferable goods and practices.

Global Ecolabelling Network

The Global Ecolabelling Network  is a non-profit association of third-party, environmental performance recognition, certification and labelling organizations. It was founded in 1994 to improve, promote, and develop the ecolabelling of products and services. GEN members work to set criteria for and certify goods and services with lower environmental burdens and impacts than comparable goods and services with the same function. GEN membership is limited to ecolabelling organizations that share the GEN's objectives and meet basic criteria.