Comments on: Desperately Seeking Certification – Is It Worth It For Eco-Entrepreneurs? http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/ Green & Sustainable Business Ventures: For Entrepreneurs & Investors Tue, 22 May 2012 15:40:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Green Labels or Greenwashing http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/comment-page-1/#comment-166372 Green Labels or Greenwashing Wed, 02 Nov 2011 19:08:13 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/#comment-166372 [...] Green labels and certifications can also mean a number of different things. There is no blanket definition for what is green or sustainable, and any label on a product is still essentially an advertisement. The recent greenwash claims by ConAgra and CBS EcoAds are great examples of greenwashing. Companies share whatever it thinks is going to make a consumer spend more money. As such, a “green” label can mean that a product is made of partially recycled material, or that it is completely organic. [...] [...] Green labels and certifications can also mean a number of different things. There is no blanket definition for what is green or sustainable, and any label on a product is still essentially an advertisement. The recent greenwash claims by ConAgra and CBS EcoAds are great examples of greenwashing. Companies share whatever it thinks is going to make a consumer spend more money. As such, a “green” label can mean that a product is made of partially recycled material, or that it is completely organic. [...]

]]> By: Is Green Accreditation For You? : Ecopreneurist http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/comment-page-1/#comment-5278 Is Green Accreditation For You? : Ecopreneurist Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:12:16 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/#comment-5278 [...] Desperately Seeking Certification – Is It Worth It For Eco-Entrepreneurs? [...] [...] Desperately Seeking Certification – Is It Worth It For Eco-Entrepreneurs? [...]

]]> By: Soul Economy http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/comment-page-1/#comment-1648 Soul Economy Fri, 23 May 2008 17:20:05 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/#comment-1648 If you are an ethical company and are seeking to differentiate yourself on this basis, relevant certification is important. While it may take time and money to achieve, and there is consumer confusion due to "greenwashing", customers do seek some type of measurement and comfort when making an ethical purchase, and certification helps to provide this. Furthermore, if you are in a market where your competitors are certified then you need to have at least the same level of accreditation simply to compete - not even to achieve a point of difference. If you are an ethical company and are seeking to differentiate yourself on this basis, relevant certification is important. While it may take time and money to achieve, and there is consumer confusion due to “greenwashing”, customers do seek some type of measurement and comfort when making an ethical purchase, and certification helps to provide this. Furthermore, if you are in a market where your competitors are certified then you need to have at least the same level of accreditation simply to compete – not even to achieve a point of difference.

]]> By: The Ethical Consumer And The Blue Light Special : Ecopreneurist http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/comment-page-1/#comment-1539 The Ethical Consumer And The Blue Light Special : Ecopreneurist Thu, 15 May 2008 12:45:56 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/#comment-1539 [...] Desperately Seeking Certification – Is It Worth It For Eco-Entrepreneurs? [...] [...] Desperately Seeking Certification – Is It Worth It For Eco-Entrepreneurs? [...]

]]> By: Green Claims Unveiled. Ecolabling.org Provides One Stop Shop for Confused Shoppers : Ecopreneurist http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/comment-page-1/#comment-1433 Green Claims Unveiled. Ecolabling.org Provides One Stop Shop for Confused Shoppers : Ecopreneurist Mon, 05 May 2008 18:09:38 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/#comment-1433 [...] Desperately Seeking Certification – Is It Worth It For Eco-Entrepreneurs? Add a comment or question Tags: certified, eco labeling, eco standards, ecolabeling, green labels, green standards, greenwashing, social entrepreneur Share/Email Stumble It « Previous post aj_server="http://rotator.adjuggler.com/servlet/ajrotator/";aj_tagver="1.0";aj_zone="green";aj_adspot="316954";aj_page="0";aj_dim="300787";aj_ch="";aj_ct="";aj_kw="";aj_pv=true;aj_click=""; [...] [...] Desperately Seeking Certification – Is It Worth It For Eco-Entrepreneurs? Add a comment or question Tags: certified, eco labeling, eco standards, ecolabeling, green labels, green standards, greenwashing, social entrepreneur Share/Email Stumble It « Previous post aj_server=”http://rotator.adjuggler.com/servlet/ajrotator/”;aj_tagver=”1.0″;aj_zone=”green”;aj_adspot=”316954″;aj_page=”0″;aj_dim=”300787″;aj_ch=”";aj_ct=”";aj_kw=”";aj_pv=true;aj_click=”"; [...]

