The new rules for empowering consumers for the green transition (EmpCo Directive) and the Green Claims Directive (GCD) are causing concern among marketing agencies and corporate communications departments. These laws are designed to prevent greenwashing and misleading consumers with environmental claims and dubious sustainability labels. Reiner Münker, managing director of the German Center for Consumer Protection against Unfair Business Practices, says: “carbon neutral, energy-efficient, or environmentally friendly: all messages that promise a neutral, positive, or reduced environmental impact are being scrutinized – even retroactively.”
IBN comment: These directives are long overdue. For a long time now, we have noticed increasing greenwashing in many different forms in the construction industry, to the detriment of companies that are truly committed to sustainability and work very hard to make a real difference.
Earth: All you need to know about EU’s new Greenwashing Directive