Carbon Label: International Authority Carbon Trust Opens Domestic Certification Business

Under the goal of "double carbon", carbon label, which plays a key role in carbon neutralization, has attracted widespread attention in the domestic market, and also led to the upgrading of international professional institutions in China.

Recently, the international professional organization Carbon Trust, which established the world's first product carbon labeling system, cooperated with Zhongcheng Hexin (Beijing) Certification Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "CSC") and successfully filed with the State Administration of market supervision and administration, and officially launched Carbon Trust carbon label service (hereinafter referred to as "carbon label service") in China's domestic market.

Carbon labeling of products can play an important role in achieving the goal of carbon neutralization

Carbon labeling is an important way to show the carbon footprint of certified products in the form of labels on product packaging, so as to make the carbon footprint of products transparent. In the second half of 2021, China's textile and clothing, consumer goods and electrical appliance manufacturing industries have begun to promote carbon labeling. In the face of the booming market, carbon label service needs more international recognized professional institutions to participate.

Carbon Trust is a professional carbon neutral consulting agency headquartered in London, UK. As early as 2007, it participated in the preparation of the world's first product carbon footprint standard pas2050, and launched the world's first carbon labeling system in the same year. Up to now, the carbon label provided by Carbon Trust has been used in 27000 products in more than 40 countries around the world. Brands Using Carbon Trust carbon label include Nestle, Danone Group, LG Electronics, Dyson, Tetra Pak, Kia automobile, etc.

At present, Amazon e-commerce platform is also using the carbon label provided by Carbon Trust to create a "climate pledge friendly" system to promote green consumption. According to YouGov's consumer survey conducted in 10 countries around the world in May 2021, Carbon Trust's carbon label was rated as the most recognized carbon label.

Zhao Lijian, President of China region of Carbon Trust, said, "it is an effective tool for enterprises to respond to the national" double carbon "goal, demonstrate their carbon emission reduction efforts and gain the trust of consumers by passing the certification of third-party institutions and obtaining carbon labels. This cooperation with the domestic certification authority, the relevant certification not only meets the requirements of domestic policies, but also helps enterprises obtain recognition in the international market, which is conducive to the interconnection and international cooperation of international and domestic standards.

As China's first authoritative certification body to carry out energy-saving and low-carbon technology services and evaluation, Li Tienan, general manager of Hexin, said, "Cooperation with Carbon Trust with international credibility will help both parties better meet the certification needs of domestic and foreign customers for sustainability related certification. With the increasing emphasis on carbon neutrality in China, carbon labeling will help Chinese enterprises improve their international competitiveness, and help international brands better cultivate the Chinese market and lead the green upgrading of the supply chain.".

Six carbon labels

Carbon Trust has long been focusing on helping corporate customers measure, manage and reduce carbon footprint. The carbon labels launched in the Chinese market include carbon footprint, carbon reduction, low carbon and carbon neutralization, and low carbon packaging and carbon neutral packaging. This means that after carrying out a series of emission reduction measures such as carbon measurement and emission reduction path planning, enterprises can obtain the certification and certificate issued by Carbon Trust and China win trust and the corresponding Carbon Trust carbon label if they meet the relevant standards.

With the popularization of carbon label, enterprises can better demonstrate their carbon emission reduction efforts and enhance brand reputation

Among them, the acquisition of carbon footprint label requires the carbon accounting of enterprises or products to comply with iso14067 or pas2050 standards; Carbon reduction label requires enterprises to reduce carbon emissions of products through emission reduction actions on the basis of carbon footprint label, and be recognized by CCCC and Carbon Trust; Low carbon label corresponds to that, on the basis of carbon footprint label, enterprises can prove that their products have lower carbon emissions than similar products or substitutable products in the market; The carbon neutralization label shows that, according to the domestic carbon neutralization guidelines and international standards such as pas2060, enterprises still have residual emissions after emission reduction on the basis of carbon accounting of products, institutions and activities. This part offsets the remaining carbon emissions by purchasing carbon offsets such as forest carbon sinks, so as to achieve carbon neutrality.

What is the significance of promoting carbon labeling?

Yiyun, a well-known brand that has cooperated with Carbon Trust in the field of certification and carbon labeling for many years, has carried out long-term carbon reduction actions and talked about the topic of carbon reduction, Aurelia Rabin, Danone's global marketing director, said: "Climate change is getting more and more attention, and Evian is also carrying out a series of carbon reduction measures, including carbon footprint measurement, emission reduction and carbon offset. We have cooperated with Carbon Trust, a professional organization in the field of low carbon, to certify the emission reduction action, and through the carbon label of the Carbon Trust, we can more clearly convey to consumers how to use low carbon in the production of products, and Help to enhance our credibility and brand reputation in terms of sustainable development. "

Tetra Pak, a well-known packaging manufacturer with long-term cooperation with Carbon Trust, also recognizes the value of Carbon Trust in the field of low-carbon. David Cockburn, global environmental director of Tetra Pak packaging, shared: "our customers attach great importance to sustainable development and strive to reduce the impact on the environment through a series of initiatives. At the same time, through the cooperation with certification agency Carbon Trust in certification and carbon labeling, Tetra Pak can better actively practice the concept of sustainable development and put it into practice with its customers."

Generally speaking, the carbon label shows the carbon footprint of the whole life cycle of a product from cradle to grave. It is an important way to comprehensively and scientifically evaluate the carbon emission of a product, which is conducive to the government, enterprises and consumers to understand the carbon emission information of a product more intuitively.

Therefore, for the government, carbon labeling will provide a scientific reference for policy-making and related measures, let the government choose more low-carbon products when purchasing, and provide more precise preferential policies for low-carbon products.

From the perspective of green supply chain, disclosing the carbon footprint of finished products in the form of carbon label will make more and more enterprises pay attention to the carbon emission information of purchased products, and prefer partners with carbon emission reduction awareness, so as to reduce the carbon emission of the whole value chain of products.

From the perspective of consumers' purchase, consumers can clearly understand the carbon emission information of products through carbon labels, which can be relied on when purchasing green products. Low carbon purchasing behavior will further force enterprises to reduce carbon.

According to the global survey conducted by YouGov, 62% of Chinese consumers prefer to buy products with carbon labels, while 60% of consumers prefer to buy products with higher prices and carbon labels.

For enterprises, it is not only conducive to show their efforts in carbon emission reduction, to cope with the challenges of relevant domestic and foreign policies such as the European Union's plan to impose carbon tariffs, and enhance international competitiveness, but also conducive to the formation of differentiated competition in the domestic and foreign markets, making low-carbon become the brand characteristics, so as to enhance the overall brand power.

It is understood that a number of international brand companies are queuing up for the application of international professional carbon labels in the Chinese market. As more and more enterprises put the "double carbon" target into the core work scope, the development of carbon label market will enter the fast track, and carbon label service providers will also contribute more and more important strength to the realization of China's "double carbon" goal.