Latest news
2026: A Year of Sustainability Regulations – What Companies Need to Know
What companies can expect in terms of sustainability regulations from 2025/26 onwards: Green Claims, EmpCo, PPWR, CSDDD, REACH & Co. Overview of new EU requirements and their implications.
The new EU Packaging Regulation 2026 (PPWR) – what companies need to know now
PPWR 2026: New EU packaging regulations for recycled materials, labeling, and reusable items. Certified companies are already compliant. Secure your competitive edge now!
Update CSRD & Omnibus 10/2025: When conservative-right alliances dictate sustainability policy
What's being sold as simplification could mean the end of meaningful sustainability transparency. Recent developments around the CSRD reform raise serious concerns. The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) was supposed to be a milestone—an instrument...
Our Biodiversity Contribution This Year – A Personal Report from a Week in Šumava National Park
Standing in a bog wearing rubber boots is pretty much the opposite of my typical workday. But this change of pace was more than welcome! Spending every day at a desk in my own four walls, trying to make our world a better place, often feels like the pitiful attempt to...
All for nothing? Not at all – Why your CSRD preparations were still worth it
Many companies have invested a great deal of energy in recent years: All aspects of sustainability have been analyzed down to the smallest detail, data has been processed, material issues have been identified, structures have been established, and initial reports have...
From CSE to Z.EN: Why we’re developing a new standard
At our last working group meeting, some of you were already able to catch first glimpses of our new project – but now we're making it official: We want to develop a new standard – and we want to do it together with you! With Z.EN – Certified Future Engagement (current...
LUBANA: Alkaline Natural Cosmetics with Values
Sustainability, quality and transparency in focus In our series "In Profile," we regularly present brands whose products are certified according to the NCS standard. Today we take a closer look at LUBANA, a company that has been developing alkaline natural cosmetics...
EmpCo 2026: What the new EU directive means for sustainable companies
Starting September 2026, the Empowering Consumers directive (EmpCo) will come into force and fundamentally change the rules of the game for sustainability communication. What companies need to know and do now to be prepared. What is the EmpCo directive and when is it...
BioOst 2025 in Leipzig: Insights, Confirmation – and the Question of the Next Step
As previously announced, Isabell visited the BioOst trade fair in Leipzig last Sunday. The fair was smaller in scale than BioWest but was by no means inferior in terms of content. Here too, there were exciting conversations and current industry figures that confirmed...
BioOst Trade Fair 2025: Leipzig, here we come!
After BioWest, we will be heading to the BioOst trade fair in Leipzig. Find out why this regional trade fair is worthwhile for us despite having similar exhibitors in our new blog post. We are looking forward to exciting program items, old and new faces, and an intensive exchange on current topics in the organic retail sector.
BioWest 2025 Retrospective: What remains – and what needs to change
Yesterday we attended BioWest 2025 in Düsseldorf and as promised, here's our honest review of the presentations, discussions, and the atmosphere on site. A look at specialist retail – unfortunately without figures A presentation by Simon Döring on current figures and...
BioWest 2025: Our plans, appointments and must-see presentations
This Sunday, April 6th, it's time: We're attending BioWest in Düsseldorf – one of the four regional trade fairs of the organic industry that are becoming increasingly important to us and have now secured a permanent place in our annual schedule. Because: While we used...
CSE is now on Instagram – have you discovered it yet?
Have you already wondered why it's gotten a bit quieter on our main Instagram account? We've decided to specialize our communication! The good news: CSE (Certified Sustainable Economics) now has its own Instagram account! From now on, we'll share everything about...
Relaunch of our website: Improvements in functionality and accessibility
The time has finally come: we are delighted to present our redesigned website! After months of intensive work, we have been able to comprehensively renew our digital presence and, in our opinion, significantly improve it. The revised website offers: New functions for...
A complete success – our Sustainability Workshop 2023
The time had finally come: our first sustainability workshop brought together future-oriented companies and other interested parties on June 27 and 28. Thanks to our many speakers, we were able to inspire the participants with a wealth of cutting-edge topics and a...
Sustainability workshop from June 27 to 28, 2023 in Kassel
Is real sustainability still worthwhile, despite greenwashing and inflation?The Society for Applied Business Ethics answers this question with a clear "yes". True to the motto "Now more than ever!", the GfaW invites interested companies to develop perspectives...
AG meeting becomes sustainability workshop
After we no longer lived up to the name of our annual WG meeting last year, as we dissolved our working groups, it was clear that we needed a new name for 2023!
RELAUNCH OF OUR SEALS
GfaW turned 10 years old this year! A lot has happened since we were founded.
Successful working group meeting in Kassel
We say thank you! Two insightful days came to an end on June 29. Our working group meeting was a complete success, thanks to committed participants, a great moderator and, of course, the GfaW team. Stephan Grabmeier got us in the perfect mood for our meeting with his...
2nd GfaW Sustainability Day “Sustainable resolutions” with the Market of Opportunities
Do you usually quickly discard good New Year's resolutions? Do you lack the time or motivation to put your resolutions into practice? Then we cordially invite you to our 2nd GfaW Sustainability Day with the Market of Opportunities. Because the new year offers us new...
Vision of the future of the natural cosmetics industry – Impressions from this year’s Natural Cosmetics Camp
A weekend with exciting workshops, great people and lots of important ideas for the coming period! It quickly became clear to the participants that the natural cosmetics industry needs to draw a clear line between itself and the non-certified clean or...
