The consumer magazine Utopia recently published a study on seals. Reason enough for the Society for Applied Business Ethics to take a closer look at the results and draw a few conclusions.
Consumers are becoming more critical
The best thing right at the beginning: “Organic alone is no longer enough” – this is the conclusion of the study. This means that conscious consumers are taking a closer look and are looking for additional criteria. Our “CSE” sustainability seal will hopefully meet with many open eyes in the future: CSE identifies companies that operate sustainably and do their core business with organic products. At a glance, ecological, social and economic-ethical aspects are equally covered. Thanks to the strictest minimum requirements in the standard, CSE products provide the consumer with truly sustainable products.
Many seals are confusing enough, but what is behind them?
Many consumers are overwhelmed by the flood of labels because they don’t know exactly what or who is behind them. Although many claim to be informed, google searches prove the opposite. Consumers are also particularly interested in who is behind the label, i.e. who the standard setter is. Many consumers are unaware that there is a significant difference between genuine seals (which are checked by third parties) and brand seals (which are developed by the manufacturers themselves). The most important thing for consumers is that they are aware of the criteria. The GfaW meets this requirement: The complete standards can be viewed on our website. We also explain the most important criteria in a consumer-friendly way on the individual pages.
Seals – meaningful names and symbols create trust
A good thing for GfaW: Utopia has found that the names of seals that are self-explanatory enjoy a higher level of trust. With our brand names and logos, we are exactly right here.
The standard for sustainability CSE Certified Sustainable Economcis shows the words “certified sustainable company” in the logo. NCP Nature care Product says something directly about the product quality. And the NCS Natural Cosmetics Standard also helps to assess product properties. GfaW also supports consumers in their decision-making by offering NCP and NCP with the additional label “vegan”.
As a standard setter with a focus on sustainability and ethical business practices, we will continue to work to ensure that sustainable products are recognizable to consumers. To this end, consumers must increasingly learn to understand that sustainable products and services can only come from the hands of a sustainable company.