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The Importance of Environmental Certifications

Environmental certifications are a key indicator of a product's environmentally-sound validity, as they help consumers make more informed purchasing decisions and give them greater confidence about the products they buy.

In reality, environmental certifications provide consumers with the certainty that the products they purchase comply with strict environmental standards, present minimal hazards on their health and the environment, and meet performance requirements.

In addition to simplifying decisions for shoppers, environmental certifications are beneficial for manufacturers, because not only do they showcase a company’s commitment to the environment, they establish rules and predefined processes to abide by, allowing companies to make substantial improvements in achieving sustainable development. They set standards that are credible, transparent and essential to helping both consumers and manufacturers make informed, responsible and sustainable choices. They also empower manufacturers to fully understand, measure, and credibly communicate the environmental performance of their products.

Who is ECOLOGO®?

ECOLOGO® (also known as Environmental Choice) is a renowned and trusted multi-attribute third party eco-certification and environmental standard program in Canada and North America. Created in 1988 by the Government of Canada and managed by TerraChoice, ECOLOGO® has certified thousands of businesses, government agencies and non-profit organizations since its inception.

In 2010, ECOLOGO® was acquired by UL Environment, a division of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), an established organization whose aim is to advance global sustainability, environmental health, and safety by supporting the growth and development of environmentally sustainable products, services, and organizations, further expanding its reach as a leading certifier of the world's most sustainable products. It is at this point that the ECOLOGO® maple leaf logo —known in the Canadian market— as well as the generic logo for certification outside Canada, were embodied within the UL logo.

The ECOLOGO® Certification is classified as an ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Type 1 ecolabel and has been successfully approved by the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN), an association of third-party labeling organizations dedicated to improving transparency in environmental products and services.

The ECOLOGO® Certification: A Commitment to Sustainability

ECOLOGO® is a pioneer in promoting a sustainable economy, and certifies environmental leaders in over 120 categories - from household products to electrical equipment and toys - to help consumers understand, identify and trust the world’s most sustainable products and services.

In addition to promoting environmentally responsible practices, ECOLOGO® provides consumers – in the public and corporate sectors – with the guarantee that the products and services bearing the ECOLOGO® certification seal meet rigorous environmental standards that have been verified by a third party auditor, all the while ensuring that companies operate in a sustainable fashion, reduce their carbon footprint and enhance sustainability, manage transparency and deliver quality and performance.

ECOLOGO® Certification Standards

To achieve the ECOLOGO® certification, products and services must meet a rigorous series of criteria in their category to prove their compliance with exhaustive third party environmental standards. These standards set metrics for a wide variety of criteria including energy, manufacturing and operations, health and environment, product performance, and more.

ECOLOGO® certification standards are developed in a neutral, public, and transparent process spanning approximately 12-18 months, and are designed in a way that only the top 20% of products available on the market can achieve certification.

The ECOLOGO® certification indicates that a product will, for example, improve energy efficiency, reduce hazardous waste by‑products, and make use of recycled materials, among others.

Although the ECOLOGO® certification is not mandatory, more eco-conscious consumers are looking for the logo as a mark of the environmental leadership. ECOLOGO® certified products are also tested for performance. So essentially, when you choose an ECOLOGO® certified product, you are opting for a green product that has also proven itself to be effective, and meets the criteria below:

Meets performance requirements throughout the entire lifecycle of a product or service.

Is non-toxic for the health and the environment.

Respects the environment with appropriate recycling techniques.

Is made using environmentally-friendly production and manufacturing processes.

Uses green distribution, packaging and labelling best practices.

Respects the environment with adequate recycling techniques.

ATTITUDE: Proudly ECOLOGO® Certified

At ATTITUDE, we are dedicated to promoting responsible consumption by offering products that minimize hazardous impacts on your family’s health and the environment. Our range of household, and personal care products are all proudly ECOLOGO® certified. We’ve pushed the environmental responsibility envelope by becoming the world’s first line of eco-certified and carbon neutral household products.

Through every step of the production process, from sourcing raw materials to packaging, we’ve minimized the environmental impact of our products through the selection and use of worry-free, biodegradable and non-toxic ingredients, and have succeeded in dramatically reducing our carbon footprint by offering CO2-neutral products.