The EU Ecolabel Acquiguide

1. The EU Ecolabel Acquiguide Project EMP 2006

2. Acquiguide .. is a tool for successful acquisition of new applicants to the EU Ecolabel. • Guidlines, checklists • Best practice examples • Standard PPT

3. Content • Collection of basic information • Focus strategy • Market research and data preparation (selection, controlling sheet) • Networking with key stakeholders • Splitting the work • Project platform and other links • Sharpening the arguments • Preparing the info package • Contacting the companies • Media work

4. Two Steps approach 1. Research and Preparation • Team & Task development • CB adjustment, focus of product groups, strategy, basic plan, tasks • Basic research and planning > company short lists, key stakeholder net, key media & events, • Preparation of basic tools 2. Communication and acquisition • key stakeholders(cooperation possibilities, support for strategy, impact and result evaluation) • interest groups • special media • Relevant associations • companies(information, advice and contact for potential applicants. Establish contacts to the technical experts and decision makers.) • Methods:Media use: advertising, articles, coverage of events and so on. Promotional work: seminars, events through retailers, relevant organizations, exhibitions, etc. Direct approach: Canvassing, target seminars, mailing, phone contact, letters, etc. 3. Evaluation and follow-up • Evaluation of activities • Follow-up activities

5. key stakeholders are: Preparation phase RESEARCH, PLAN and PREPARE THE BASICS • 1. Basic market research: Companies, retailers, Eco-labels, key stakeholders, key media and relevant events • 2. Select regional focus product groups based on likelihood of success (confirm with CB) • 3. Identify high potential companies: Environmentally profiled with eco-relevant products on the market, exporters to the European market, suppliers to the public sector, suppliers to other companies that want to promote themselves as environmentally concerned. • 4. Select key media • 5. Select key events • 6. Build a team of initiators: Identify and arrange the work distribution of acquisition & application process in which acquisiteurs, CB and private consultants/certificators cooperate (information; consulting; certification; administration) • 7. Identify and attract key stakeholders • Identify the key retailers of EU Eco-label products in your region • Develop strategy and communication plan (Situation, competitive Eco-labels, target groups and targets, mix of all events, means and measurements) • Prepare the basics: „Green box“ for interested companies and key persons, first-info pack, powerpoint presentation, posters and flyers, argumentation, key contact lists, basic texts

6. Collecting first key facts • Ecolabels awarded to producers and products in your home region + their relevance and recognition rating(National ecolabels with comparable guidelines are high potential contacts for EU Ecolabel acquisition) • Eco-attitudes of consumers, retailers, producers, especially in focus areasWhat‘s the relevance of environmental issues for the consumer‘s buying decision (private consumer as well as public purchasers) • Eco-product distribution: Availability of Ecolabel products in retailer shops (national and EU Ecolabel)Who are the relevant (important for existing Ecolabel products) and the eco-minded retailer groups already or potentially offering Ecolabel products? They are the potential for promotion activities at the point of sales. • Ecolabel potential of PRODUCERS in the country, covered by EU Ecolabel criteria:Who are the environmentally minded producers for EU markets? • Key information channels for focus companiesResearch for events and media in which you can place your information effectively:- relevant trade fairs, congresses and other events- relevant special interest print media, websites etc.

7. Adjust your focus & activities

8. Set your national strategy • Especially in countries with strong regional Eco-labels (Nordic Swan in the Scandinavian countries, national Eco-labels in A, CZ, HU and SK etc.) establish cooperation strategy • Harmonisation of national and EU Ecolabel criteria • Cooperation in promotion, information and advertising (e.g. sustainable weeks in retailer chains, umbrella campaign) • Cooperation in acquisiton • Double application by the national Competent Body • The synergy potential of Eco-labels depends on the target market of the labelled products > recommend double branding • Products for EU market > preference for EU Eco-label • Products for regional/local markets > preference for regional Eco-labels

9. The regional activity mix… … depends on the regional situation. It may be composed of … Mailing and calling Lobbying for retailer and POS activities Collaborating with CB activities (acquisition and promotion) and resources Key media work Workshops (presentations e.g. at key events) Lobbying for national activities Key stakeholder lobbying Identification of high potencial companies and stakeholders by market research (eco-labels, stakeholders, regional producers for EU market, retailers, events) Selected face-to-face meetings on site Partner networking Dissemination of info material Application advice … The high potencial eco-companies on their way to the EU Eco-label EU (help desk) and national info materials (web and print) Development of argumentation and presentation (tools, training) Support for the application procedure (CBs, consultants etc.) Starter-KIT for interested companies

