In recent years, interest in environmental issues has increased and, in particular, it has been rmly established the idea that consumer choices can actually affect the environmental performance of the different production systems. In the... more
In recent years, interest in environmental issues has increased and, in particular, it has been rmly established the idea that consumer choices can actually affect the environmental performance of the different production systems. In the fruit and vegetables sector, retailers are among those who have been able to respond more quickly to this challenge, mainly using third-party certication and private eco-branding. However, there are other players in the sector that can have a pro-active role in the differentiation of their product, including producer groups, as stakeholder with direct experience of the product from the outset. Associated groups of agricultural producers of food growers can be encouraged and supported to include in their marketing practices eco-friendly information regarding their production systems. Eco-labelling could support these coops in differentiating their products to better position themselves in the market. This paper presents how the use of LCA methodology combined with the calculation of the carbon dioxide offsetting of the same production system using the IPCC method, can help to integrate environmental content (green) into the Delizie di Bosco di Piemonte brand of cooperative Agrifrutta. At the aggregate level, the application of LCA methodology to the supply chains considered has been able to quantify the emissions from the strawberries and berry fruits marketed under the " Delizie di Bosco del Piemonte " brand. For the year 2013 the total emissions of brand products, according to the GWP impact category, amounted to 209 t CO 2 eq. The results for the emissions calculated for 2013 have been fully offset within the cooperative, through the sequestration of CO 2 performed by 21 ha of chestnut trees on the farms owned by the members of the Cooperative. It discusses the need of further investigation on the way to combine effectively an eco-label with a corporate brand and how to improve of the label credibility by an appropriate and balance communication.
Over the past several years, environmental economists have been increasingly attracted to the use of information as an alternative to traditional methods for regulating externalities. An example of this approach is ‘‘eco-labeling,’’ where... more
Over the past several years, environmental economists have been increasingly attracted to the use of information as an alternative to traditional methods for regulating externalities. An example of this approach is ‘‘eco-labeling,’’ where a third party certifies firms’ products; this approach is particularly popular in practice, having been adopted in a variety of countries. With this widespread adoption of eco-labeling, a literature has developed in environmental economics. In this paper, I survey the equilibria that may occur with eco-labeling, and discuss the resultant welfare effects.
In the last 20 years, the tourism industry has witnessed the proliferation of many ecolabels with different scopes and criteria and sometimes with a limited area of recognition, which has caused confusion among guests. In order to offer a... more
In the last 20 years, the tourism industry has witnessed the proliferation of many ecolabels with different scopes and criteria and sometimes with a limited area of recognition, which has caused confusion among guests. In order to offer a tool useful for consumers and recognised all over Europe, in 2001 the European Union decided to extend its official ecolabel to the hospitality sector. Fifteen years since its introduction, Italy represents the first country in Europe in terms of adhesion to the European Ecolabel while in other countries like Austria, Spain and France, only a limited number of properties are certified. This paper aims at presenting a study of 36 Italian accommodation establishments with the European Ecolabel (out of 194, the 18.6% of the total) and analyses their motivations, difficulties, costs, and benefits deriving from its implementations.
The term eco-labeling‘ has become a buzz word in today‘s sustainable business world. The use of eco-labeling in various forms has been increasing notably for past many years, sometimes as an environmental ―requirement‖ and sometimes... more
The term eco-labeling‘ has become a buzz word in today‘s sustainable business world. The use of eco-labeling in various forms has been increasing notably for past many years, sometimes as an environmental ―requirement‖ and sometimes merely as a marketing tool. For whatever apparent purposes the labeling is used, the ultimate goals are to educate and encourage the consumers to buy and use environment-friendly products. However, with so many competing eco-labels available today, questions arise about how well they are attended and understood by consumers. Mentionable studies have already been done on various dimensions of consumer response to eco-labels. Yet gap exists in exploring an inclusive set of parameters for investigating consumer perception of eco-labels. This paper reviews the major works done on the field and makes a synthesis of their findings with a view to identifying all the possible factors to be taken into account for measuring consumer perception of eco-labeling of products. Thereby it develops a structural equation model (SEM) with a tentative inclusive set of 9 parameters to be used in the investigation of consumer understanding and perception of eco-labeling. These parameters are: consumer awareness, visibility and attention, consumer knowledge, consumer trust, credibility of the source, type and level of information, clarity of meaning, persuasiveness, and private benefits. Although mentionable limitation of the paper is that it has relied only on the available published literature, this can be treated as an exploratory or pilot study for guiding the designing of large scale future empirical researches for developing a dependable inclusive set of parameters for testing consumer understanding and perception of eco-labeling. The results are therefore at best only tentative.
