Sustainable products

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Sustainable products are products either sustainably sourced, manufactured or processed and provide environmental, social, and economic benefits while protecting public health and the environment throughout their whole life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials to the final disposal.

Contents

Scope of definition

According to Belz, Frank-Martin, [1] the definition of sustainable product has six characteristics:

Michael Braungart and William McDonough's book Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things [2] expands on the life-cycle part of this definition. They suggest that every material and product should be made in a manner that when its useful life is over, all the materials of which it is made can be returned to the Earth after composting, or endlessly recycled as raw materials.

Product information

Product information can enable, facilitate, require or support consumers or other buyers and importers to identify sustainable products or sustainability of products. Sustainability standards and certifications are used for this purpose:

Sustainable product standards

Sustainability standards, also known as Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSS), are private standards that require products to meet specific economic, social, or environmental sustainability metrics. The requirements include product quality or attributes, production and processing methods, and transportation. VSS are mostly designed and marketed by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or private firms, and they are adopted by actors up and down the value chain, from farmers to retailers. Certifications and labels signal the successful implementation of a VSS. [3] Over the last decades, these standards have emerged as new tools to address key sustainability challenges such as biodiversity, climate change, and human rights. [4] The standards cover a wide range of sectors, such as agriculture, fishery, forestry, energy, textile, and others. According to the ITC standards map, agricultural products are the most commonly covered products, followed by consumer products. [5]

Overall standards

Nordic Swan Ecolabel

The Nordic Swan Ecolabel standard, which is distributed in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland, mainly refers to distinguished products that have a positive effect on the environment. It likely has climate requirements that limit the amount of CO2 emissions where it is most relevant. [6] More than 3,000 products, predominantly household chemicals, paper products, office machinery, and building materials, have been issued with this label. The criteria account for environmental factors through the product's life cycle (raw material extraction, production and distribution, use and refuse). Thus the most important parameters are consumption of natural resources and energy, emissions into air, water and soil, generation of waste and noise.

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)

GRI frames and disseminates global sustainability reporting guidelines for ‘voluntary use by organizations reporting on the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of their activities, products, and services.’ [7] According to GRI Guidelines, reporting bodies should consider stakeholders’ interests and use social indicators and others that more accurately depict the organization's social and ecological performance.

Life Cycle Assessment

Life-cycle assessment (LCA) evaluates and discloses the environmental benefits of products over their complete life cycle, from raw materials extraction to final disposition. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has standardized the process of conducting LCA studies since 1997.

Product-oriented standards

Organic Food Labeling
The National Organic Program (run by the USDA) is responsible for the legal definition of organic in the United States and issue organic certification. National Organic Program.jpg
The National Organic Program (run by the USDA) is responsible for the legal definition of organic in the United States and issue organic certification.

Organic food are foods that are produced using methods involving no agricultural synthetic inputs, for instance, synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, genetically modified organisms (GMO), and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives. [8] Currently, the United States, European Union, Canada, Japan and many other industrialized countries require food producers to acquire special criteria or certification to market their products as "organic". Apparently, organic food producers emphasize sustainable conservation of the social-ecological attributes such as soil, water and the whole ecosystem. International organizations such as the Organic Consumers Association supervise the development of organic food. According to the National Organic Program (NOP) in the US, a voluntary green-and-white seal on foods’ packaging denotes that a product is at least 95% organic. [9]

MSC Labeling

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an independent non-profit organization established in 1997 to address the overfishing problem. Fisheries that are assessed and meet the standard can use the MSC blue ecolabel. The MSC mission is to 'reward sustainable fishing practices’. As of the end of 2010, more than 1,300 fisheries and companies had achieved a Marine Stewardship Council certification. [10]

FSC Labeling

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international non-profit organization established in 1993 to ‘promote forest management that is environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable’. [11] Its main responsibilities for achieving the goal are standard framing, independent certification issuing and labeling. FSC directly or indirectly addresses issues such as illegal logging, deforestation and global warming and has positive effects on economic development, environmental conservation, poverty alleviation and social and political empowerment. [12] [13]

Fair Trade Labeling
EKOenergy is an ecolabel for energy in Europe EKO symbol RGB.jpg
EKOenergy is an ecolabel for energy in Europe

Although there is no universally accepted definition of fair trade, Fairtrade Labeling Organizations International (FLO) most commonly refer to a definition developed by FINE, an informal association of four international fair trade networks (Fair trade Labeling Organizations International, World Fair Trade Organization - formerly International Fair Trade Association, Network of European Worldshops and European Fair Trade Association): fair trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers – especially in the South. Fair trade organizations, backed by consumers, are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade. [14]

