Legislation / legislation

Fewer Green Words

On 27 September, stricter rules for environmental claims came into force. The aim of the European regulation is to strengthen consumer protection and prevent people from being misled by vague or insufficiently substantiated environmental claims.

The rules apply not only to advertising campaigns but to all communication. Words like eco-friendly, nature-friendly, sustainable or climate neutral sound good. "But they don't tell the customer what the claimed environmental benefit actually consists of. The new European rules therefore require such claims to be specific, clear and verifiable," explains Štěpán Petrovický, a lawyer from FL/1 – Legal Product & Digital.

These rules may apply to websites, social media, product materials, dealer communication, logistics or events – in short, to any business communication towards the customer that contains an environmental claim. Claims about future environmental goals must also be backed up by a concrete plan, measurable targets and ongoing evaluation.

So instead of vague wording, specific facts need to be provided. Take, for example, seat covers that contain recycled material. The claim "sustainable interior" is too general. It is much more precise to say: "The seat covers contain 30% recycled material." This way, the customer knows exactly what the claim refers to and can verify the information.

The same applies to electric cars. The label "zero-emission car" can be misleading if it isn't clear what emissions are meant. A more precise wording would be: "No local exhaust emissions are produced while driving."

"The basic rule is simple: don't just say we're green or that something is sustainable. We should describe exactly what has changed, where, by how much, and according to what methodology we can prove it," says lawyer Š. Petrovický.

Watch out for misleading claims. For example, instead of "zero-emission car", it is more precise to state that "no local exhaust emissions are produced while driving".

Watch out for climate neutrality too

Claims about climate neutrality are a sensitive area. If a company produces emissions, for instance, and tries to offset part of them by supporting an environmental project elsewhere, this is emission compensation. However, under the new rules, such compensation cannot be the basis for claiming that a product is climate neutral.

It is better to state the actual emission reduction achieved and explain the methodology used to calculate it. Similarly, various "green" logos, seals and labels need to be handled carefully. Their use must also have a clear basis, for example in an official certification system.

What matters, therefore, is not how good a claim sounds, but whether it is specific, true and verifiable. "If we're not sure whether a certain claim can be used, it's better to verify its accuracy first. A single sentence in communication can have legal consequences for the whole company," adds Š. Petrovický.

Info

The Environmental Approach of Škoda Auto

The carmaker's aim is to systematically use cutting-edge technologies related to, among other things, energy efficiency, materials, production processes and other environmental topics. Information on specific goals, activities and reported indicators is regularly published by the company in its Sustainability Report, issued every two years.