Consumer Information for Sustainable Consumption and Production

Consumer Information online conference

Consumer Information conference:

TURNING INFORMATION INTO ACTION

 

13 - 16 September 2022

ONLINE

 

If you missed the Conference, you can access the recordings on our YouTube channel. 

INTRODUCTION

Scientific evidence (1) concurs that our current (and increasing!) consumption and production patterns are driving global environmental crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. This emphasizes the need to shift towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and productionand embracing concepts like circularity to help us meet our needs better and lighter. It is not only about putting the responsibility on individuals, governments and companies are best to design, deliver and enable access to more sustainable choices through policies, services and products and information about them to ensure that everyone has their needs met and makes sustainable living the default option (2).

Sustainability-marketed products grew more than twice as fast as conventionally marketed products in the past 6 years (Center for Sustainable Business, 2021). It shows there is a growing business case for taking sustainability seriously and offering more sustainable products and services to a growing consumer segment, including the young generation as consumers of the future. This represents an opportunity for sustainable businesses to innovate towards a more circular economy by providing information on their environmental and social impact.

The demand for information on business sustainability practices is increasing. From one side, consumers have become more cautious about how their  behavior affects the planet and its ecosystems. Relevant information can help governments, companies and individual consumers rethink their needs and lifestyles and make better choices for products and services that are more environmentally friendly. In addition, governments are committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda and obtaining information on the environmental and social impact of products and services is essential to tracking progress toward the SDGs.

Therefore, businesses can better meet consumers needs, gain consumer trust and improve their market position if they communicate on their environmental and social impacts in a clear and transparent way.

(1) IPBES (2019) Summary for policymakers of the global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services of the Intergovernmental Science Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. International Resource Panel (2021) Building Biodiversity: The Natural Resource Management Approach. Potočnik, J., Teixeira, I 2

(2) UNEP EGR 2020, 2020- Chap 6 on lifestyles,

ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

The Consumer Information Programme of the One Planet network hosted the conference Turning information into action: Providing product sustainability information that changes consumption behavior. The conference was held online from the 13th to the 16th of September in English on Webex Events platform

The conference brought together representatives from the private sector, including industry associations, marketing agencies, chambers of commerce, and others, interested in improving their communication and engagement with consumers and stakeholders. Governments, standard-setting and labeling organizations, research institutes, consumer NGOs, and other relevant stakeholders will also be involved. Together, participants created a shared vision of existing communication tools and strategies, as well as of barriers preventing businesses from providing product sustainability information and how to overcome them.

The conference covered valuable insights from the E-commerce, Fashion, and Food sectors as well as crucial environmental priorities such as Biodiversity and Ecolabelling.

Information, tools, and best practices covered in the conference can assist stakeholders in identifying the key next steps to improving business communication strategies to encourage more sustainable consumption behaviour.

Conference Agenda

SESSIONS

 

Tue 13 Sep, 14:00 to 16:00 CEST : OPENING & KEYNOTES  ADDRESS
Seizing the opportunity of sustainable consumption for business : How to communicate products' sustainability and change consumption behaviour?

 

  • Arturo Gaytan - Innovation and Sustainability Manager, CEMEX

  • Elisa Tonda - Chief of the Resources and Markets Branch at the UN Environment Programme 

  • Fatima Abou Abbass - Specialist in organic food and green consumerism trainings & Green action week for the Mediterranean region Ambassador

  • Helena Leurent - Director General of Consumers International

  • Helio Mattar - President at Akatu Institute

  • Jorge Laguna-Celis - Head, One Planet Network

  • Marie Johansson - Director Product Sustainability, Colgate  

  • Paul Walakira -Coordinator for the Life Cycle Assessment Network-Uganda

  • Perrine Bouhana - Director GlobeScan

  • Rijit Sengupta, CEO Center for Responsible Business - India 

  • Thierry Libaert - Member of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), co-President of the Consumer and Environment Category

  • Ulf D. Jaeckel, PhD - Head of Division `European and International Policies on Adaption to Climate Change BMUV

 

Wed 14 Sep, 12:00 to 13:30 CEST : ECO-LABELLING 
Reaching consumers through credible eco-labelling

 

  • Björn-Erik Lönn - Chair at the Global Ecolabelling Network

  • Eva Eiderström - Director Dep of Ecoalabelling and Green Consumption at the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation.