10. Developing the strategy The strategic emphasis and the mix of means and measures needs to be tailored to the regional situation: For instance… • Countries with big Eco-label administration that have already contacted most of potential companies:> development of strategic basics, stakeholder lobbying and key media work> selected contacts • Countries with small EU-EL administration and minimal EU-EL activities:> quick market research, network development including administration, consultancies, stakeholder lobbying> selected events and contacts • Countries with acquisition experience in 1 or 2 product groups but limited in other product groups:> development of basics (starter-kit, argumentation) also for other countries,> selected events and contacts, Advice from CBs in countries with particular product group acquisition experience • Different impacts of competitive Eco-labels in the different regions:> Development and implementation of a „synergy strategy“between regional and EU Eco-label (for instance: double branding)

11. Best practice examples • Press events • Promotion at trade fairs • Promotion at the point of sales • Awarding ceremonies • Workshops for interested companies and schools • Cooperation campaign of national and EU Ecolabel

12. Best practice example International PRESS WORK International press conference with EU Ecolabel presentation in Paris, Texworld 2006 with journalists from USA, UK, DE, FR, ES and others.

13. Best practice example PROMOTION at trade fairs EU Ecolabel stand at 4Habitat, Prague, 2007 TV spot with Ecolabelled producer and Competent Body at the EU Ecolabel stand, IFA Berlin 2006 Quiz game with Ecolabel TV as first price Product samples at the EU Ecolabel stand at EUROPROPRE, Paris 2007

14. Best practice example AWARDING CEREMONIES Austrian Minister awarding companies at special awarding events, Vienna 2007 French Competent Body awarding companies at EUROPROPRE trade fair, Paris 2007

15. Best practice example WORKSHOPsfor companies and schools Workshop with companies interested in EU Ecolabel Cyprus, 2006 Workshos at University “Bicocca” and „IULM“, Milano 2007, describing Ecolabel system and labelled products

16. Promotion at the point of sales

17. Flower Week Denmark,campaign 2006 … with media and retailer shops aimed at families with small children, pointing out environmental + health + quality benefits of the EU Ecolabel + Nordic Swan

18. Advertising in magazines, DK

19. Weekly specials, DK

20. Best practice example EPCA guide for supporting companies step 1Steps of Production A flow chart tells us who does what. step 2 Research of the suppliers Next step follows a decision schedule, starting with the first key question: Does the textile supplier have a flower licence? If YES: Ask the textile supplier to send their licence number and a letter stating that qualities in question are covered by the licence. Fill in application forms (pages 7.8 and 9 of the users manual) and send the application to the competent body. If NO leads to the next question:Has the textile supplier previously provided flower documentation for another customer? If YES, then ask them to send the same documentation relevant to your quality. Check to see that the documentation is up to date, fill in the application forms and send them to the competent body. If NO, proceed to step 3. Next key question is: Are the suppliers in the flow chart European, Asian or other? If “European”: proceed to step 3. If “Asian or other”: Find out if they treat the waste water. If YES (they treat their waste water):send pages 88, 89 and 90 to be read and filled in (this is to make sure that they conform to the waste water criteria). Proceed to step 3. If NO: Stop work – cannot certify products. Step 3. Assistance towards application Sort out what pages (users manual) apply to the fibre supplier, the spinner, the knitter and dyer. Find out whether to contact them directly or whether an agent or any other supplier will do it. Find out if there is any wet process other than the dyer and who it is. Send the relevant criteria and accompanying pages to whom they apply. This way they only get some pages rather than the whole users manual. Make a folder with an index. Place documentation received in the appropriate place in the folder and check it in the index. When all the documentation is received, send your product for the fitness to use tests (pages 104-109 users manual), fill in the application forms and send it to the competent body. If a supplier is not responding, find out the reason. It could be because: (1) they don’t understand what is required of them, (2) they don’t want to pay for a test, (3) They are just not interested in the flower It is easier to get a supplier to cooperate if the reason why they are not responding is known. Remember to always check if the declaration sheets are filled in correctly (date, ticked boxes, stamped and signed). Check that the tests, safety data sheets and documentation asked for are attached to the declaration.

