Sustainability Certifications
Max O’Shea, Bente Stoop
Sustainability certifications refer to logos, marks or other certifications that represent a business, organisation or product’s successful commitment to voluntary sustainability standards. Voluntary sustainability standards are private standards usually designed by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or private firms that call for the product to meet a set of specific ‘economic, social and environmental sustainability metrics’.
The emergence of voluntary sustainability standards, or VSS, demonstrates both the value consumers place on ethical and sustainable business practices and the opacity of supply chains in the modern world. Due to globalisation, states have less ability to oversee and regulate entire supply chains when companies’ operations are across multiple countries. Additionally, the rapid development of technology and the expansion of the global market means that more transactions are becoming more distant and therefore more difficult to track and control.
What are sustainability certifications?
The standards allow for market actors to opt into regulations that provides greater protection for human rights than the state does. The appeal of VSS for consumers is the ability to outsource the oversight of a company’s practices to an independent third party, placing trust in the certification system rather than the business or the state. The appeal for businesses is the opportunity to demonstrate adherence to certain ethical standards to their customers, and to provide a framework for ensuring that their supply chain meets their standards.
What are some current certifications used in the Australian publishing industry?
While sustainable and environmental certifications become more prominent every year, there are few that are specific to the Australian publishing industry, let alone mandated for Australian businesses. One very well-known certification is the Forest Stewardship Council certified paper (FSC), which informs businesses and consumers whether a book comes from responsibly managed forests, meaning it is sourced in an environmentally, socially and economically viable way. FSC-certified paper is very common in the Australian publishing industry; it is almost considered the standard. A similar certification is the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Their mission is to meet the unique needs of small and family-forest owners who were unable to access existing certification systems. PEFC verify that forest and tree-based products come from sustainably managed forests, respecting ecological, social and economic values, and are now the world’s leading forest certification system. Despite this, this certification is not mandated and is therefore not as effective in encouraging a sustainable publishing industry in Australia.
While certifications like these are steps in the right direction, it is not mandatory to uphold these as an Australian publisher. Having mandatory certifications more relevant to the publishing industry, such as in relation to the use of different materials in printing and transport of products would create a much more sustainable industry. An average consumer is unlikely to be knowledgeable about these certifications and therefore unable to be an informed sustainable customer.
What are some current certifications used overseas?
While the publishing industry across the world uses some certifications to indicate sustainable materials and practices, there are not that many well-known certifications active right now. In other industries like the food industry these certifications have more effect, such as the Fairtrade certification.
In Europe the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation, and Restriction of Chemical Substances) certification focuses on protecting people and the environment from damaging chemicals. It is active in 27 EU countries, and is slowly making its way to the US, it could also be applied in Australia. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) determines which substances are dangerous and ensures the compliance of REACH within the EU. It has existed since 2007 and has been implemented across more industries since its creation. It regulates tattoo ink, permanent make-up, cleaning products, paints and even items of clothing; all of which come into contact with people and can be harmful to the human body.
The EU implementing compliance mandates creates a safer environment for people and shows how mandates are effective in creating lasting change within an industry. Most tattoo parlours around Europe are using REACH compliant inks, making tattoos safer. A similar mandate happened this year when the EU banned any nail products containing Thyroid Peroxidase. Non-compliance results in fines, which, if implemented in the Australian publishing industry, would incentivise publishers and printers to use sustainable alternatives.
Fairtrade is an international sustainability label based on an independent, standardised auditing process. The FAIRTRADE mark, which appears on over 37,000 products including foods (like coffee and cocoa), textiles (like cotton), and even minerals (like gold), is one of the most recognisable ethical certifications around the world. Their standards focus on ethical practices across the entire supply chain of a product, which aim to protect the rights of workers and create an even balance of power between producers and suppliers. The auditing process for Fairtrade certification is completed by FLOCERT, Fairtrade’s independent certification body.
Fairtrade is an example of an independent certification system that successfully communicates a sustainability-focused message to a broad range of consumers, allowing brands to demonstrate their commitments to sustainable practices. Their website outlines the various iterations of the FAIRTRADE mark and their meanings, as well as their goals and standards for certification. Fairtrade also advocates for political change that strengthens protections for human rights and champions ethical and responsible trade practices.
Fairtrade
There are other certifications around the world that focus solely on sustainability. The Green Seal, originating in the US certifies products across various industries. It is a nonprofit organisation focused on providing an easy way for people to find products that ‘m[e]et a high benchmark of health and environmental leadership’. Their mission is to accelerate the adoption of products that are safer and more sustainable. They work with five values they uphold. Number one is integrity, which allows them to build confidence in their certification. In addition to ‘ownership’, ‘excellence’ and ‘caring’ they also focus on ‘continuous learning’. This creates a space for progress and improved practices in all the industries they focus on.
Since the Australian publishing industry does not have any major certifications available besides FSC and PEFC, there remains a need for progress and growth. The Green Seal certification is a good example of how to implement this slowly and can be referred to by the Australian publishing industry when doing research on certifications that would actually work. Fostering confidence and relationships with customers through recognisable certifications that are easy to understand promotes and makes positive change accessible.
The Green Seal
Research has suggested that, while VSS can have positive impacts, they are often unable to sufficiently address the concerns they set out to deal with and instances of success are context-specific and dependent on a high number of variables. While further research needs be done to understand the parameters for constructive implementation, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has developed a free-to-access guide for NGOs, government agencies and other users, the VSS Assessment Toolkit, to help analyse the challenges of effectively implementing voluntary sustainability standards and explore options for addressing them.
Efficacy of voluntary sustainability standards
The Energy Rating Label, which has been used by the Australian Government for over 30 years, helps consumers make informed choices about their appliances using a star rating system. The stars at the top of the label provide an energy efficiency rating in comparison to similar products. The label also lists the average energy consumption of the product (for an average user) in kWh per year, allowing consumers to compare it to any other product regardless of similarity and to calculate the estimated cost of running the appliance.
While the Energy Rating Label is not a voluntary sustainability certification, it is an example of how government agencies can influence environmental sustainability initiatives. The Australian Government mandates that the Energy Rating Label be displayed on a number of household items, including clothes washers and dryers, televisions, dishwashers and refrigerators; the government also provides information about the Energy Rating Label through their website to ensure that the rating system is accessible and easy to understand. Although the Energy Rating Label is largely intended to provide financial benefits to Australia consumers, it’s also a good example of how environmental benefits can be achieved with economic or financial incentives.
Related examples: Energy Rating Label
Ultimately, the use of sustainability certifications, government support and other environmental standards pave the way for publishers and other businesses to make achievable and greener positive changes for the planet.