  • Kate Harris - Secretariat of the Global Ecolabelling Network and Non-Executive Director of the Living Future Institute of Australia.

  • Pauline Toulemonde - Specialist on environmental impacts of products in the DIY sector

  • Trine Pedersen - Senior Consultant/M.Sc. Chem., Ecolabelling Denmark

  • Dr. Yulia Gracheva - Director and Head of the Central сertification body in the Ecological Union – Owner and operator of the voluntary Type I ecolabelling “Vitality Leaf” based on life cycle.

  • Jorgen Skjodt - Owner and CEO at ZENZ and experienced business developer with passion for sustainability

 

Wed 14 Sep, 14:00 to 16:00 CEST : E-COMMERCE : 
How can e-commerce platforms empower the sustainable online consumer?

 

  • Annie Kemple - Head of Tablet Plus Program and Sustainable Development 

  • Annelise De Jong, Author of “Barriers for e-commerce consumers to choose environmentally sustainable products”, Sweden 

  • David Jensen, Coordinator of the Digital Transformation Task Force at UNEP

  • Jan Christian Polanía Giese - Senior Manager and head of the Sustainable Consumption team, Adelphi

  • Janet Sarah - NEO Chief Sustainability Officer, L’Oréal, North Asia and China

  • Katherine Foster, Executive Director of the Green Digital Finance Alliance 

  • Oliver Bealby-Wright, Sustainable Consumption Specialist, Consumers International 

 

Thu 15 Sep, 10:30 to 12:00 CEST : FOOD SYSTEMS
Opportunities and challenges in leveraging product sustainability information to shape more sustainable food supply and demand 

 

  • Agnès Martin  - Health Diet Advocacy Director in the Corporate Public Affairs team at Danone

  • Denise Westerhout - Markets Specialist in Asia - WWF International

  • Joshua Bishop - Conservation Economist at WWF-Australia

  • Kamana Kafle, Socio Economic Welfare Action for Women and Children (SEWA NEPAL)

  • Mathew John -Managing Director of Last Forest Enterprises

  • Paul Holmbeck - World Board Member, IFOAM Organics International, and former CEO, Organic Denmark

  • Viktoria Bourbon de Parme, Food and Agriculture Transformation Lead, World Benchmarking Alliance

 

Thu 15 Sep, 14:00 to 16:00 CEST : NATURE FRIENDLY CONSUMPTION
Building the business case for nature friendly consumption: how businesses scale up consumer information on biodiversity and ecosystem services and thrive

 

  • Anakarina Pérez Oropeza - Strategic Advisor and Global Advocacy Lead at the Forest Stewardship Council International (FSC)

  • Dr. Audrun Utskarpen - Senior Environmental Adviser, Ecolabelling Norway

  • Bianca Brasil - Business Engagement Program Manager, Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

  • Jamie Hamill - Ogilvy - Advisor to corporate, government, and non-governmental organisations.

  • Jan Christian Polanía Giese - Senior Manager and head of the Sustainable Consumption team, Adelphi

  • Keyvan Macedo, Sustainability Director, Natura&Co

  • Mey Ling Ho Cruzado, UNCUREPA (Panama), Consumers International Next Generation Leaders

  • Simone Wulf - Division of International Nature Conservation at the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN)

  • Surya Valluri - Chief Sustainability Officer Grasim Industries Limited. 

  • Viviana López Hernández - Researcher Sustainable Consumption, Oeko-Institute e.V. Germany

 

Fri 16 Sep, 14:00 to 16:00 CEST : FASHION SECTOR 
The role of product sustainability information to engage consumers and businesses on product lifetime extension

 

  • Bettina Heller - Programme Officer UNEP’s Consumption and Production unit

  • Hasna Kourda - Save your Wardrobe 

  • Lina Garcés - Economist

  • Dr. Lynn Wilson -  University of Glasgow

  • Ruth MacGilp - Communications Manager at Fashion Revolution

  • Soumya Kalluri - Founder of the "Dwij" social enterprise

 

 
alt