U. S. Green Building Council LEED Rating System

The LEED Green Building Rating System evaluates environmental performance of all buildings over their life, providing the definitive standard for what constitutes a "green" building, persuading the consumer and building industry to develop products that are more environmentally and economically viable. [15]

EKOenergy label

EKOenergy is an ecolabel originating in Finland. It is becoming the continent-wide ecolabel for energy, which is supported by number European NGOs. It evaluates sustainability of electricity products on open energy markets. [16]

Green Seal

Green Seal is a North American non-profit ecolabel organization established in 1989. It generates life cycle-based sustainability standards for products, services and companies in addition to offering third party independent test organization certification for those meeting its standards. Green Seal was the first non-profit environmental certification program established in the United States. It currently has certified nearly 4,000 products and services within 400 categories. [17]

Sustainable product policies

There was widespread support for reducing the price of sustainable products by respondents to the 2020-21 European Investment Bank Climate Survey. Portugal, Greece, Italy and Malta especially want to reduce the price of sustainable products..svg
There was widespread support for reducing the price of sustainable products by respondents to the 2020-21 European Investment Bank Climate Survey.

International

Since 1998, the branch of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has undertaken several national programs or action plans on sustainable consumption and production. [18] Moreover, the United Nations is responsible for administering the Marrakech Process [19] and developing the ten-year Sustainable Consumption and Production Framework through Regional Marrakech Process Consultations, whose goal is to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production (SCP). Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s Environmental Directorate has also done comprehensive work on the environmental impacts of sustainable consumption and production. One of current OECD projects is reviewing measures for sustainable manufacturing production. [20]

In 2015, the United Nations established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and SDG 12 refers to "responsible consumption and production." Specifically, Target 12.1 has a single indicator to “Implement the 10‑Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries". [21]

Regions and countries

On 16 July 2008 the European Commission presented the Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy (SCP/SIP) Action Plan [22] which clarifies the United Nations’ Marrakech Process on Sustainable Consumption and Production and global ten-year Sustainable Consumption and Production Framework and was adopted by the council on 4 December 2008 and is updated regularly. It includes a series of proposals on sustainable consumption and production to target EU goals for environmental sustainability, economic growth and public welfare, which are as follows:

Sample EU energy efficiency label Energy label en.svg
Sample EU energy efficiency label

In 2020–2021, the EU discussed the possible implementation of the Sustainable Product Policy Initiative, which may include, amongst others, the inclusion of a Digital Product Passport. [26] [27] The EU sustainable product policy was renewed in function of the European Green Deal and the new Circular Economy Action Plan. [28] and revises the Ecodesign Directive. [29]

The United States government does not have a standardized national policy or strategy for sustainable consumption and production. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) develops extensive sustainability programs on water, agriculture, energy, and ecosystem, etc. At the same time, the U.S. Department of State’s Sustainable Development Partnerships web page provides considerable information about the U.S. government's sustainable development initiatives to help other countries set up and implement their own development strategies in social and ecological terms. [30]

United Kingdom government considers Sustainable Consumption and Production is one of the four priority sectors identified in the 2005 UK Sustainable Development Strategy. The UK government is carrying out a series of actions [31] to achieve goals of sustainable consumption and production in public and private areas respectively.

Norwegian Ministry of the Environment founded Norway’s Green in Practice (GRIP), which is a public-private foundation established in 1996 to promote sustainable consumption and production. At the same time, Norway’s Ministry of Finance has primary responsibility to fund the strategy of sustainable development. [32]

Australian government requires that certain electrical products for sale should contain mandatory energy-efficiency labeling to provide consumers with information that helps reduce energy use and green house gas emissions. [33]