GfaW Sustainability Day: “Market of Opportunities”
GfaW Sustainability Day on 07.09.2021 - 10:00 to 14:00 onlineFree registration via https://www.eventbrite.de/e/gfaw-nachhaltigkeitstag-tickets-165885992469 Even though we have postponed the 1st GfaW Sustainability Conference until next year - sustainability itself...
Annual meeting of the “Ecological raw materials” and “Living sustainability” working groups
We will discuss the current status of the NCP, NCS and NT criteria as well as the CSE criteria. Experts, standard users, GfaW and visitors will take part in this meeting. On 08.09.2021 online via Zoom.
Insights into the CSE process at sustaineration
We welcomed Niels Christiansen from sustaineration to the "living sustainability" working group at a very early stage. Niels is a CSR consultant and our expert in the field of ISO 14001. With foresight and his wealth of experience, the time has now come and...
PRESS RELEASE: NCS standard remains true to its claim: nanomaterials and bioplastics banned
With a clear rejection of all nanomaterials and microplastics, the Society for Applied Business Ethics (GfaW) has revised its natural cosmetics standard NCS. The seal thus identifies healthy and environmentally friendly cosmetic products at a consistently high level...
GfaW in conversation with fairvendo GmbH – about certifications and personal commitment
"If we invest sensibly and sustainably as individuals, our planet has a realistic chance of continuing to exist. Money is the key to saving the environment - but only if it is used correctly and in a targeted manner." This statement can be found on the website of...
Natural cosmetics study says: “The desire for sustainability is here to stay – this is not a short-term trend.”
This is what expert Stephan Telschow says about the cosmetics industry in an interview with Handelsblatt. According to a study that will soon be published by , only one in five consumers consider the cosmetics industry to be sustainable. According to 74 percent of...
GfaW in conversation with Isana NaturFeinkost GmbH – about coronavirus and preparations for CSE certification
Isana NaturFeinkost GmbH is a special company for GfaW: The Eresingen-based company is the first food manufacturer to prepare for CSE certification. We are pleased that the company has been able to cope more than well with the coronavirus crisis, as the demand for...
PRESS RELEASE Calculate your company’s CO2 footprint independently with the carbon footprint tool
Climate change has been on the agenda of many companies since Fridays4Future at the latest. An important building block for reducing corporate emissions is the complete recording of a company's CO2 footprint. The Society for Applied Business Ethics (GfaW) and...
GfaW in conversation with GLOBAL THINKING GmbH – strengthening social justice and environmental protection in India with the C0CC000N-Cosmetic series
It is usually a long road to a 100% sustainable business model. GfaW has the privilege of accompanying many companies on this journey. We spoke to GLOBAL THINKING GmbH at Vivaness 2020. The Stuttgart-based company has already established itself on the natural...
Living sustainability meets in Kassel
Our experience confirms this every year: There is nothing as valuable as the personal exchange with practitioners and sustainability pioneers. Once again this year, the participants of the "Living Sustainability" working group met at the anthroposophical center in...
With a sustainability tool at the Biofach
At Biofach and Vivaness, GfaW had its own stand representing the sustainability certification CSE(Certified Sustainable Economics) and the well-known product standards NCS(Natural Cosmetics Standard) and NCP(Nature Care Product Standard). Around 25 companies that are...
PRESS RELEASE The STAR is born – Implementing sustainability at the click of a mouse
GfaW launches user-friendly tool for CSE certification and communication Implementing sustainability in a targeted and efficient manner continues to challenge companies. Complicated ISO regulations, different quality standards and critical consumers make high demands....
CSE at BÖRLIND – a summary
What does CSE mean for a company and how can the complexity of CSE corporate sustainability certification be communicated to employees and stakeholders? We visited BÖRLIND and gave a presentation on CSE. The result is an ingenious FAQ summary, which we are publishing...
12th Natural Cosmetics Industry Congress on September 24 and 25, 2019 in Berlin
Anyone who says natural cosmetics must also show sustainable values in the future "Authentic and innovative into the future" 12th Natural Cosmetics Industry Congress on September 24 and 25, 2019 in Berlin Customer wishes become customer expectations. This year's...
CSE, the seal to fall in love with at the Green Heroes Award
The Society for Applied Business Ethics wants to revolutionize the communication of sustainability. This won't happen overnight, but we have developed the CSE for this purpose: A combination of quality seal and certification and a seal to fall in love with. It allows...
Updated CSE standard is online
Version CSE 6.0 now available in the download area The CSE standard is revised annually by the "Living Sustainability" working group. Depending on innovations on the market and developments in the area of sustainability, changes are made that are recorded in the...
PRESS RELEASE Sustainability needs local thinking and action – video recordings from symposium provide valuable contribution to the discourse
Without local thinking and action, sustainability often remains a theory. Regions, communities and consumers are important players in the quest to preserve the foundations of life. This essence of the first sustainability symposium in Gelnhausen in March is now...
The NCP standard simply explained
The standards from GfaW aim to establish a more sustainable economy by giving consumers clear signals at the point of sale. A new video on the NCP standard has been posted on YouTube. In the two-minute video, consumers can see the most important facts about the...
“Recognizing sustainability – but how?”: Recordings of the symposium now online
The first sustainability symposium in Gelnhausen was a complete success. With four expert speakers from different fields, the organizers UnternehmensGrün and GfaW were able to present a comprehensive picture of the topic of sustainability to a broad audience. The...
GfaW informs about new YouTube channel
With the help of interviews and short videos, the GfaW presents its standards, provides valuable insights into certification processes and shows interesting people and companies. Presenting relevant information briefly and concisely is extremely important in these...
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