What is eco- labelling ?

1. What is eco-labelling? Eco-labelling or more generically environmental product information refers to any information on the environmental attributes of products, services, or facilities. • This can take many forms, written claims, matrices, and logos. • The information can appear in annual reports, newspaper, radio or television ads, in catalogues, or on products. • eco-labels usually appear on the product packaging or in reference material • Voluntary initiatives to demonstrate environmental/sustainability qualities of products  a form of assurance

2. Purpose • Business: • control performance through the supply chain  supply chain /risk management tool • communicate environmental credentials  marketing tool to different products • Consumers: • Visual shopping guide  action tool • Governments: • provide market incentive to produce sustainable goods and services • stimulate the demand for sustainable products through supportive measures such as public procurement  policy tool

3. Key trends: • As of 2010, there were at least 400 so called "sustainability certification" schemes for businesses and consumers to choose from. • the rise in uptake of voluntary ecolabels and sustainability standards by the business-to-business sector • Need to make the standards and labels transparent, credible, and relevant for users

4. UNEP ECO-LABELLING PROJECT • UNEP initiated an Eco-labelling Project : “Enabling developing countries to seize eco-labelling opportunities” • Need to address the key obstacles faced by producers in developing countries: • Information about standards and labels and how they work • Skills of use and apply and introduce necessary changes to meet the criteria • Enabling policy environment through other measures, grants for innovation, public procurement, economic incentives etc

6. WHY ECO-LABELLING in Developing countries? • Globalized supply chains • Eco-labels can serve as instruments that promote the mutual supportiveness of trade, environment and development • Developing countries can access global markets , specially European , thru environmentally efficient products and thereby enhance their trade by adding a competitive dimension .

7. ECO-LABELLING PROJECT-STATUS ETHIOPIA • Fact finding visits to 3 factories • an EU expert in footwear, EU ecolabel assisted in visits. He developed action plan for each company • 2 companies selected due to their technical potential and management commitment • Anbessa shoe factory, • Tikur Abay shoe factory

8. Challengesand opportunities • The Leather Industry Development Institute (LIDI) has an ISO accredited laboratory, which provides more affordable testing services. • COD in waster water at the tannery is above the required level of the EU eco-label but in compliance with the national standards. • Tannery willing to improve treatment process based on requests from shoe factories • We hope to have one company getting the EU eco-label for their shoe product!

9. Thank You

10. Tikur Abbay • A private enterprise based in Addis Ababa • Employs about 500 people, many women • Two factoring producing shoes for domestic and international markets (Europe, Canada and USA) • Plans to export shoe models under their own brand

11. Why eco-labelling? • An environmental value addition in a highly competitive markets • Possibility to enhance marketing under our own brand • Technical assistance from NCPC and UNEP • An expert from Spain came for a fact-finding mission, made positive recommendations • Support of LIDI with accredited facilities and procedures  tests are cheaper