Sustainable product design

Conventionally, environmental management systems have always addressed the impacts of products on local surroundings. ISO 14001 (ISO 14001:3) provides a formalized framework for managing significant environmental aspects and improving environmental performance through a ‘‘Plan, Do, Check, Review’’ continual improvement cycle. [34] During the phase of product planning, consumer demands and market opportunities are evaluated. At this time a product description and execution plans for a successful program launch are developed and product requirements are defined. During the phase of product development, specific design specifications are finalized, models are built, and designs are reviewed and released for manufacture planning. Once manufacturing begins, the product is commercially launched for general availability and volume deployed to the marketplace. Once a prototype is available, LCA is used as a fundamental standard to identify significant social and environmental aspects and quantify environmental impact. Once a product is launched into market and becomes commercialized, it enters the maturity phase, which means that the sales and the profits both reach the peak. The maturity phase contains two stages: during the first stage of maturity, the customer is utilizing the product. Modifications may still be made to the product to enhance or change it. The product enters the second stage of maturity when it approaches near to the decline phase. Where applicable, end-of-life products are taken back and subsequently reused or recycled efficiently. While being a legal requirement in the EU, the take back of end-of-life products offers the chance to review the final life cycle stage of a product through direct contact with recyclers. This knowledge can then be applied to future designs and product improvement.

Scientific analysis to assess sustainability and alternatives of products

A 2021 study reviewed 217 analyses of on-the-market products and services, analyzed existing alternatives to mainstream food, holidays, and furnishings, and concludes that total greenhouse gas emissions by Swedes could be lowered by to date up to 36–38% if consumers – without a decrease in total estimated expenditure or considerations of self-interest rationale – instead were to obtain those they, using available datasets, could assess to be more sustainable. [35]

Criticism

Efforts toward “greener” products are supported in the sustainability community; however, these are often viewed only as incremental steps and not as an end. Some people foresee a true sustainable steady state economy that may be very different from today's: greatly reduced consumerism, reduced energy usage, minimal ecological footprint, fewer consumer packaged goods, local purchasing with short food supply chains, little processed foods, etc. [36] [37] [38] Less products and packaging would be needed in a sustainable carbon neutral economy, which means that fewer options would exist and simpler and more durable forms may be necessary. [39]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organic certification</span> Certification process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products

Organic certification is a certification process for producers of organic food and other organic agricultural products. In general, any business directly involved in food production can be certified, including seed suppliers, farmers, food processors, retailers and restaurants. A lesser known counterpart is certification for organic textiles that includes certification of textile products made from organically grown fibres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Environmentally friendly</span> Sustainability and marketing term

Environment friendly processes, or environmental-friendly processes, are sustainability and marketing terms referring to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that claim reduced, minimal, or no harm upon ecosystems or the environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ecolabel</span> Labeling systems for food and consumer products

Ecolabels and Green Stickers are labeling systems for food and consumer products. The use of ecolabels is voluntary, whereas green stickers are mandated by law; for example, in North America major appliances and automobiles use Energy Star. They are a form of sustainability measurement directed at consumers, intended to make it easy to take environmental concerns into account when shopping. Some labels quantify pollution or energy consumption by way of index scores or units of measurement, while others assert compliance with a set of practices or minimum requirements for sustainability or reduction of harm to the environment. Many ecolabels are focused on minimising the negative ecological impacts of primary production or resource extraction in a given sector or commodity through a set of good practices that are captured in a sustainability standard. Through a verification process, usually referred to as "certification", a farm, forest, fishery, or mine can show that it complies with a standard and earn the right to sell its products as certified through the supply chain, often resulting in a consumer-facing ecolabel.

The Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) is a non-profit network composed of some 29 ecolabel organisations throughout the world representing nearly 60 countries and territories, with two associate members and a growing number of affiliate members, one of which is Google. GEN members have certified over 252,000 products and services for environmental leadership. GEN was established in 1994.

A sustainable business, or a green business, is an enterprise that has a minimal negative impact or potentially a positive effect on the global or local environment, community, society, or economy—a business that attempts to meet the triple bottom line. They cluster under different groupings and the whole is sometimes referred to as "green capitalism". Often, sustainable businesses have progressive environmental and human rights policies. In general, a business is described as green if it matches the following four criteria:

  1. It incorporates principles of sustainability into each of its business decisions.
  2. It supplies environmentally friendly products or services that replace demand for nongreen products and/or services.
  3. It is greener than traditional competition.
  4. It has made an enduring commitment to environmental principles in its business operations.
<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cradle-to-cradle design</span> Biomimetic approach to the design of products

Cradle-to-cradle design is a biomimetic approach to the design of products and systems that models human industry on nature's processes, where materials are viewed as nutrients circulating in healthy, safe metabolisms. The term itself is a play on the popular corporate phrase "cradle to grave", implying that the C2C model is sustainable and considerate of life and future generations—from the birth, or "cradle", of one generation to the next generation, versus from birth to death, or "grave", within the same generation.

