负责任的环保营销传播指南

PreparedbyICCCommissiononMarketingandAdvertisingFrameworkforResponsibleEnvironmentalMarketingCommunicationsContents
Generaloverviewandguidanceongreenclaims
Environmentalclaimschecklist
TableofexistingICCprincipleswithinterpretationandcommentaryICCDocumentN°240-46/557–14January2010FrameworkICCFrameworkforResponsibleEnvironmentalMarketingCommunications1–ICCDocumentNo.240-46/557(14January2010)CommissiononMarketingandAdvertisingTaskForceonCodeRevisionICCFrameworkforResponsibleEnvironmentalMarketingCommunicationsAstheworld’sforemostbusinessorganization,theInternationalChamberofCommerce(ICC)promoteshighstandardsofbusinessethicsthroughthedevelopmentanddisseminationofcodesandguidanceonresponsiblemarketingandadvertisingcommunications.OneofICC’slandmarkachievementsistheConsolidatedICCCodeofAdvertisingandMarketingCommunicationPractice(Code)issuedin2006.TheCodeprovidespracticalguidancetothebusinesssector,includingadvertisersandadvertisingagencies,aswellastoself-regulatoryadvertisingorganizationsandnationalgovernments.Bypromotingself-regulationinthebusinesssectorinaccordancewiththehighestethicalandlegalstandards,theCodeprovidesassurancetoconsumersthatbusinessesabidingbytheCodecanbereliedupontoprovidetruthfuladvertising.Background:TheICCCodeandapplicationtosustainabilityandgreenclaimsTheCodesetsforthgeneralprinciplesgoverningallmarketingcommunications,andincludesaseparatesectiononenvironmentalclaims.TheCodedefines“advertisement”or“advertising”asanyformofmarketingcommunicationcarriedbythemedia,usuallyinreturnforpaymentorothervaluableconsideration.1Itincludesabroadadmonitionthatadvertisersavoidorappropriatelyqualifygeneralclaimsofenvironmentalbenefit,apositionthathasbeentheunderpinningofadvertisingguidanceforyears.Generalenvironmentalclaimsthatmayprovedifficulttosubstantiateusingacceptedscientificmethodsshouldbeavoided.Therehasbeenrenewedinterestingreenmarketingbyadvertisersandmarketers,consumers,self-regulatoryorganizationsandgovernments,becauseofanincreaseinthenumberofclaims,manyofthemvague,non-specificorgeneralinnature.Onereasonfortheproliferationofthesegeneralandvagueclaimsmaybethegrowinginterestbythemedia,government,investoradvisoryandstockratingagencies,andconsumersabouttheimpactofhumanactivitiesontheenvironmentandhowtopromote“sustainable”consumptionanduse.Inturn,manycompanieshaveadopted“sustainability”programmesorappointedcorporateofficerstofocusonimprovingenvironmentalsustainability.Socialresponsibilityinitiativesthatincludeenvironmentalcompliance,workplacesafety,fairlabourpractices,andmore,aresometimesalsoaddressedin“sustainability”programmes.ChapterEoftheCodealsospecificallyaddresses“sustainability”claims,saying:Aslongastherearenodefinitive,generallyacceptedmethodsformeasuringsustainabilityorconfirmingitsaccomplishments,noclaimtohaveachieveditshouldbemade.Onenotablerecentdevelopmentinadvertisingistheproliferationof“green”claimsandgrowinginterestinconceptsof“environmentalsustainability”and“sustainabledevelopment,”withcommensurategrowthingeneralclaimsthatproductsorservicesare“eco-friendly,”“green,”“sustainable,”“carbonneutral”andthelike.Useoftheterm“sustainable”itselfinmarketingcommunicationsandotherwisemaycreatequestionsaboutwhetherthereferenceistoenvironmental“sustainability”ortothebroaderconceptof1ObviouslytheCodedoesnotapplyindiscriminatelytoeverytypeofcorporatecommunication.Forexample,theCodedoesnotapplytocorporatepublicaffairsmessagesinpressreleasesandothermediastatements,nortoinformationinannualreportsandthelike,orinformationrequiredtobeincludedonproductlabels.Likewise,statementsonmattersofpublicpolicyfalloutsidethescopeoftheCode.2–ICCDocumentNo.240-46/557(14January2010)sustainabilitylinkedtotheWorldCommissiononEnvironmentandDevelopment’s1987report,OurCommonFuture(alsoknownastheBruntlandReport2),thatdefined“sustainabledevelopment”as“developmentthatmeetstheneedsofthepresentwithoutcompromisingtheabilityoffuturegenerationstomeettheirownneeds”.“Sustainability”encompassesconsiderationsofeconomicactivity,socialvalues,actionbypublicandprivateinstitutionsandenvironmentalimpacts,butmany“sustainability”claimsseeninthemarketplacefocusontheenvironmentalaspectsoftheproductorservice.Atpresentthereisnoconsistentglobalframeworkbywhichtoevaluate“sustainability”claimsinconnectionwitheitheroverallenvironmentaleffectsorthethreepillarscommonlyviewedtocomprisetheunderpinningsofsustainability.Consequently,theICCviewhasbeenandremainsthatbroadclaimsthatproductsorservicesare“sustainable”or“sustainablyproduced”,andadvertisingandmarketingclaimsofsustainabilityneedtobecarefullycouchedandappropriatelyqualifiedandsubstantiatedtoavoidmisleadingconsumers.Aswithothertypesofenvironmentalmarketingclaims,avoidingvagueandnon-specificclaimsiskey.Sustainabilityclaimspursuanttocompliancewithwell-definedprogrammes,backedbyverificationproceduresoraudits,maymeetthisexactingstandard.Atthesametime,othernewenvironmentalclaimsinadvertisinginadditionto“sustainable”claimshavebecomeimportantinthemarketplace.Thisincludesclaimsthatmaybegeneralinnature,suchasca