Comparative Testing for Sustainable Lifestyles CI World Congress, Sydney 2007

Content Who and what is ICRT? Why publish comparative tests? How to include criteria related to sustainability? Limitations and challenges?

Who and what is ICRT?

Why publish comparative tests?

How to include criteria related to sustainability?

Limitations and challenges?

What is ICRT? ICRT is an international consortium of consumer organisations that carry out joint research and testing Non profit company limited by shares Only consumer organisations can be shareholders

ICRT is an international consortium of consumer organisations that carry out joint research and testing

Non profit company limited by shares

Only consumer organisations can be shareholders

Who can be member of ICRT? Consumer organisations that carry out consumer research and testing provided that they: act exclusively in the interest of consumers do not take advertising in their magazine are independent of commerce, industry and political parties are not influenced by subsidies, sponsorship or incentives capable of carrying out a minimum level of testing activity and publishing the results

Consumer organisations that carry out consumer research and testing provided that they:

act exclusively in the interest of consumers

do not take advertising in their magazine

are independent of commerce, industry and political parties

are not influenced by subsidies, sponsorship or incentives

capable of carrying out a minimum level of testing activity and publishing the results

ICRT Members Germany, UK, France, Belgium, Netherlands, USA Austria, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, Russia Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, India, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore Brazil, Chile

Germany, UK, France, Belgium, Netherlands, USA

Austria, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Ireland, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, Russia

Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, India, Thailand, South Korea, Singapore

Brazil, Chile

Aims of ICRT Increase the cost effectiveness of testing and research. Develop common test programmes and evaluation methods. To avoid publication of contradictory reports on the same product. Help smaller organisations to develop testing To provide a legal framework for joint testing with established rules and guidelines.

Increase the cost effectiveness of testing and research.

Develop common test programmes and evaluation methods.

To avoid publication of contradictory reports on the same product.

Help smaller organisations to develop testing

To provide a legal framework for joint testing with established rules and guidelines.

Some figures Secretariat with 10 members of staff 40 big joint tests per year 10 continuous tests 150 smaller joint tests Use around 60 laboratories Spend around € 6 million per year Test around 5 000 products

Secretariat with 10 members of staff

40 big joint tests per year

10 continuous tests

150 smaller joint tests

Use around 60 laboratories

Spend around € 6 million per year

Test around 5 000 products

Why publish comparative tests? They confront the buyers with a real choice based on objective criteria Gives clear information on what can be improved Influence the behaviour of companies through the buying choices of the consumers Consumers are willing to pay for this “golden” information, indicating a clear need

They confront the buyers with a real choice based on objective criteria

Gives clear information on what can be improved

Influence the behaviour of companies through the buying choices of the consumers

Consumers are willing to pay for this “golden” information, indicating a clear need

What criteria to include in a test? Traditional test includes: Performance Convenience Safety Durability Energy consumption Environmental criteria (since late 70s) New since 2000: Ethical criteria

Traditional test includes:

Performance

Convenience

Safety

Durability

Energy consumption

Environmental criteria (since late 70s)

New since 2000:

Ethical criteria

What criteria to include in a test? Recent trends: More emphasis on environmental aspects Recycling Use problematic materials Stand by energy and total energy consumption Life cycle analysis Social Responsibility criteria Social criteria Transparency

Recent trends:

More emphasis on environmental aspects

Recycling

Use problematic materials

Stand by energy and total energy consumption

Life cycle analysis

Social Responsibility criteria

Social criteria

Transparency

Examples of Methods used in CSR research Research and analysis of information in the public domain Questionnaires to be completed by companies Anonymous calls and letters Company meetings or visits Factory visits and audits Interviewing employees Peer review

Research and analysis of information in the public domain

Questionnaires to be completed by companies

Anonymous calls and letters

Company meetings or visits

Factory visits and audits

Interviewing employees

Peer review

Examples of references used in CSR research Universal Declaration of Human Rights International Labour Organisation OECD Guidelines Rio declaration and Kyoto protocol SA 8000 UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection Global Reporting Initiative Global Compact

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

International Labour Organisation

OECD Guidelines

Rio declaration and Kyoto protocol

SA 8000

UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection

Global Reporting Initiative

Global Compact

Advantages of comparative testing Name and blame bad products Promote better products Put strong pressure on the manufacturers Better coverage by the media Compile real data that become strong weapons for our lobby departments

Name and blame bad products

Promote better products

Put strong pressure on the manufacturers

Better coverage by the media

Compile real data that become strong weapons for our lobby departments

Examples of recent achievements Dramatic reduction of Polycyclic A romatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) in DIY products and tyres in 1 year Reduction of standby energy from 100 to less than 1 Watt in most products Reduction of water and energy consumption of large household appliances by more than 50% Accepting CSR criteria by manufacturers increased from 40% to 80% in 3 years

Dramatic reduction of Polycyclic A romatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) in DIY products and tyres in 1 year

Reduction of standby energy from 100 to less than 1 Watt in most products

Reduction of water and energy consumption of large household appliances by more than 50%

Accepting CSR criteria by manufacturers increased from 40% to 80% in 3 years

Comparative CSR research Toys Publication had a huge impact on the behaviour of the importers/manufacturers Pharmaceuticals Publication was used successfully by CI for campaigning Clothing Retail Chains Publication impacted directly on the market

Toys Publication had a huge impact on the behaviour of the importers/manufacturers

Pharmaceuticals Publication was used successfully by CI for campaigning

Clothing Retail Chains Publication impacted directly on the market

Upcoming research for 2008 Parquet floors and wooden floors Electronic waste Energy use Christmas illuminations Fire works (labour conditions) Kitchen material Banks Tea TVs Cotton products Washing machines

Parquet floors and wooden floors

Electronic waste

Energy use Christmas illuminations

Fire works (labour conditions)

Kitchen material

Banks

Tea

TVs

Cotton products

Washing machines

Limitations and challenges Input side Not all consumer organisations are convinced that CSR research is a valid task for them CSR Research is very expensive Need for strong coordination in order to avoid contradictory results Struggle on how to publish: included into specific product rating or not Complexity of the issues: not easy to summarize into ratings

Input side

Not all consumer organisations are convinced that CSR research is a valid task for them

CSR Research is very expensive

Need for strong coordination in order to avoid contradictory results

Struggle on how to publish: included into specific product rating or not

Complexity of the issues: not easy to summarize into ratings

Limitations and challenges Output side Limited interest of readers (average scores) Risk of generalisation Difficulty of changing behaviour The challenge is the integration of sustainability criteria as a real aspect of the quality of a product

Output side

Limited interest of readers (average scores)

Risk of generalisation

Difficulty of changing behaviour

The challenge is the integration of sustainability criteria as a real aspect of the quality of a product

Possible criticism on comparative testing Pushing to increased consumption? Do ethical issues not overrule all the other criteria? for discussion….

Pushing to increased consumption?

Do ethical issues not overrule all the other criteria?

for discussion….

Thank you for your attention Guido Adriaenssens Sydney, 30 Oct 2007

Thank you for your attention

Guido Adriaenssens

Sydney, 30 Oct 2007