By stating that climate neutrality through reduction weighs more heavily than through CO2 offsetting, the BGH clarifies the challenges and misunderstandings surrounding the terms balancing, reduction and climate neutrality. The ruling relates to products for which the minimum accounting requirement includes a cradle-to-gate assessment. This means that emissions must be recorded in the upstream value chain. Climate neutrality for products must refer to the same minimum system boundaries. Climate neutrality for products without CO2 offsetting is therefore virtually impossible. Reduction and offsetting must go hand in hand, and it is important to reduce emissions both in the manufacturing company and in the upstream and downstream value chain.
Due to current developments on the climate protection market and the forthcoming regulations of the Green Claims Initiative, natureOffice has further developed its long-standing climate-neutral label. The new label deliberately dispenses with the term “climate neutral”. Instead, the new natureOffice label focuses on system limits, emission quantities and the reference to offsetting emissions. “Our long-standing climate-neutral label still stands up to the latest court rulings,” says Managing Director Andreas Weckwert. “However, we recommend that our customers switch to our new label system in the long term. We will gradually phase out the old climate-neutral label, but we want to give our customers enough time to make the switch.
This makes the news that both labels, supplemented by the additions 'offset by CO2 compensation' and 'CO2 emissions compensated', meet the requirements of the BGH ruling on advertising with climate neutrality for products all the more pleasing.
At natureOffice, we attach great importance to ensuring the best quality and safety for our customers. Our focus is on providing high-quality solutions to protect our climate while maintaining the highest standards. Clear communication and meaningful climate neutrality labeling logos are our top priority. We do not water down transparency in favor of commercial success. We focus on credibility and clarity so that our customers know exactly how climate neutrality is achieved.
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