]]> By: Beth Mandel http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/comment-page-1/#comment-550 Beth Mandel Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:02:27 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/#comment-550 Great article, MC. Thanks for including us. I'd just like to add that the large marketing and ad budgets that Gigi mentioned really can't buy the credibility that ecopreneurs need. That comes through a sound social media strategy such as you outlined in your "PRTips For Green Entreprenuers", http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/01/22/ pr-tips-for-green-entrepreneurs/. Traditional PR campaigns are known for positioning companies in the minds of consumers and delivering credibility. Coverage by TV, Magazines, Newspapers and radio directly connects consumers to a product and adds an implied endorsement. This can never be achieved through advertising. A smart PR campaign that includes social media will establish the trust with consumers that translates into dollars. Beth Mandel T&S Partners PR Group tspartnerspr.com Great article, MC.
Thanks for including us.

I’d just like to add that the
large marketing and ad budgets
that Gigi mentioned really can’t
buy the credibility that ecopreneurs
need.

That comes through a sound social
media strategy such as you outlined
in your “PRTips For Green Entreprenuers”,
http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/01/22/
pr-tips-for-green-entrepreneurs/.

Traditional PR campaigns are known
for positioning companies in the minds
of consumers and delivering credibility.
Coverage by TV, Magazines, Newspapers
and radio directly connects consumers
to a product and adds an implied
endorsement. This can never be achieved
through advertising.

A smart PR campaign that includes social
media will establish the trust with
consumers that translates into dollars.

Beth Mandel
T&S Partners PR Group
tspartnerspr.com

]]> By: Kyle D. Skrinak:: Is Certification worth it for Eco-Entrepreneurs? http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/comment-page-1/#comment-509 Kyle D. Skrinak:: Is Certification worth it for Eco-Entrepreneurs? Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:33:22 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/#comment-509 [...] bellwether of our changing [...] [...] bellwether of our changing [...]

]]> By: Green Girl http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/comment-page-1/#comment-502 Green Girl Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:08:24 +0000 http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/02/14/desperately-seeking-certification-%e2%80%93-is-it-worth-it-for-eco-entrepreneurs/#comment-502 One crucial question to ask is whether a specific certification offers entree into a marketplace in which a company could otherwise not compete. For example, registering electronic products in the EPEAT (Electronic Product Envrionmental Assement Tool) system (www.epeat.net) is a required criterion to qualify them for US federal purchasing - a market worth tens (possiby hundreds) of billions of dollars. Numerous states, provinces, cities and even national governments outside the US are citing EPEAT in IT contracts. EPEAT consists of a multiattribute environmental performance standard developed through an EPA stakeholder process. Products registered in the system must meet 23 mandatory criteria for entry including Energy Star, RoHS compliance, provision of takeback and recycling service - to qualify at the lowest level - Bronze. Products qualify for higher ratings (Silver or Gold) by meeting 50% or 75% respectively of 28 additional optional criteria. The system is open to all manufacturers, with an annual fee based on sales volume - as low as $1500 for smaller companies. (More info at www.epeat.net/Manufacturers.aspx ) EPEAT currently covers desktops, laptops and monitors, and standards development starts this month for printers and imaging devices, followed by televisions, then servers and mobile devices (cell phones, PDAs). The system allows small/ecopreneurial manufacturers of environmentally friendly electronics to compete on equal footing with global giants, as long as their products are genuinely 'greener' measured against the criteria. See www.epeat.net for a wealth of details --participating manufacturers and purchasers, criteria list, media coverage, etc One crucial question to ask is whether a specific certification offers entree into a marketplace in which a company could otherwise not compete. For example, registering electronic products in the EPEAT (Electronic Product Envrionmental Assement Tool) system (www.epeat.net) is a required criterion to qualify them for US federal purchasing – a market worth tens (possiby hundreds) of billions of dollars. Numerous states, provinces, cities and even national governments outside the US are citing EPEAT in IT contracts. EPEAT consists of a multiattribute environmental performance standard developed through an EPA stakeholder process. Products registered in the system must meet 23 mandatory criteria for entry including Energy Star, RoHS compliance, provision of takeback and recycling service – to qualify at the lowest level – Bronze. Products qualify for higher ratings (Silver or Gold) by meeting 50% or 75% respectively of 28 additional optional criteria. The system is open to all manufacturers, with an annual fee based on sales volume – as low as $1500 for smaller companies. (More info at http://www.epeat.net/Manufacturers.aspx ) EPEAT currently covers desktops, laptops and monitors, and standards development starts this month for printers and imaging devices, followed by televisions, then servers and mobile devices (cell phones, PDAs). The system allows small/ecopreneurial manufacturers of environmentally friendly electronics to compete on equal footing with global giants, as long as their products are genuinely ‘greener’ measured against the criteria. See http://www.epeat.net for a wealth of details –participating manufacturers and purchasers, criteria list, media coverage, etc

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