The Nordic Ecolabel
20 years
20
YEARS
When the ministers of consumer
affairs in the Nordic countries
decided to establish Nordic
Ecolabelling in 1989, the start-up
process proved to be slower than
had been anticipated. The work
involved in performing cradleto- grave assessments as a basis for
the ecolabelling requirements had
been under estimated.
Since the end of the 1990s, the
scheme has also encompassed the
ecolabelling of services. This has
lead to an upturn in demand for
ecolabelled products, for everything from furniture and fitments
to detergents and mops. The
ecolabelling of grocery stores has
helped to increase the availability
of ecolabelled non-food household
products.
What is Ecolabelling?
Our principal, the Nordic Council of Ministers, has formulated
its vision for the Nordic Ecolabel
in 2015. The scheme is expected
to consolidate its position within
established product areas, but the
real challenge will lie in taking it
into new areas. The label could,
for example, serve as a tool when
consumers and professional buyers of the future choose transport
services and food.
We would like to extend our
warmest thanks to manufacturers who show their commitment
to the environment through ecolabelled goods and services. And
to everyone who uses the Nordic
Ecolabel as a guide to making the
right choices for the environment!
Ecolabelling – ISO Type I is a voluntary, multiple-criteria based, third party
program that awards a license that authorizes the use of environmental labels
on products indicating overall environmental preferability of a product within
a particular product category based on life cycle considerations.
Björn-Erik Lönn, General manager of Nordic Ecolabelling
A Nordic
success story
Satisfied brand users
According to a consumer survey conducted in the
Nordic countries by Reflect AB, businesses
that display the Nordic Ecolabel on their
goods or services are very satisfied.
Importance
Of producers who display other labels
in addition to the Nordic Ecolabel, 81%
responded that the ecolabel is more important than other labels, while 11% state that
other labels are more important.
The Nordic Ecolabel is more important than other ecolabels
Loyalty
90 per cent answer very likely (69%), fairly
likely (15%) or likely (8%) to the question
”How likely is it that your goods/service
will continue to be ecolabelled with the
Nordic Ecolabel in three years time?”. 5%
don’t know, whereas 4% reply little likelihood or unlikely.
An ambassador
No fewer than 90 per cent replied yes
to the question “Would you recommend that other businesses Nordic
Ecolabel their goods or services?” Only
6 per cent reply no to this question,
and some of them wish to keep the
ecolabel for themselves.
Would recommend the Nordic Ecolabel to other businesses
A strong position
The Nordic Ecolabel is penetrating an increasing number of
product areas and more and more
goods and services are granted
licences.
Initially, licences were awarded
to typical off-the-shelf goods.
Today, services dominate, including printing companies, hotels,
grocery stores, laundries etc.
In total, ecolabelling requirements
have been developed for 66 product areas.
The Nordic Ecolabel enjoys a
high level of brand recognition
amongst consumers. The strictest
method of measuring the posi-
tion of a brand is known as “top
of mind awareness”. This means
that consumers are asked if they
can name an ecolabel. In the
Nordic countries an average of 62
per cent reply “the Nordic Swan”.
The figure for all other ecolabels
combined is 13 per cent.
Nordic Ecolabel
Organic food
Coop label
Don’t know
Other labels
The Nordic Ecolabel is
“Top of mind”
Number
of Nordic
Ecolabelling
licenses.
Each license
may cover
several products
from the same
manufacturer.
When shown the logo, 91 per
cent respond that they recognise
the label.
“Do you recognise this label?”
According to the same survey,
respondents identify the Nordic
Ecolabel more than other labels
with the statements “Environmental requirements”, “Strict
requirements”, “Official label” and
“a label I like”. The survey was
conducted by Respons Analyse.
The Nordic Ecolabel has been voted one of the best ecolabels in the
world. Environmental Resources
Management analysed 27 different
ecolabelling schemes on behalf of
the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The report found that: “ The
Nordic Swan is perhaps the most
well-known European ecolabel ....
it has become increasingly used
outside of northern Europe.”
20
YEARS
Disagree entirely
Agree entirely
81 per cent agree entirely or partially with the statement
“I am confident that a product represents a good environmental choice
if it displays the Nordic Ecolabel”
20 years
1989 – 2001
1989 The Nordic Council of
Ministers, adopt the decision to
establish Nordic Ecolabelling..
1997 Denmark joins Nordic
Ecolabelling. Printed matter criteria
requirements are launched.
1990 Secretariats are set up in
Finland, Sweden and Norway. 10
employees throughout the entire
Nordic region.
1998 Ecolabelling requirements
are developed for heat pumps. The
“We have a dream” commercial on
Finnish TV causes a stir. The first
licence for soap/shampoo is awarded
in Denmark.