Sustainable procurement or green procurement is a process whereby organizations meet their needs for goods, services, works and utilities in a way that achieves value for money on a life-cycle basis while addressing equity principles for sustainable development, therefore benefiting societies and the environment across time and geographies. Procurement is often conducted via a tendering or competitive bidding process. The process is used to ensure the buyer receives goods, services or works for the best possible price, when aspects such as quality, quantity, time, and location are compared. Procurement is considered sustainable when organizations broadens this framework by meeting their needs for goods, services, works, and utilities in a way that achieves value for money and promotes positive outcomes not only for the organization itself but for the economy, environment, and society.

This is a glossary of environmental science.

Sustainable consumption is the use of products and services in ways that minimizes impacts on the environment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eco hotel</span> An environmentally sustainable hotel

An eco hotel, or a green hotel, is an environmentally sustainable hotel or accommodation that has made important environmental improvements to its structure in order to minimize its impact on the natural environment. The basic definition of an eco-friendly hotel is an environmentally responsible lodging that follows the practices of green living. These hotels have to be certified green by an independent third-party or by the state they are located in. Traditionally, these hotels were mostly presented as ecolodges because of their location, often in jungles, and their design inspired by the use of traditional building methods applied by skilled local craftsmen in areas, such as Costa Rica and Indonesia.

This page is an index of sustainability articles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fair trade certification</span> Product certification within the market-based movement fair trade

A fair trade certification is a product certification within the market-based movement of fair trade. The most widely used fair trade certification is FLO International's, the International Fairtrade Certification Mark, used in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Fair Trade Certified Mark is the North American equivalent of the International Fairtrade Certification Mark. As of January 2011, there were more than 1,000 companies certified by FLO International's certification and a further 1,000 or so certified by other ethical and fairtrade certification schemes around the world.

Sustainable coffee is a coffee that is grown and marketed for its sustainability. This includes coffee certified as organic, fair trade, and Rainforest Alliance. Coffee has a number of classifications used to determine the participation of growers in various combinations of social, environmental, and economic standards. Coffees fitting such categories and that are independently certified or verified by an accredited third party have been collectively termed "sustainable coffees". This term has entered the lexicon and this segment has quickly grown into a multibillion-dollar industry of its own with potentially significant implications for other commodities as demand and awareness expand.

Environmentally sustainable design is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of ecological sustainability and also aimed at improving the health and comfort of occupants in a building. Sustainable design seeks to reduce negative impacts on the environment, the health and well-being of building occupants, thereby improving building performance. The basic objectives of sustainability are to reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources, minimize waste, and create healthy, productive environments.

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 the world.

Life cycle thinking is an approach that emphasizes the assessment and minimization of environmental impacts at all stages of a product's life. This concept seeks to avoid shifting environmental burdens from one stage of the product's life to another. It also recognizes the importance of technological innovation in tackling environmental issues.

Environmental certification is a form of environmental regulation and development where a company can voluntarily choose to comply with predefined processes or objectives set forth by the certification service. Most certification services have a logo which can be applied to products certified under their standards. This is seen as a form of corporate social responsibility allowing companies to address their obligation to minimise the harmful impacts to the environment by voluntarily following a set of externally set and measured objectives.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">EU Ecolabel</span>

EU Ecolabel or EU Flower is a voluntary ecolabel scheme established in 1992 by the European Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Organic food culture</span> Social and cultural trend

Organic food culture refers to a recent social and cultural trend in which there has been an increased interest in organic food due to the rise of media coverage on health, food safety, and environmental dangers of pesticides. This attitude considers food a central requirement for health, but it does not neglect the aesthetic or hedonistic (pleasurable) aspects of food consumption.

Globalization of supply chains and pressure to lower production costs have negatively impacted environments and communities around the world, especially in developing nations where production of high demand goods is increasingly taking place. Since the 1990s, awareness of these negative impacts has grown, leading stakeholders to push companies to take responsibility and actively work to improve the sustainability of their supply chains. It has come to be understood that a company is only as sustainable as the start of its supply chain, bringing about the need for sustainable sourcing. Sustainable sourcing refers to the inclusion of social, environmental, and economic criteria in the sourcing process.

