Sustainability Certifications: For Green Businesses
Growing awareness of climate change has prompted more consumers to replace disposable, short-life products with durable, eco-friendly alternatives. This is an opportune moment for sustainable brands to connect with a climate-conscious audience, steer clear of misleading claims, and ensure their products’ environmental credibility by obtaining green certifications.
This certification reassures customers that the products they purchase are genuinely eco-friendly helping you foster a positive brand image, and we all agree, that’s something we always strive for as a sustainable business.
What is a Sustainability Certification?
Sustainability certifications are guidelines that organizations and products use to show their bit of environmental, social, and ethical commitment. It helps companies follow a transparent way of communicating their product’s quality and helps a consumer understand the brand while trusting it.
There are several certifications that a company can take. Choosing which certification should solely depend on what kind of product your company sells. While getting yourself certified may not be mandatory in some cases, it is still essential to improve your brand’s credibility and trust among your target consumers. This can give you a competitive edge over your competitors.
Why Have a Sustainability Certification for Your Business?
In India, the rise in demand for environmentally and ethically conscious brands has also increased the use of terms like ‘sustainable’, ‘organic’, and ‘green’ in marketing. However, not all products labeled as environmentally friendly genuinely offer environmental benefits, a practice known as greenwashing. Consumers are becoming more aware of such misleading claims.
To combat greenwashing, simply labeling a product as sustainable is no longer sufficient. Brands can ensure their products’ environmental credibility by obtaining green certification from an independent third-party organization. This certification reassures customers that the products they purchase are genuinely eco-friendly.
The initial investment to obtain this sustainability certification for companies can be a grueling task, but quite fruitful in the long run.
Steps to get a Sustainability Certification?
Choosing the right certification for your company is as crucial as following the rest of the steps to obtain the certification. Let’s look at some key objectives to keep in mind to get your organization green-proof:
Step 1: Choose the right sustainability certification for you
This phase should focus on gaining a thorough understanding of your product and its raw materials. Identify the certifications obtained by your competitors and research the relevant government standards to determine which certifications are suitable for your organization. Ensure that the sustainability certification you choose for your product aligns with your business goals.
Step 2: Review the requirements
Now that you have chosen the certification, it’s time to focus on the steps to obtain it, including the costs and the required documents. This will give you a clear understanding of what is expected and whether any improvements are needed on your part.
Step 3: Analyze your current sustainability practices
To identify if any improvements are needed in your current manufacturing or distribution processes, evaluate your existing sustainability practices. Assess areas for improvement by creating a report on your energy consumption, waste management, and environmental impact. This comprehensive analysis is crucial in this step. That sounds like a lot, what if we tell you Untrash can do this for you!
Step 4: Making those improvements
Once your brief analysis is complete, you can proceed to make the necessary improvements or changes to your current processes to meet the desired standards and requirements. This may involve adopting new practices or leaving behind the old ones.
Step 5: Application Submission
You’re all set now! Your company meets the required standards to be eligible to obtain the certificate. Submit your application along with the required documents on the certification portal. These documents could be your environmental impact, energy consumption audit reports, etc.
Step 6: Assessing your business on-site
Most of the certifications will have a person visit your company premises to conduct an on-site evaluation of the procedures, raw materials, logistics, packaging, and several other aspects before they certify you.
Step 7: You are now certified!
If you have met all the standards and requirements given by the certification committee, you will be provided with the sustainability certification. This could sometimes be a badge too.
Step 8: Show off your certificate proudly
Now that you are a certified sustainable business, it’s time you let your consumers know you are trustworthy of their choice. Also, be mindful of continuing to meet the required standards and practices to maintain your certification by assessing your carbon emissions, and environmental impacts periodically.
Benefits of Getting Your Business the Eco Labels
Getting your business a sustainability certification can give you some major brownie points like getting your brand credibility, increasing your brand’s positive image, and raising consumer awareness. Let’s look at some below:
Enhanced Brand Credibility
We all know the mess brands that greenwash have created. Certifications like EcoCert provide third-party validation that a company’s products meet high environmental and social standards. This enhances brand credibility and distinguishes certified products from those making unverified claims of sustainability.
Consumer Trust and Market Access
Consumers are increasingly looking for genuinely eco-friendly products. Sustainability certifications build trust by assuring customers of the authenticity of a company’s claims. Additionally, these certifications can open doors to international markets, as many regions and retailers prefer certified products .
Regulatory Compliance and Competitive Advantage
Sustainability certifications help ensure compliance with local regulations for organic and sustainable products. This compliance can offer a competitive advantage, positioning certified companies favorably compared to non-certified ones.
Positive Environmental and Social Impact
Adhering to certification standards contributes to environmental sustainability and social responsibility. This not only aligns with global movements towards sustainable practices but also enhances the company’s reputation as a responsible corporate entity.
Improved Operational Efficiency
The certification process often involves optimizing supply chains, reducing waste, and improving resource management, leading to increased operational efficiency and cost savings in the long term.
Challenges of Getting Your Business the Eco Labels
Getting your business a sustainability certification is crucial, but can come with its own challenges:
Complexity of Standards
Sustainability certifications in India involve navigating complex sets of criteria. Understanding and meeting these standards requires specialized knowledge and can be challenging for businesses without prior experience.
Costs
Certification processes often come with significant expenses. These include application fees, costs for audits, and ongoing compliance fees. For small businesses, these financial requirements can be daunting.
Documentation
Obtaining certifications involves meticulous documentation and reporting. Businesses must compile extensive data on their environmental impact to demonstrate their sustainability practices, which can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. If you are at a stage of understanding how to calculate your ecological impact, Untrash is your place!
Supply Chain Transparency
Certifications demand transparency throughout the supply chain. This can be difficult if suppliers are reluctant or unable to provide necessary information on their sustainability practices.
Market Acceptance
While certifications can enhance a company’s reputation, gaining recognition in the market solely based on certifications can be tough in competitive industries.
In conclusion, sustainability certifications are crucial for businesses aiming to prove their environmental commitment amidst rising consumer demand for eco-friendly products. These certifications, like EcoCert, BCorp, etc, validate product sustainability through rigorous criteria and third-party verification, enhancing brand credibility and consumer trust. Steps to certification include choosing the right standard, meeting requirements through improved practices, and undergoing on-site evaluations. Benefits include enhanced brand reputation, market access, regulatory compliance, and improved operational efficiency.
However, challenges such as complex standards, costs, documentation demands, supply chain transparency issues, and competitive market dynamics underscore the effort required to achieve and maintain certification in India’s sustainable business landscape. Untrash reduces your efforts to getting sustainably certified by half by calculating your ecological footprint, so you can focus on building a brand towards a greener future!
What is Untrash?
If reading this article about getting Sustainability Certification has made you interested in understanding more about it, that means you care about Sustainability as a business. Untrash enables new-age brands to accurately measure, manage, and highlight the environmental footprint of their organization & products, providing a clear and authentic story of sustainability to consumers and stakeholders with transparency. Book a demo here to learn more about Untrash.
