Consumer Information for SCP Programme

Get involved

Become a Partner

Do you want to know what it means to be a partner of the Consumer Information Programme? Check out our flyer, which provides a summary about the role of a partner! 

By becoming a partner of the Programme, you can collaborate with the CI-SCP community, showcase and scale up your work, and participate in working groups and other activities of the Programme. Being a partner is totally free and allows you to join the largest global network for advancing sustainable consumption: the One Planet network is one of the offical UN implementation mechanisms of SDG12. As a partner of the Consumer Information Programme, you are invited to share knowledge, coordinate work streams, propose new activities and bring your ongoing activities to cooperate with a wide network of stakeholders. Also, you commit to actively inform us about your relevant activities (at least once per year through the official One Planet network reporting mechanism), so that we can share them with the network through newsletters and webinars, as well as report on progress towards Goal 12 officially to the HLPF.

You can submit the application directly through the registration form of this platform, just click on MySCP in the upper right to get started.  Alternatively, you can submit the partner application form to ciscp@un.org for review by our Multi-stakeholder Advisory Committee.

Working Groups

The CI-SCP's working groups (WG) develop and deliver activities to address key issues under the Programme's objectives and work areas, over an agreed timeframe. Working groups are led by CI-SCP partners or MAC members, and are open to participation of all interested institutions and individuals. The current working groups that the CI-SCP hosts are:

Led by UN Environment and the International Trade Centre (ITC), to strengthen good practices and build international understanding and consensus in the field of sustainability communication, the working group developed the 'Guidelines for Providing Product Sustainability Information' (launched in 2017). After two years of research and collaboration, with inputs from over 125 organizations, the Guidelines aim to benefit both the consumer and the producer by outlining how companies can provide quality information to empower sustainable consumption decisions, and also serving as a reference for governments, standard and labelling bodies and NGOs.The Guidelines were cited in the Enviroment and Heatlh Resolution of UNEA-3 and the SCP Resolution of UNEA-4. The Guidelines outline 10 best practice principles for information-providers to giving sustainability information. A 'road testing' exercise was conducted and now the working group is focusing on bringing the Guidelines forward as a practical tool that contributes to the implmentation of SDG 12. Relevant resources are available on the Product Sustainability Information Hub. Contact ciscp@un.org to join the Working Group or get more information.

Led by the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) and UN Environment Programme, this working group supports collaboration among Ecolabelling Type I programs (as per the ISO 14024 definition) and facilitates their mutual recognition. The working group supports awareness raising, capacity building, and consultations for developing and emerging economies to develop new national Ecolabelling Type I programs. Three regional information sharing platforms have been created in Asia, Europe & Africa and the Americas and a series of webinars for each region has occurred, as well as in-person workshops and other supportive events. You can read more about the aims of this working group here.  To participate in one of the regional platforms, contact ciscp@un.org.

Led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Akatu institute, this newly created working group aims to build a critical mass of engagement within and across different sectors (private, public and civil society) to raise awareness and engage consumers on product lifetime extension. The working group intends to push progress towards product lifetime extension policies and practices worldwide, bring together a network of organisations, facilitate the dialogue between them and better engage and communicate with consumers on PLE practices. Relevant resources are available on the Product Lifetime Extension Hub. To join this Working Group or get more information contact ciscp@un.org

Led by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMU), this working group promotes the topic of biodiversity and consumption through information, communication and international cooperation. The goal of this initiative is to contribute to reducing the negative impacts of consumption on biodiversity and ecosystem services by activating stakeholders in policy, business and civil society and enabling consumers to make informed choices for sustainable consumption. During the course of its activities the working group will, among other things, create an online toolkit for communication and cooperation for sustainable consumption and disseminate information materials on the impact of consumption on biodiversity. Please contact the Consumer Information Programme coordination desk via ciscp@un.org for more information about this working group!

Additional projects and work areas

Consumer Information and Plastic Packaging

In 2019 The One Planet network launched a network-wide Plastics Initiative to respond to the marine litter and microplastics resolution from UNEA-4 calling for the creation of "guidelines on plastic use and production in order to inform consumers, including on standards and labels, to incentivize businesses and retailers to commit to sustainable practices and products, and to support governments to promote the use of information tools and incentives to foster sustainable consumption and production".  The Consumer Information Programme has done a mapping and assessment of existing standards, labels and claims on plastic packaging and summarized its findings and five key reommencations for action in the the report "Can I recycle this?". Following this report, key messages for various stakeholders will be developed and best practices collected. All outputs from the programme will contribute to the One planet network plastics initiative. Led by the One Planet network Secretariat, a guidance document will be completed by the end of 2020 to be presented at UNEA-5. All those working on solutions for plastic pollution and marine litter through more sustainable consumption and production of plastics are invited to contribute. Please email ciscp@un.org to get involved, or read more here.

Social Impact Communication

Led by the Joint Research Center of the European Commission, New Earth and UN Environment, this project brings together experts who developed a white paper on Business to Consumers (B2C) communication of the social impact of products. The next activity involves contributing to the revision of the Social Life Cycle Assessment Guidelines, including a section on communication. To find out more or get involved, email ciscp@un.org.

Consumer Information tools and climate change 

More sustainable consumption and production is integral to tackle climate change and reduce carbon emissions. The Tourism, Buildings and Food sector together account for more than half of humanity’s contribution to energy-related CO2 emissions. Therefore, consumption patterns in these sectors are critical to reduce global CO2 emissions. If implemented correctly, consumer information tools can influence consumer behaviour and trigger more sustainable consumption choices. Read more...

Communicating food sustainability information

More information coming soon...