Good practice on ecolabels and sustainable public procurement: The adoption of biodiversity conservation criteria by ecolabels and certification schemes

Published on July 26, 2024

This specific good practice "The adoption of biodiversity conservation criteria by ecolabels and certification schemes. Cases from Nordic Swan, Good Environmental Choice, Singapore Green Label, and Life Certification'" explores the benefits of incorporating biodiversity-focused criteria in ecolabels and certifications and explicitly communicating biodiversity aspects. It contributes to raising awareness about the topic in the market and helps public procurers and consumers identify and trust products and services with credible sustainability performance, addressing the challenge of environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. The Nordic Swan, Good Environmental Choice (Sweden), Singapore Green Label, and Life Certification serve as examples of successful implementation.

Available in English and Spanish.

This series of 20 good practices reflects experiences on ecolabelling, sustainable public procurement, or the joint use of ecolabelling and sustainable public procurement that have demonstrated positive impacts on fostering sustainable consumption and production — for this reason, they are called "good practices.” These good practices aim to promote global exchange by providing information and examples of various approaches that entities from different countries and contexts can apply to strengthen the use of ecolabels and sustainable public procurement. They were developed as an outcome of the Working Group on Ecolabelling from the Consumer Information Programme, under the One Planet network, and the EcoAdvance project, jointly implemented by the German Cooperation for Development (GIZ), the United Nations for Environmental Protection (UNEP), and the Oeko Institute, funded by the Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation, nuclear safety and consumer protection (BMUV), and the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

We would be delighted to present this good practice during one of your events. Additionally, if you would like to replicate it, share a good practice that we could systematize, or learn more about the EcoAdvance project, please contact us at ciscp@un.org.