Many different groups are coming together to discuss ecolabels, certification and green product claims. Everyone is worried about the problems of confusion, proliferation and potential consumer cynicism over any type of green claim. It seems that the green standard-bearing “industry” is at a critical juncture, one brought on in part by the popularity of green in the last few years and the creativity and enthusiasm brought by many different parties to the arena.

Big Room (the creators of ecolabelling.org) has joined the “Green Products Roundtable” being moderated by the Keystone Center. This is a forum balanced by different stakeholders interested in the continuous stock-taking of the eco-labeling landscape; the question of what makes a good ecolabel and a credible environmental claim; and ultimately, the development of consensus-based guidance on green product marketing and principles for eco-labeling.

Anastasia presented to the Green Products Roundtable meeting in DC on October 16 some of the latest data and assessment from ecolabelling.org. Issues discussed at the event included the problem of defining actually what counts as an eco-label with the profusion of online tags, logos, links, directories, memberships and private labels now proliferating.

The scale and relative market share of ecolabelled goods and services was discussed in light of growing demand for such goods from some very large retailers and purchasers. Is the ecolabelling world ready for the big gorillas?

Various efforts to harmonize and rationalize the ecolabelling space were bandied about, with all the pro’s and con’s that such efforts imply.

Clearly this is a dynamic space, and Big Room is excited to be part of the conversation and problem-solving.

This morning Big Room Co-Founder Anastasia O’Rourke presented a workshop at the American Institute of Architecture’s Center in New York on “ecolabels-101”, organized by the NY Industrial Retention Network.

The workshop aimed to help participants navigate through the maze of options companies seemingly have in making green claims – from “does not include PVC” type claims, to third-party certified life-cycle based ecolabels, and everything in between.

Guidance was given on how to assess the credibility and relevance of a label, and some of the costs and benefits associated with different types of labels currently on the market. Anastasia provided participants some conceptual tools, checklists, and information sources (such as ecolabelling.org) to help assess how and when an ecolabel will help them to gain a market edge from being green.

The workshop participants ranged from retailers like Green Depot, to specifiers, to New York based SMEs with building products such as wood panels, architectural moldings and lighting solutions.

A key question that was raised by SME participants was how to get their own suppliers to change their practices in order that they meet a label’s standard. As small players, many SMEs have a difficult time influencing suppliers’ to change their practices (such as switching processing methods, or materials). And they are not always able to pay more to change to those suppliers who are able to help them.

Various suggestions were given, such as taking a collaborative approach with suppliers and other stakeholders, providing them a business-case for making any changes; and talking to other companies using the same suppliers to also exert some pressure.

What is clear is that getting certified is not a one-off activity, but rather one step in a company’s longer-term effort to become more sustainable and offer green-er products.