Muhammad Mashuri Alif, Trisakti University, February 2, 2017 Dr. HifniAlifahmi. M.Si Keywords "EffectLabel Eco-Friendly Toward Brand Reputation the Mediated by Perceived Toward the Brand Quality and Trust Toward Papers Products... more
Muhammad Mashuri Alif, Trisakti University, February 2, 2017 Dr. HifniAlifahmi. M.Si Keywords "EffectLabel Eco-Friendly Toward Brand Reputation the Mediated by Perceived Toward the Brand Quality and Trust Toward Papers Products Brand".
Label Eco-friendly mediation ecolabel ecolabel the quality of the brand ecolabel trust the brand image the perceivedbrand quality to trust toward brand image the quality brand to brand reputation while the trust towardbrand image to the brand reputation the Ecolabel and brand reputation Major Advisor: . is essentially a procedure that was created by the global community to ensure that consumers and producers are aware of their responsibilities to the preservation of the environment, since the beginning of the production process to the end. The process transformed the society through building a perception of quality and Trust towards brand of paper production which is mediated by the quality of the Trust towards brand in enhancing brand reputation labeled environment. The background and objective of the research was to examine the relationship of each variable based on the research and literature contained in scientific journals that are used to strengthen tiori about label eco-friendly, brand quality perception, trust towards the brand and the brand's reputation in paper products. The data is source used in this study were obtained from 200 respondents consisting of students D3, S1 and S2 from universities in Jakarta. This study was developed based on four variables and 5 hypothesis 1 hypothesis directly and indirectly ( ). The entire variable is measured using a Likert scale with a choice of 1 to 7 (Very2 Strongly Disagree to Very2 Strongly Agree). The results of the management of the data indicates that the label environmentally friendly ( ) positive effect on each variable, which is shown by the on with the estimate of 1.027 and 14.443, to of the estimate of 0.651 and 6.782, 0.566 and 8.463 as well as estimate of 0.345 and 5.943, of the estimate 0.211 and 4.194. While the hypothesis of indirect relationship between worth 0.614. Keyword: ecolabel, perceived quality brand products, trust toward brand and brand reputation.
Utilizing data drawn from online and print advertisements, this research compares the green advertising techniques of companies with well-documented strong and weak social and environmental track records. Notwithstanding more subtle,... more
Utilizing data drawn from online and print advertisements, this research compares the green advertising techniques of companies with well-documented strong and weak social and environmental track records. Notwithstanding more subtle, divergent narratives suggesting that more responsible companies direct the consumer gaze toward more political and systemic issues while their counterparts tend to emphasize relatively low-cost, scientific, and philanthropic efforts, the main findings indicate that all companies employ a very similar grand narrative focused on consumer empowerment regardless of their actual ethical track record. This suggests that most attempts, by consumers and scholars alike, to determine anything meaningful about actual corporate practices via an analysis of environmental advertising, may be largely futile. A dramaturgical framework is employed to argue that the findings are most suitably explained by reframing green advertising as a form of impression management for an audience of ethical consumers. Thus, greenwashing emerges only when such performances are contradicted by a company’s actual environmental track record. The author proposes a more relational definition of greenwashing to reorient the analytical focus on the processes behind, and connections between, the product, the company, and the industry, including their broader cultural context.
