In recent years, businesses and consumers have increasingly recognized the environmental impact of packaging materials. As a result, they are actively seeking sustainable packaging solutions. One way to ensure that packaging meets specific environmental standards is through certifications. This guide explores various sustainable packaging certifications, their importance, and the benefits they offer.
Understanding Sustainable Packaging Certifications
Certifications for sustainable packaging are awarded to products that meet specific environmental criteria. These criteria, which vary depending on the certification body, typically include factors such as the use of recycled materials, recyclability, biodegradability, and reduced carbon footprint. Certifications can come from government agencies, non-profit organizations, or industry groups.
Importance of Sustainable Packaging Certifications
Sustainable packaging certifications play a crucial role in helping businesses reduce their environmental impact. By adhering to strict standards, companies can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and differentiate themselves in the market. Certifications also provide consumers with a clear indication that the packaging meets certain environmental criteria, helping them make more informed purchasing decisions.
Benefits of Sustainable Packaging Certifications
Environmental Impact
Certified sustainable packaging helps reduce the use of natural resources, minimize waste, and lower greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to a healthier planet.
Brand Reputation
Businesses that use certified sustainable packaging can enhance their brand reputation by showcasing their commitment to environmental stewardship.
Cost Savings
Sustainable packaging often involves using less material and optimizing packaging design, leading to cost savings in the long run.
Compliance
Certifications help businesses comply with regulatory requirements related to packaging and environmental protection.
Consumer Preference
Studies show that consumers are increasingly choosing products with sustainable packaging, making certification a valuable marketing tool.
Popular Sustainable Packaging Certifications
The FSC® Certification
Using FSC-certified packaging and FSC-certified paper is a huge step for those working towards sustainability, and it has a significant impact on the planet.
The Forest Stewardship Council is a nonprofit organization that creates and upholds responsible forest management principles.
With many different countries part of the council, the goal is to guarantee responsibly produced wood and paper materials for consumers.
Forest management encompasses:
- Water quality
- Forest cover
- Protecting old forest lands
- Preventing hazardous chemicals from being used.
- Wildlife and plants
Source: Eco Home
- FSC 100% Label: Materials are made from 100% virgin materials and are from FSC-certified forests
- FSC Mix: The materials contain a mixture of FSC virgin fiber and/or recycled material. The recycling label denotes the amount of pre and post-consumer recycled fiber used.
- FSC Recycled Label: Materials are constructed from 100% recycled fiber. Similar to the mix label, the recycling label will denote the amount of pre and post-consumer recycled fiber being used.
More key things to note:
- Sustainable Harvesting: Trees are only cut down at a rate that allows for natural regeneration, ensuring a CO2-neutral forest.
- Biodiversity Conservation: FSC-certified forests are partially protected to preserve habitats for endangered animals and plants.
- Worker Welfare: All workers in FSC forests receive training, safety equipment, fair wages, and the right to join or form trade unions.
- Local Benefits: Activities in FSC forests should benefit local communities, including the use of local labor.
- Indigenous Involvement: Indigenous populations are involved in forest management, including the protection of sacred and hunting grounds.
- Community Development: Depending on the country’s socioeconomic conditions, FSC initiatives may support local infrastructure development, such as schools and clinics.
- Traceability: All wood must be traceable, regardless of the complexity of the supply chain, ensuring transparency and accountability.
- Supply Chain Certification: Each link in the supply chain must have certifications to manage traceability, ensuring that all products meet FSC standards.
- Independent Audits: Independent certification firms conduct annual site visits to verify compliance with FSC standards in handling and processing materials.
The PEFC® Certification
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an international non-profit, non-governmental organization featuring a global alliance of national forest certification systems.
PEFC endorses national forest certification systems developed through multi-stakeholder processes tailored to local priorities and conditions to ensure responsible sourcing processes.
Focusing on local forest certifications allows PEFC to ensure all sourcing locations are protected and respected based on:
- Wildlife
- Landscape
- Social impact
- Economic impact
PEFC is able to track materials from forests, down to the supply chain and the final product using the chain of custody certification.
This ensures that every step of the process is monitored, from the sourcing process to the rights of workers.
The PEFC label guarantees that any paper and wood-based materials used to produce a product were sourced from PEFC-certified forests.
Showcasing the certification label on your product makes it easier for brands and retailers to communicate and promote sustainable practices within the production process.
Furthermore, eco-conscious consumers will recognize PEFC as a credible sustainability certification in turn improving brand credibility in sustainable practices.
In order to use the PEFC trademark on products, brands need to be PEFC certified to ensure they comply with requirements.
However, if your product is sourced from third parties, the suppliers need to be PEFC certified to showcase the label on products.
The Soy-Ink Certification
The American Soybean Association aims to advocate for the rights of soy farmers in the US, especially at a time when soy products have ramped up in popularity in a vast amount of industries.
The soy ink certification indicates that printed products are recyclable and that the soy used was responsibly sourced with standards and regulations set by the American Soybean Association.
Soy-based inks are recognized as more environmentally friendly as it does not alter the recyclability of printed paper materials the way many petroleum-based inks do.
With the soy-ink seal, businesses can guarantee that products claiming to be sustainable are 100% recyclable, down to the ink showcasing the logo, and are made with greater social responsibility.
The soy ink seal is validated using the following standards:
| TYPE OF INK | % SOY OIL CONTENT |
| Black news ink | 40 |
| Color news ink | 30 |
| Cold-set ink | 30 |
| Carbon Ink | 25 |
| Screen Printing Ink | 25 |
| Sheet-fed ink | 20 |
| Business forms ink | 20 |
| Metallic Ink | 10 |
| Desensitizing Ink | 10 |
| Heat-set ink | 7 |
| UV/EB ink | 7 |
| Stencil duplicator ink | 6 |
There is a range of certified packaging materials and inks that are worth looking into to enhance businesses’ corporate responsibility.
Certifications are one of the best ways to guarantee sustainable practices down the supply chain and communicate your efforts in a clear and concise way.
Conclusion
Sustainable packaging certifications are a valuable tool for businesses looking to reduce their environmental impact and meet consumer demand for eco-friendly products. By understanding the various certifications available and their benefits, businesses can make informed decisions that benefit both the planet and their bottom line.