We are awash in eco-labels and certifications, as Sustainable Industries shows in its recent article, “The Great Eco-label Shakedown.” I’ve been tracking them for a while now, and I’m not even close to knowing about all of them—there are about 300 worldwide, as tallied by Big Room’s www.ecolabelling.org (and it’s not a comprehensive list).

Whether these stamps of approval are useful or just another method of greenwashing depends on the label’s credibility—and on how well people understand what the label means.

Many are calling for governmental oversight, as the article points out, and I’m in that camp. But that’s not going to happen soon, so until then marketers should be mindful of the credibility of product claims, including eco-labels.

Credibility requires that the eco-label represents third-party verification derived from well-defined guidelines and standards. The certifying organizations should communicate clearly what the standards are and how they verify adherence. (Excellent examples are William McDonough’s Cradle to Cradle, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), and Scientific Certification Systems.)

Then that information needs to be passed on to the purchaser in an easily understood, digestible form. This is where the chain of information often breaks.

My own recent experience looking for printer paper is a case in point. The three big-box office supply stores (yes, I wish I could have shopped with a local stationer) stocked what I wanted: all-purpose, 20 lb. printer paper made from 100 percent post-consumer waste. I chose to buy my paper from the one store that advertised FSC-certified products and explained what that meant. It also pointed out that the Rainforest Alliance had endorsed the paper. (Note that none explained why post-consumer recycled content is preferable.)

I’d have been happy to go with the FSC certification alone. But I think companies (and marketers) have a responsibility to educate customers about sustainability issues until that knowledge becomes commonplace. It will help keep greenwashing to a minimum, and possibly bring customer loyalty to the brands and stores that take the time to educate.

I’m going to keep an eye on the different eco-labels, in particular their crediblity—how well they are (or aren’t) communicating what they do and how they do it, as well as governmental oversight efforts. I’ll post what I find out here.