Here are the most important new regulations that climate-neutral companies should be aware of
The Empowering Consumers Directive
On March 26, 2024, the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive came into force This requires member states to implement new regulations by March 27, 2026 Important points are
The Green Claims Directive
The draft “Green Claims Directive” aims to have all environmental claims checked by independent experts before publication This means stricter rules for the publication of environmental claims and increased monitoring in the member states These new regulations are expected to come into force by the beginning of 2027 at the latest
Current legal situation for climate-neutral companies
The advertising claim “climate neutral” is currently not prohibited, provided certain criteria are observed The Federal Court of Justice laid down strict guidelines for environmental advertising back in 1988 These state that environmental advertising claims must be clearly explained in order to avoid misunderstandings A recent ruling by the Federal Court of Justice on June 27, 2024 confirmed that consumers must be able to understand whether climate neutrality is achieved through the actual reduction of CO₂ emissions or through CO₂ offsetting
Transparent communication with the natureOffice label
To ensure the protection of our customers and meet the needs of consumers, we recommend replacing the “climate neutral” label with the new natureOffice label This fulfills the currently valid standards and helps companies to communicate their sustainability efforts transparently
New paths to CO₂ neutrality: ISO 14068-1 standard
ISO standards are generally not mandatory, but become legally binding if they are mentioned in legal texts or company agreements Although there is no direct obligation to adhere to these standards, it is advisable for strategic reasons to deal with them in order to make a company climate-neutral and obtain the status of a climate-neutral company
Conclusion and outlook
The landscape of advertising claims relating to climate neutrality will continue to evolve With our advanced labeling and tracking system, we are proactively leading the way We recommend that companies take a close look at their emissions and develop strategies to reduce them Every step counts on the way to achieving climate targets Let's walk this path together with confidence and determination
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