21. Sharpening the argumentsargumentation needs to be harmonised and trained

22. Individual networking strategy Core team of „Initiators“ Key stakeholders „Partners“ other strategic contacts CB Acquisition coordinator EMP regional partner Key stakeholders For instance key branch representations cooperation Organisations working on behalf of CB list with recommendations Key media Consultants: marketing, application preparation working on behalf of the CB: administration, technical expertise, acquisition,.. Key trade fairs Others

23. Identify the key stakeholders Acquisition Team CB Ministry or other organisation Federal environm. authorities Trade fairs NGO‘s Special interest media Consumer Association Chambers of commerce massmedia Retailers Cooperating Labels (e.g. national Eco-labels) Industry and trade associations General public Environm. consultants

24. Contacting the companies Workshopsfor groups of companies Key stake-holder Application administrationby CB On-going communicationphone-call, meeting etc. On-site meetings • Awarding event • Marketing support • Promotion Phone-call Technical support by consultants in the certification process, supporting the company until fullfillment of the criteria. mailing Acquisiteur Technical support Key stakeholders CB administration Media & events Data base development (contacts, mailing lists etc.) indirect info (media, trade fairs, products, promotions)

25. Key personnel of companies Always try to contact the key persons who are involved in the innovation/development and the decision process of a company. • Key personnel of • potential applicants: • CEO • Environmental manager • marketing • Sales • Product chief… • Key personnel of • retailers: • CEO • Central buying • Marketing • POS shop managers • Green • demand: • consumers • Public purchasers • Private company purchasers (focus: green companies)

26. Standard timetable Concept 1 Report & concept 2 Basic market research Team of initiators Argumentation and Info-tools Key stakeholder contacts Key events, workshops, media result Company contacts

27. Never forget the web Eco-label catalogue EU Eco-label website http://www.eco-label.com/ http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/ecolabel National Ecolabel websites with Eco-label information

28. EU Eco-label from Bruxelles Green procurement flyer EU website and web-catalogue In general Flower news(2 per year) Consumer INFO KIT http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/ecolabel http://www.eco-label.com/ EU Eco-label flyer(2 per year) fact-sheets for producers 10 brochures (currently available in 11 languages in June available updated, in a new layout and in the 19 EU languages) • New general brochure (the old version was the 'at-a-glance' Eco-label guide) • Home cleaning+washing up: All-purpose cleaners-cleaners for sanitary facilities, hand as well as machine dishwashing detergents and laundry detergents (former: Household Detergents) • Appliances: Dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerators (former: Household Appliances) • Computers and TVs: Personal and portable computers, TVs (former part of: Office Equipment and Supplies) • Paper products: Copying and graphic paper and tissue paper products (former: Household Tissue Paper and part of: Office Equipment and Supplies) • Household furnishings: Bed mattresses and textile products (former: Bedding and Mattresses) • DIY: Hard floor coverings, indoor paints and varnishes and lubricants (former: Do-It-Yourself) • Gardening: Soil improvers (former: Gardening) • Wardrobe: Footwear and clothes (former: Clothing and footwear) • Holiday: Camp site service and tourist accommodation service (NEW) http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/ecolabel/news/flowernews_en.htm Business fact sheets (for producers and retailers, available online in pdf-format, soon in 19 languages) • Existing fact sheets: • Tissue papers • Fridges • Personal Computers • Portable Computers • Camp sites • Hand dishwashing detergents • Detergents for dishwashers • All purpose cleaners and cleaners for sanitary facilities • Textile products • Footwear • Footwear • Landry detergents • Paints and varnishes 2. Additional fact sheets: • Dishwashers • light bulbs • televisions • vacuum cleaners • washing machines • copying and graphic paper • bed mattresses • soil improvers • lubricants 3 thematic brochures (currently in fr, in June available updated, in a new layout and in the 19 EU languages) • In the office: Computers, paper products and light bulbs • In the kitchen: detergents and appliances + tissue paper • In the house: Household furnishings, DIY, appliances and light bulbs + detergents + tissue paper http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/ecolabel/marketing/brochures_en.htm http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/ecolabel/marketing/brochures_consumers_en.htm

29. Producing taylormade info packages additional taylormade information Available info material from Bruxelles from national CB from acquisition project

30. Preparing info packages … and put it into • the “green-box” for handing it over to highly interested company representatives and key stakeholders to set an “anchor” towards application and provide practical assistence • Info material set • Powerpoint presentation Content can be ... • editorial letter, consumer flyer, fact sheet, application pack, verification pack, Flower News, etc.

31. Documentation of contacting In Excel .. .. or in word

32. Borrow a Roll-up or print your poster Roll-up: Image wall to present the EU Eco-label visually Application: at events, fairs, press conferences, workshops Available in English, Spanish, French, German at: DG ENV. Poster: Reciting the key interests of consumers, producers and purchasers Available as pdf (in English, German, French, Czech and …) for printing in format A1 Application: in the office, at events or on black boards

33. Adopt the standard ppt

34. Standard presentation content • Welcome, overview • regulation and scheme • System (DG, EUEB, CBs, …) • Criteria (mandatory, optional) • The way to the Eco-label (application procedure) • Cost and benefit (arguments) • Fee • EU and CB support (marketing) • How to use the EL logo efficiently • Support (national CB, consultants,..) • Emotional plea