NZ Environmental Agency Tops Global Study
A global study commissioned by the British Government has named New Zealand’s official ecolabelling agency as a world
leader.
The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has analysed 207 worldwide standards for measuring
environmental sustainability of products. It marked the robustness of standards, the range of criteria applied, and
methodology. The study scored organisations for open and thorough consultation in developing standards, the frequency of
updating them, the strength of evidence collected, and the use of whole-of-lifecycle considerations.
Two of the world’s best-known and most comprehensive ecolabels, the Nordic Swan and Germany’s Blue Angel, were chosen
along with the EU Flower. Fairtrade and Energy Star were other agencies selected as world leaders in the areas of food
and office IT equipment. When it came to the selection of a world-class authority, using furniture and paper as
representative standards, Environmental Choice New Zealand was assessed as “best practice” internationally, and the
example worth following by the UK government.
General manager of the label, Robin Taylor, says this is of such significance that it uplifts our country’s whole
environmental reputation. “This puts Environmental Choice on the map with organisations that are legendary for their
commitment, their standards and depth of authority, and whose breadth of environmental certification shows the way
forward. It’s very encouraging that New Zealand’s official ecolabel outperforms international benchmarks. The Ministry
for the Environment, which owns the label, has much to be proud of in Environmental Choice and the independent trust set
up to administer it.”
Not all ecolabels display the same robustness as Environmental Choice, says Robin Taylor. “This is an issue
internationally, where market-driven private enterprise companies sometimes try to offer much less thoroughly
substantiated “certifications”.
“It is not sufficient to just put ticks in boxes and hold that up as some kind of environmental proof. Without peer
reviews, third-party verified published standards, open industry consultation, and ultimately committed and innovative
producers, the ‘box tick’ mentality has little chance of any really valid certification of sustainability that could be
recognised internationally.
“The Environmental Choice process has been proven by this UK study to be tough, true, and transparent. It is gratifying
to know we have been selected among the world’s best.”
A record number of companies (25) is presently registered and undergoing the assessment process for certification by
Environmental Choice New Zealand.
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