Environmental Choice standards written by Tonkin & Taylor have been rated “international best practice standards” in a recent global survey!
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Pictured: Robin Taylor, General Manager, Environmental Choice New Zealand and Marje Russ, T&T, attend a celebration morning tea at T&T's head office in Auckland on 29 July. |
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The UK environment department, DEFRA, recently commissioned an independent review of sustainable product standards and databases. DEFRA’s aim was to identify international best practice and to encourage innovation in sustainable consumption.
T&T's long term client, The New Zealand Ecolabelling Trust, operates the Environmental Choice ecolabel. The Environmental Choice New Zealand label is found on environmentally preferable products in New Zealand’s supermarkets and shops. T&T has developed a large number of standards for Environmental Choice and assesses products against these standards for the Trust. A wide range of products, from paint to paper, from cleaning products to photocopiers, have passed scrutiny and proudly bear the Environmental Choice label.
The DEFRA survey, released on 15 July, rated Environmental Choice furniture and paper standards “international best practice standards to which national labelling schemes should be referred”. The survey noted that the furniture standard “represent(s) best practice globally in terms of the environmental performance of furniture, and its adoption would bring numerous environmental benefits as well as human health benefits to producers and consumers of furniture products”. It concluded the standard “has led to significant behaviour change and associated environmental impacts”.
Marje Russ, T&T's Principal responsible for the Environmental Choice programme, said “We’re delighted that our work in this area is being recognised. The furniture document, in particular, was a complex specification to write. It was important to balance technical detail with what is relevant and achievable in the New Zealand market place. It really does represent cutting edge work on a global scale and it is great to have that acknowledged”.
For more information please contact Marje Russ at Tonkin & Taylor. |