1991 Ecolabelling requirements
completed for batteries, fine paper,
dishwashers and chain-saw oil. The
first licence is awarded to Metsä-Serla
for copy paper.
1992 Ecolabelling requirements are
developed for textile detergents and
toner cartridges. The first ecolabelled
textile detergents go on sale.
1993 Two hundred paper qualities
carry the Nordic Ecolabel. A total of
14 ecolabelling documents have been
developed.
1999 Nordic Ecolabelling introduces
the ecolabelling of services. Hotels
are the first category. Ecolabelling requirements now exist for 50 different
product groups.
2000 A steep increase in the number
of printing companies with licences
to ecolabelled printed matter. The
Nordic Ecolabel celebrates its 10th
anniversary.
1994 A worldwide network for
ecolabelling schemes, “GEN”, is
founded. Nordic Ecolabelling broadcasts a commercial featuring Gunde
Svan and Lennart Swahn on Swedish
TV4. 96 per cent of Swedes recognise
the logo.
1995 A total of 31 ecolabelling
documents have been compiled and
750 licences have been granted.
1996 Nordic Ecolabelling goes online. The total number of employees
exceeds 30.
Several hundred ten-year-old children
create a living logo to mark the 10th
anniversary of the Nordic Ecolabel
2001 Licence No. 1000 is awarded.
2002 The Nordic Ecolabel has its
own stage during the annual festival
of politics held on the Swedish island
of Gotland. Swedish children put
tough questions on environmental
issues to politicians.
2004 Ecolabelling requirements
for cosmetic products are developed
and the first licence for suntan oil is
awarded.
2008 “Swan-labelling” is used as
a generic term by the media as a
synonym for quality and thoroughness. The first licences for dishwashers, candles and industrial detergents
are awarded. The brand campaign
“How Swannish are you?” tours
Sweden meeting thousands of Swedish consumers. In Finland, turnover
of ecolabelled products reaches 417
million euros.
2005 The Nordic Ecolabel celebrates
its 15th birthday. In Norway, 38 000
bags of product samples are handed
out to new parents.
2009 Membership of the “Swan Purchasing Club” climbs to 140 in Sweden and 50 in Norway. Total number
of Nordic Ecolabelling employees
reaches 100.
2006 The first house is awarded a
Nordic Swan licence. In Norway, the
Nordic Swan makes its first appearance as a Green Partner at the Øya
Rock Festival in Oslo. The number of
manufacturers applying for Swan labels swells. Ecolabelling requirements
for restaurants are introduced.
2010 The Nordic Ecolabel celebrates
its 20th birthday. In excess of 8000
products and services have been
ecolabelled in the Nordic region.
Licence No. 2000 is awarded to
Lenovo PCs. The first licence for
toys in the Nordic region is issued to
Dantoy.
2007 A major advertising campaign
is conducted to tie up with the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Al
20
YEARS
2002 – 2010
2003 AC Nielsen determines that
sales of ecolabelled products in retail
outlets have tripled in four years.
The Scandic chain of hotels decide to
ecolabel all its hotels. The first grocery
stores are granted ecolabel licences.
The Nordic Ecolabel comes in sixth
in a poll to find the most credible
brands in Finland.
Gore. The first licences are awarded
for windows, microfibre cloths,
restaurants and playground equipment. The “Swan Purchasing Club”
is launched in Sweden and then, in
the following year, in Norway under
the slogan “We buy Swan-labelled
products”.
Contact Nordic Ecolabelling
Norway
Ecolabelling Norway
Tordenskiolds gate 6 B
NO-0160 Oslo, Norway
Telephone +47 24 14 46 00
Fax +47 24 14 46 01
E-mail: [email protected]
www.ecolabel.no
Sweden
Ecolabelling Sweden
SE-118 80 Stockholm, Sweden
Telephone +46 8 55 55 24 00
Fax +46 8 55 55 24 01
E-mail: [email protected]
www.ecolabel.se
Finland
SFS Ecolabelling
Box 130
FI-00101 Helsinki, Finland
Telephone +358 9 149 9331
Fax +358 9 149 93320
E-mail: [email protected]
www.ecolabel.fi
Iceland
Ecolabelling Iceland
Umhverfisstofnun
Suðurlandsbraut 24
IS-108 Reykjavik, Iceland
Telephone +354 591 20 00
Fax +354 591 20 20
E-mail: [email protected]
www.svanurinn.is
Denmark
Ecolabelling Denmark
Fonden Dansk Standard
Kollegievej 6
DK-2920 Charlottenlund
Denmark
Telephone +45 72 300 450
Fax +45 72 300 451
E-mail: [email protected]
www.ecolabel.dk
www.nordic-ecolabel.org
20
YEARS