Sustainable Claims Verification Services
Introduction
With consumers becoming increasingly conscious of the environmental and social impact of the products they purchase; companies need to substantiate their sustainability claims with credible evidence. Bureau Veritas offers a comprehensive Sustainability Claims Verification (SCV) solution to help businesses demonstrate their sustainability performance.
Powered by BV’s cutting-edge digital platform, the SCV solution streamlines the entire claim validation workflow within the supply chain saving time and resources. The claims submitted are reviewed by a team of BV experts including tracing and obtaining missing information to ensure accuracy and compliance with relevant standards. The SCV solution ensures archival of claims data to ensure transparency and easy access to data for future audits or inquiries.
Sectors:
Segments
- Softlines (Apparel, SoftHome, Footwear, Accessories).
- Hardlines (Furniture, Food Contact Materials, Luggage, Sporting Goods, Tools).
- Toys & Juvenile Products.
- Consumer Electrical (Appliances, Power Tools, Lighting).
- Health, Beauty & Hygiene (Household Cleaning Products, Personal Care, Cosmetics).
Geographies
- USA Retailers and Brands.
- European Retailers and Brands.
- Suppliers and RoW Retailers / Brands.
Challenges
The proliferation of environmental claims and eco-labels has ushered in a new era of corporate responsibility and consumer awareness. According to EU Commission, a staggering 40% of such claims lack substantiating evidence. Unsubstantiated claims regarding the ecological virtues of products or services can be construed as greenwashing, a practice that carries severe consequences resulting in reputational damage, erosion of consumer trust, and regulatory violations with financial repercussions.
Businesses are increasingly recognizing the importance of authenticity and transparency in their sustainability claims and are leveraging third party verification from partners like Bureau Veritas to validate sustainability performance. This proactive approach not only mitigates risks but also fosters trust among stakeholders and demonstrates a genuine commitment to ecological stewardship.
CRITICAL USE CASE
In 2023, a major North American retailer sought Bureau Veritas' expertise to build a robust foundation for verifying and validating sustainable claims at scale. Bureau Veritas provided a digital platform and technical guidance, covering claims like recycled fiber, man-made cellulosic, FSC, GOTS, and more. The client accelerated sustainability initiatives without extensive hiring, leveraging Bureau Veritas' support in developing claim requirements, communication, and oversight. Notably, Bureau Veritas identified up to 30% rejection rate across submissions, highlighting the importance of expert verification and resulting in repeat business.
Our impact
Working with our client’s USA division, out of 10,690 claims verified, 30% of First Time Submissions were rejected resulting in mitigating risk of multi-million of fines and greenwashing products being placed on the open market. As an example, one proven greenwashing claim ~ 2M-5M EUR in fines, we prevented potentially 3,000 being placed on the market which at worst case scenario would equate to 15B EUR!
WHY BUREAU VERITAS?
Leveraging technical mastery and regulatory insights, Bureau Veritas designs rigorous programs with concrete criteria for validating sustainability claims. Our digital solution expedites onboarding within 4 weeks through user-friendly features: customizable applications, centralized claim requests, intuitive guidance, real-time tracking, and documentation repositories. This unparalleled offering ensures accurate, compliant claims, empowering businesses to gain a competitive edge through credible environmental stewardship.