Defining Green: Lessons Learned from Eco-labelling in the Consumer Goods Industry

Abstract

In recent years, companies have been under increasing pressure to communicate their sustainability performance to interested stakeholders. Reliable metrics and third-party validation in particular play an important role in the effort to quantify a company’s impact on the environments and communities in which it operates. This increasing focus on corporate environmental and social performance has led to a proliferation of ecolabels, but there are currently no comprehensive efforts to assess best practices in labeling. I conducted research to understand the current landscape of consumer goods ecolabels by creating a framework of success across the dimensions of market and field, analyzing survey data, and performing case studies. I discussed emerging best practices and lessons learned and made recommendations for how we can better design labels in the future. I conclude by identifying the implications of my research findings for ecolabels design and highlighting areas requiring further research.