References

  1. ↑ Frank-Martin B. and Peattie, K. (2009). Sustainability Marketing: A Global Perspective. Wiley, United Kingdom.
  2. ↑ Michael Braungart and William McDonough (2002). Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things. North Point Press, USA.
  3. ↑ "About VSS | VSS" . Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  4. ↑ "The Trade Impact of Voluntary Sustainability Standards: A review of empirical evidence" (PDF).{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ↑ "Sustainability Map". www.standardsmap.org. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
  6. ↑ "Product Groups - Nordic Ecolabel". www.nordic-ecolabel.org. Archived from the original on 21 May 2011.
  7. ↑ "GRI Portal - G3.1 Guidelines". www.globalreporting.org. Archived from the original on 25 March 2011.
  8. ↑ Allen, Gary J. & Albala, Ken, ed (2007). The business of food: encyclopedia of the food and drink industries. ABC-CLIO. p. 288.
  9. ↑ "National Organic Program | Agricultural Marketing Service".
  10. ↑ List of Companies certified to MSC. www.ekobai.com/
  11. ↑ "Home". fsc.org.
  12. ↑ effects of FSC Certification in Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Russia, Sweden and the UK. WWF (2005)
  13. ↑ Experiences with voluntary standards initiatives and related multi-stakeholder dialogues. B. Lang. GTZ (2006)
  14. ↑ Fair Trade Labelling Organizations International www.fairtrade.net
  15. ↑ LEEDv3". U.S. Green Building Council. http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1970. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  16. ↑ "Renewable Electricity Standard for Europe". RES-E Standard. RES-E Initiative Group. 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  17. ↑ Sustainability at Yellowstone http://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/environment/green-seal-certification/green-seal/
  18. ↑ UNEP (2007), Assessment of Policy instruments for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from Buildings.http://www.unep.org/themes/consumption/index.asp?page=home
  19. ↑ http://esa.un.org/marrakechprocess/ [ dead link ]
  20. ↑ OECD (1999), Towards More Sustainable Household Consumption Patterns. http://www.oecd.org/document/58/0,2340,en_2649_34331_2397498_1_1_1_1,00.html
  21. ↑ United Nations (2017) Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 6 July 2017, Work of the Statistical Commission pertaining to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (A/RES/71/313)
  22. ↑ European Commission (2011), Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy Action Plan.
  23. ↑ "Sustainable product policy - Sustainable and responsible business - Enterprise and Industry". ec.europa.eu. Archived from the original on 15 May 2010.
  24. ↑ "European Commission » Internal Market » Public Procurement » Modernising the rules » Conferences". ec.europa.eu. Archived from the original on 17 May 2011.
  25. ↑ "EMAS – Environment - European Commission". 29 February 2024.
  26. ↑ Leading the way in the global circular economy
  27. ↑ Digitalisation for a circular economy
  28. ↑ The EU sustainable policy initiative
  29. ↑ Sustainable Products Initiative -have your say
  30. ↑ http://www.epa.gov/oswer/international/factsheets/200810-sustainable-consumption-and-production.htm#UNEP [ dead link ]
  31. ↑ "Business and the environment - GOV.UK". 13 January 2023.
  32. ↑ "GRIP centre". greennow.net. Archived from the original on 18 September 2011.
  33. ↑ "Home". energyrating.gov.au.
  34. ↑ Donnelly K, Olds R, Blechinger F, Reynolds D and Beckett-Fumell Z (2004): ISO 14001 – effective management of sustainable design. The Journal of Sustainable Product Design 4:43–54.
  35. ↑ Kanyama, Annika Carlsson; Nässén, Jonas; Benders, René (2021). "Shifting expenditure on food, holidays, and furnishings could lower greenhouse gas emissions by almost 40%". Journal of Industrial Ecology. 25 (6): 1602–1616. Bibcode:2021JInEc..25.1602C. doi: 10.1111/jiec.13176 . ISSN   1530-9290.
  36. ↑ Kunstler, James Howard (2012). Too Much Magic; Wishful Thinking, Technology, and the Fate of the Nation. Atlantic Monthly Press. ISBN   978-0-8021-9438-1.
  37. ↑ McKibben, D, ed. (2010). The Post Carbon Reader: Managing the 21st Century Sustainability Crisis. Watershed Media. ISBN   978-0-9709500-6-2.
  38. ↑ Brown, L. R. (2012). World on the Edge. Earth Policy Institute. Norton. ISBN   9781136540752.
  39. ↑ Speigleman, H, and Sheehan, B. (2010). "Climate Change, Peak Oil, and the End of Waste". In McKibben, D (ed.). The Post Carbon Reader: Managing the 21st Century Sustainability Crisis. Watershed Media. ISBN   978-0-9709500-6-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Sustainable Product: Definition and Examples

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