Are these chocolate really fair trade certified? How do I know this
restaurant is really using responsibly-sourced seafood?
With a plethora of environmental and social problems today, a
growing number of consumers are seeking out for more sustainable
products that minimize negative impacts on people and the planet.
In March 2018, Starbucks faced criticism and mounting consumer
pressure over whether its cups are made from sustainable or
biodegradable materials — a petition with over 1 million signatures
urging the coffee giant to honor the promise it made 10 years ago
to develop recyclable cup.1 By July 2018, Starbucks announced
that they are eliminating plastic straws from its stores worldwide
by replacing them with fully recyclable sippy cups.2 This change
will help eliminate more than 1 billion plastic straws globally per
year.
Research also shows that many shoppers rely heavily on labels and
certifications as a quick and easy way to identify more responsibly
made products without having to become supply chain experts.3
A report by Business and Sustainable Development Commission
(BSDC) outlines how Asia will offer economic opportunities worth
more than US$5 trillion by 2030 in the sustainability space,
bringing momentous social and environmental benefits.4
As sustainability goes mainstream, the number of different
schemes and voluntary initiatives has grown exponentially in
recent years. The Ecolabel Index, the largest global directory of
ecolabels, currently lists over 460 labels in 25 different sectors.5
Most of these have emerged in the past two decades. But are they
any good?