Designed to help its customers provide a competitive marketing edge by displaying validated environmental claims, the program is also said to be the first to offer a comprehensive progressive three-label scheme demonstrating continuous improvement in reducing and offsetting a given product's environmental impact.

Unlike carbon footprint mark schemes that are limited to a state, a country or a single phase in a product's carbon journey, SGS says that its program offers a comprehensive global approach that covers all geographies with a single label as well as recognizing multiple levels of environmental achievement. Products can "earn" three different marks successively:

SGS Carbon Footprint, conveying a brand's environmental commitment by attesting that SGS has calculated the total greenhouse gas emissions over the product's lifecycle, using internationally accepted standards and listing the results on the label.

SGS Carbon Reduction, signifying that the product's carbon footprint has been reduced in a 12-month continuous improvement scheme established after the initial carbon footprint calculation.

SGS Carbon Neutral, indicating a significant reduction has been achieved and that remaining emissions have been offset through programs such as renewable energy credit purchase systems run by certified third-party organizations.

“Our Product Carbon Footprint program enables companies to instantly communicate information using a universally recognized tool – a symbol indicating that a product's credentials have been verified by a trusted independent organization – while also providing a continuous carbon reduction framework that can both reduce costs and enhance brand reputation,” explained Charles Ly Wa Hoi, Global Sustainability Services Vice President.

SGS Consumer Testing Services is a division of the SGS Group, the verification, testing and certification company.