What is eco-labelling?

Eco-labelling or more generically environmental product information refers to any information on the environmental attributes of products, services, or facilities.– This can take many forms, written claims, matrices, and logos. – The information can appear in annual reports, newspaper, radio or television

ads, in catalogues, or on products. – eco-labels usually appear on the product packaging or in reference material

• Voluntary initiatives to demonstrate environmental/sustainability qualities of products a form of assurance

Purpose• Business:

- control performance through the supply chain supply chain /risk management tool

- communicate environmental credentials marketing tool to different products

• Consumers: – Visual shopping guide action tool

• Governments: – provide market incentive to produce sustainable goods and

services – stimulate the demand for sustainable products through

supportive measures such as public procurement policy tool

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Key trends:

• As of 2010, there were at least 400 so called "sustainability certification" schemes for businesses and consumers to choose from.

• the rise in uptake of voluntary ecolabels and sustainability standards by the business-to-business sector

• Need to make the standards and labels transparent, credible, and relevant for users

UNEP ECO-LABELLING PROJECT

• UNEP initiated an Eco-labelling Project : “Enabling “Enabling developing countries to seize eco-labelling developing countries to seize eco-labelling opportunities”opportunities”

• Need to address the key obstacles faced by producers in developing countries:– Information about standards and labels and how they

work– Skills of use and apply and introduce necessary changes to

meet the criteria– Enabling policy environment through other measures,

grants for innovation, public procurement, economic incentives etc

WHY ECO-LABELLING in Developing countries?

• Globalized supply chains

• Eco-labels can serve as instruments that promote the mutual supportiveness of trade, environment and development

• Developing countries can access global markets , specially European , thru environmentally efficient products and thereby enhance their trade by adding a competitive dimension .

ECO-LABELLING PROJECT-STATUS ETHIOPIA

• Fact finding visits to 3 factories• an EU expert in footwear, EU ecolabel assisted

in visits. He developed action plan for each company

• 2 companies selected due to their technical potential and management commitment

• Anbessa shoe factory, • Tikur Abay shoe factory

Challenges and opportunities

• The Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI) has an ISO accredited laboratory, which provides more affordable testing services.

• COD in waster water at the tannery is above the required level of the EU eco-label but in compliance with the national standards.

• Tannery willing to improve treatment process based on requests from shoe factories

• We hope to have one company getting the EU eco-label for their shoe product!

Thank You

Tikur Abbay

• A private enterprise based in Addis Ababa• Employs about 500 people, many women• Two factoring producing shoes for domestic

and international markets (Europe, Canada and USA)

• Plans to export shoe models under their own brand

Why eco-labelling?• An environmental value addition in a highly

competitive markets • Possibility to enhance marketing under our

own brand • Technical assistance from NCPC and UNEP• An expert from Spain came for a fact-finding

mission, made positive recommendations • Support of LIDI with accredited facilities and

procedures tests are cheaper