Environmental Certification

Process

The producer (first party) or the buyer (second party) applies for certification to a third party that has created or adheres to a set of standards. Product standards are specifications and criteria characterizing products, while process standards characterize the way products are made or services are delivered. Process standards can be further subdivided into management system standards, which set criteria for management procedures such as monitoring and documenting, and performance standards, which define what actually happens, for example, whether certain pesticides and fertilizers are used. Because conditions vary worldwide, generic standards are often used, which provide a framework for a more local standard setting. Products or processes are checked against these standards in inspections, which are carried out either by the standardsetting certification bodies themselves or by an inspection body subcontracted by the certification body. The certification decision is then based on the inspection report and possibly other information provided by the producer. Successful certification is documented by a certificate, which can be shown to a buyer and is often signified by a label on products to show to final consumers. Standard-setting organizations for environmental standards can be governments, industry or nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), or mixed stakeholder partnerships between these actors.

Origins

Environmental certification has existed for over 30 yrs. (years). In 1978, the German government sponsored a standards-backed environmental label, “Blauer Engel” (blue angel). A multistake-holder jury awards the label to products that are more environmentally friendly than are competitor products, such as chlorofluorocarbon-free spray cans, recycled paper, and environmentally friendly heating systems. In 2008, around 10,000 products and services carried the label.

At an international level, the Agenda 21, a global plan of action for sustainable development adopted at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, called for the introduction of environmental certification and labeling schemes.