Good Environmental Choices Becomes Easier for Suppliers and Consumers

Mr. Petar Johnson (left), Chairman of Good Environmental Choice Australia Ltd, with Mr. Greg Jewson, Operations Manager of NCS International Pty Ltd.

Good Environmental Choice Services Pty Ltd, the verification arm of Good Environmental Choice Australia Ltd (GECA) and NCS International Pty Ltd (NCSI) the certification subsidiary of the National association of Testing Authorities (NATA), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will dramatically increase accessibility of the Good Environmental Choice Label in Australia. The agreement was signed on the 21st of November at the Hyatt in Canberra at the Greening of Government Procurement Luncheon.

The MOU allows NCSI to service companies selling environmentally preferable products in Australia with the internationally recognised Good Environmental Choice Label. The Label is Australia's national life cycle based environmental symbol providing environmental assurance for everyday Australians and corporate and government procurement.

"This agreement with NCSI will deliver a much greater servicing capacity ensuring that companies have streamlined and efficient access to the GECA program said Mr. Johnson (Chairman of Good Environmental Choice Australia)."

"NCSI is a world class verification and assurance authority with a national outreach. Their extensive experience in Environmental Management Systems certification is an excellent foundation to expand their verification services into environmental performance of products and services" said Mr. Johnson.

Mr. Greg Jewson, NCSI's Operations Manager, said "We are delighted to add the Good Environmental Choice Label to the service portfolio of our verification business. We see great benefits for new and existing clients to elevate their environmental credentials through a commitment towards environmental declarations for the products and services they produce. We believe the buying public has a growing expectation that manufacturer's supply chains will act responsibly to reduce their environmental impacts, and the GEC label is the recognised method to ensure this environmental guarantee to the market."

"The verification of environmental claims is becoming a mandatory business and marketing element for manufacturers in the 21st Century," said Mr. Jewson. "The GEC label offers them world class assurance that their products are independently recognised and preferentially procured by the Australian market. There are also some very important implications in foreign trade access and premiums for Australian exports because of the Mutual Recognition Arrangements between the Australian Ecolabel and key trading partners."

Environmentally preferable products are gaining popularity in all consumer buying and procurement circles in Australia as government, business and everyday Australians aim to reduce the environmental impact of their purchasing decisions. The unique element of the GEC Program is its life cycle approach for assessing products on a wide spectrum of key environmental indicators. Relevant elements include fitness for purpose, identification of environmental loads through the life cycle including the manufacturing, and 'end of life' waste disposal and recycling considerations.

The size of the green procurement markets is estimated at some $60B annually in Australia incorporating government purchasing, leading corporate organisations, and everyday Australians.

"The pace and sophistication of procurement programs is accelerating annually, delivering cost savings, better health outcomes for employees and most importantly dramatic changes in the marketplace providing excellent environmental dividends" said Mr. Petar Johnson.