Green Claims Whitepaper

As the world has awoken to the effects of climate change and demands for greater corporate social responsibility have increased, businesses have sought to demonstrate their green credentials and product offerings. This has led to a burgeoning landscape of certification schemes aiming to provide assurance of sustainability claims.

Incoming green claims regulations will standardise the requirements for claims validation, such as the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on substantiation and communication of explicit environmental claims (the EU Green Claims Directive), which will be adopted by EU member states starting in 2024. The use of certifications can support such efforts, but selecting and implementing the most appropriate ones will be critical, as gaps remain between regulatory requirements and the current capabilities of some certification schemes. As certifiers adapt their methodology to meet the requirements of this new regulated space, businesses must carefully navigate the changing landscape to ensure compliance.

This paper sets out the role that certifications can play in assuring green claims and guaranteeing compliance with new green claims regulations.