Austria

At the end of the day, the purchasing behaviour of consumers will decide whether our economy and society will actually become more sustainable. We are all still waiting for the mega-sustainable brand, which, similar to a computer company from Cupertino in the field of design, will change the preference structures of the buyers and thus revolutionize entire markets.

The GREEN BRANDS seal can make an important contribution to this. Award-winning companies and products move into the limelight, whereby their sustainability activities are critically monitored and commented on by stakeholders on a daily basis. GREEN BRANDS also makes consumers even more aware of the issue of sustainability and provides them with additional information to support their own purchasing decisions.

If companies want to take more and more full responsibility for their Footprints, they need guidance and support in identifying sustainable, resource-efficient producers and products without any doubt. The GREEN BRANDS are the compass. They point the way on the basis of a critical, comprehensive, documented and honest examination. Companies and products that are approved by GREEN BRANDS are without doubt among the lighthouse projects of our time.

The words “green” or “sustainable” have unfortunately degenerated over the years into buzzwords. This development makes it increasingly difficult for responsible consumers to recognise genuine ecological products. High-quality labels and quality marks should help, but there is already a whole flood of them. Unfortunately, many labels are not much more than “green coats”. Therefore, a brand like GREEN BRANDS, which demands a high ecological standard from companies and their products according to transparent criteria, is extremely important in order to provide consumers with a real decision-making aid.

It is sensible and important that manufacturing companies not only produce “green” end products, but also check and trim their entire processes for sustainability. This is the only way to ensure that the entire value chain can be optimized in this direction. GREEN BRANDS offers companies a strong and independent tool to check and evaluate the processes within a company. Repeated implementation makes progress measurable and also acts as motivation for the future.

GREEN BRANDS not only stand for sustainable brands, but also mean taking ecological responsibility for the environment, for the efficient use of resources, for lower water consumption, for appropriate social standards and more. The three-step award and verification process – at different levels – ensures that the compliance with necessary criteria is checked in a correspondingly transparent manner.

Do good and talk about it!

We all know this PR wisdom and it is probably especially true in a sustainable context. However, it is advisable to only tell stories that are true and easy to verify. Since consumers have become a responsible force in the sustainability discourse and are also perceived as powerful decision-makers, transparent and strong verification procedures are more important than ever. Responsible consumption is only possible if environmentally and socially compatible products are actually available. Companies in the green economy face up to this verifiability and it is precisely this commitment that critical consumers appreciate. In the ideal case, this closes the circle of sustainable action. A nice, round sustainable story? Unfortunately not quite. There is still a long way to go if we want to hand this world on to future generations in a responsible manner. The GREEN BRANDS 2018 make a valuable contribution to this. – That’s it!

Consumers need something to orient themselves by if they want to shop in an environmentally conscious and socially just manner. After all, consumers are the strongest of all players in the market to advance these issues, even if this has only been done marginally so far. Green Brands fills a gap here, which not only allows consumers to make a conscious purchase decision but also shows companies a way to meet these demands. Green Brand is therefore one of the few win-win situations in this area. That is why I am also very happy to be a member of the jury.

Orientation is more necessary than ever in these challenging times. The term sustainability is all too often misused, even though there is a clear concept behind it: taking responsibility for the economy, ecology and society in equal measure. This applies to companies and consumers alike. In the EU, the end of greenwashing is included in many directives and regulations so that those companies that seriously work on their CSR performance are rewarded and consumers can make appropriate purchasing decisions. The GREEN BANDS seal of approval recognises products and companies according to transparent criteria and can therefore make an important contribution as an independent audit. I look forward to contributing my expertise to the jury!

In the middle of a jungle (or: with the current diversity of the product range) of products as well as various labels and quality seals that accompany these products, it is often not easy for consumers to make the right purchase decision. Especially when it comes to questions of ecology, it is often impossible to form one’s own opinion without extensive research. GREEN BRANDS tries to meet the consumers with their need for “responsible consumption” and to provide answers. With a system that is as transparent as possible, those brands are brought before the curtain that have already comprehensively integrated environmentally relevant questions into their corporate concept. The complicated selection process, consisting of measurable evaluations and discussion in the jury, attempts to do justice to the complexity of the task.

The transformation of our society based on material consumption is urgently needed. In this context, an economic approach based on a balanced triad of ecology, economy and social issues plays a very important role. True to the Climate Alliance motto “Think globally, act locally”, GREEN BRANDS brings such active companies before the curtain. Together with the more than 1,000 Climate Alliance businesses, they show in an impressive way how climate protection and business can work together. They are thus pioneers for a sustainable and grandchild-friendly future. Thank you for your commitment, because according to Erich Kästner: “There is nothing good unless you do it!

Shaping the future together: In view of the current global social, but also economic challenges, it is time to realign business models. In a way that minimizes the negative effects and maximizes the positive effects for society. Current empirical studies show that companies that integrate the key sustainability issues into their business model have significantly higher risk-adjusted returns. These findings make me confident that the GREEN BRANDS are on the right track to overcome the old oppositional thinking between profit and sustainability and thus make the most of the current opportunities of economic transformation.

GREEN BRANDS convinced me – after initial scepticism – above all because its criteria are not only non-negotiable, but above all because it offers consumers orientation even in sectors where there are no other established quality seals. The fact that award-winning GREEN BRANDS are repeatedly re-evaluated and tested guarantees credibility, as does the fact that companies are thereby encouraged and encouraged to improve their own “being good”. More is always possible. But consumers must also reward this. And this is exactly where GREEN BRANDS comes in as a link, which is developing magnificently as a private certification system.