Annual report of the Ecological Union - 2023
The Ecological Union is one of the leading Russian non-commercial organizations in environmental protection. It presented a public annual report on its activities in 2023.
The Ecological Union has published the 2023 report: results of the Vitality Leaf ecolabel and environmental education
The 2023 report highlights significant progress in promoting responsible consumption and production. The Vitality Leaf ecolabel has become more recognizable (34%), and retailers are actively using it to engage with consumers. Currently, 34 factories are producing goods with this label to help improve the environmental situation.
The 2023 report highlights significant progress in promoting responsible consumption and production. The Vitality Leaf ecolabel has become more recognizable (34%), and retailers are actively using it to engage with consumers. Currently, 34 factories are producing goods with this label to help improve the environmental situation.
The projects and results of the Ecological Union align with the goals and needs that are important for companies, consumers, and the state as a whole, making a measurable contribution to the preservation of nature and human health. A survey of businesses and consumers reveals the following:
- Among the key sustainable development goals for businesses in 2023, which align with Russia's national goals, 74% of companies identified ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’ as a priority.
- 43% of consumers associate corporate social responsibility with environmental care. Additionally, 86% of people regularly check companies' and brands' claims about sustainability, with products bearing ecolabels being among the most popular items purchased from responsible brands.
- Transparency, accountability, and effective management have become key principles influencing the decision-making of top management in Russia.
The report highlights how the scientific approach, ecocertification, and expert support for companies address the needs of businesses and consumers while benefiting nature.
The significant results included in the report are related to the main areas of work of the Ecological Union— making businesses more environmentally sustainable and educating consumers about environmental issues. The majority of projects are implemented within the framework of developing the life cycle ecolabel Vitality Leaf. Here are a few examples of what ecologists and the environmental education team accomplished in 2023.
For Responsible Consumption and Production:
- 53 environmental audits of companies were conducted across various regions of Russia. Today, 34 factories produce certified products and engage with customers using the ecolabel.
- Two Vitality Leaf standards were included in the international Standards Map database, and five new standards were developed for various products: wine, adhesives, plastics, furniture, and groceries. A total of 49 ecostandards are available for companies to implement.
- The certification body Ecological Union underwent a review of its activities by the Federal Accreditation Service, and the Vitality Leaf ecolabel confirmed its status as an internationally recognized certification for the third time.
To increase recognition and trust in the ecolabel and ecocertified products:
- 34% of residents in million-plus cities recognize the Vitality Leaf according to NAFI data. A study by the SYNERGETIC brand of its audience showed that 75% of customers are familiar with the Vitality Leaf.
- 60 companies were involved in joint projects, including manufacturers, stores, and retail chains such as Lenta, Magnit, Lemana PRO (Leroy Merlin) and OZON.
- 7 educational campaigns were conducted both online and offline in collaboration with partners.
- Agreements were signed with Association for ecology and environmental protection Razdelniy Sbor, Union ONE, and the Green Brands League to strengthen support for responsible business. Additionally, a Council for the Prevention of Greenwashing was created together with like-minded organizations.
To ensure transparency and trust in the environmental achievements of companies using ecolabels, the effects of certification on nature have been demonstrated:
- Household Chemicals: Demonstrated how certification helps conserve natural resources, save costs, and reduce allergy risks.
- Insulation Materials: Showed how certification addresses air pollution and health issues caused by the release of harmful substances.
- Paints and Coatings: Highlighted how certification prevents the emission of volatile organic compounds that contribute to the development of diseases.
- Agricultural Fertilizers: Illustrated how certification helps maintain soil quality and biodiversity, and protects people from consuming food contaminated with heavy metals.
Thus, the projects of 2023 demonstrate that lifecycle ecolabel certification contributes to resource conservation, reduction of waste and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as the decrease in chemical pollution and preservation of biodiversity.
Yulia Gracheva, Director of the Ecological Union and PhD in Biology, said: ‘The Ecological Union has been using ecolabels for environmental protection purposes for over 25 years. We often encounter the opinion that ecolabelling is merely a commercial tool, which leads to skepticism about its environmental effectiveness. Therefore, it is important to show that NGOs can effectively use ecolabelling to address environmental issues and help manufacturers transparently engage with consumers. In the 2023 report, we demonstrated how the Vitality Leaf ecolabel works, its environmental effects, the results of educational activities, and other environmental solutions for companies’.
The Ecological Union invites you to review the report, be inspired by how scientifically-based ecolabelling and ecolabels help care for nature and human health, and join initiatives to develop the eco-products market.
We look forward to your feedback on the report and proposals for joint projects. Please send them to Tatiana Suvorova at suvorova@ecounoin.ru.
SDG 12 Targets
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Value Chain Stage(s):
Distribution / Retail
Extraction / Production of raw materials
Packaging
Processing raw materials /product parts/components
Production / Manufacturing / Construction
Product/ Service Design and Planning
Use / Consumption