Panulirus argus constitutes the most highly valued marine species within the Biosphere Reserves of Sian Ka’an (SK) and Banco Chinchorro (BC) in the South-eastern Mexican Caribbean, and these are the first fisheries in the world for this... more
Panulirus argus constitutes the most highly valued marine species within the Biosphere Reserves of Sian Ka’an (SK) and Banco Chinchorro (BC) in the South-eastern Mexican Caribbean, and these are the first fisheries in the world for this species to have been certified as being sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). In this study sustainability of these fisheries is assessed from a biological, ecological, environmental, social and economic perspective, by including population dynamics evaluations and assessing the status of the stocks using several techniques. Biological aspects such as movements and migration patterns of this species were examined by mark and recapture tagging studies, which were also used for developing stock assessment modelling methods and evaluating exploitation rates. Fishery dependent data and information from fishery independent surveys were combined and evaluated by developing unique fishery models for analysis. Results produced information regarding the status of the lobster stocks and local populations, including biological reference points useful for evaluating the ecolabelling sustainability principles and criteria currently applied to these fisheries. Research included an analysis of the potential effects of introducing artificial refuge/casitas into BC as a new fishing gear for live lobster capture, and as a means for enhancing juvenile survival and recruitment to the fishery. Management, social stewardship, value addition and socio-economic aspects of these fisheries were also analysed in relation to the implementation of the ecolabelling programs: “Chakay” and MSC. Results from this study provide a better understanding of the lobster populations of P. argus at a regional and local scale, as well as long term sustainability needs of these Marine Protected Areas and other spiny lobster fisheries in the Caribbean. Suggestions for implementing management measures and future research are suggested for the SK and BC P. argus populations, which could potentially improve the fisher cooperatives economic condition, and the livelihoods of the fishers associated to these fisheries.
In the last 20 years , the tourism industry has witnessed the proliferation of many ecolabels with different scopes and criteria and sometimes with a limited area of recognition, which has caused confusion among guest s. In order to offer... more
In the last 20 years , the tourism industry has witnessed the proliferation of many ecolabels with different scopes and criteria and sometimes with a limited area of recognition, which has caused confusion among guest s. In order to offer a tool useful for consumers and recognized all over Europe, in 2001 the European Union decided to extend its official ecolabel to the hospitality sector. Fifteen years since its introduction, Italy represents the first country in Europe in terms of adhesion to the European Ecolabel while in other countries like Austria, Spain and France, only a limited number of properties are certified. This paper aims at presenting a study of 36 Italian accommodation establishments with the European Ecolabel (out of 194, the 18.6% of the total) and analyses their motivations, difficulties, costs, and benefits deriving from its implementations.
This paper contributes to an ongoing effort by scholars to bridge the gap between the growing literatures on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethical consum- erism (EC) by proposing that these phenomena be considered as two ends... more
This paper contributes to an ongoing effort by scholars to bridge the gap between the growing literatures on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethical consum- erism (EC) by proposing that these phenomena be considered as two ends of an economic communication system linking companies and consumers. Though some researchers have called into question the data sources that most ethical consumers rely on when making their decisions in the marketplace and others have noted the shortcomings in the accuracy of our systems of CSR measurement, in neither of these cases have researchers been able to uncover viable alternatives to the imperfect solution of third party certifications (aka ecolabels). Emerging consumer-oriented CSR rating systems, being utilized by millions of consumers in the Anglosphere, may represent some of the first alternatives for CSR and EC scholars, as well as for ethical consumers themselves. This research compares the four most popular consumer- oriented CSR measurement systems produced in the US (GoodGuide, Better World Shopper), UK (Ethical Consumer) and Australia (Shop Ethical). While thousands of companies are rated in each system, statistical analyses are focused on comparing the CSR ratings of the 106 companies common to all four systems. The findings reveal that although each system’s goals of measuring CSR are closely aligned, out- comes are considerably divergent.
Purpose—To encourage sustainable consumer practices, public policy makers introduce new ecological measures, including mandatory programs that require companies to provide environmental information about their products, even if not... more
Purpose—To encourage sustainable consumer practices, public policy makers introduce new ecological measures, including mandatory programs that require companies to provide environmental information about their products, even if not flattering. Few academic studies have considered the potential impact of such mandatory eco-labels on consumer behaviour; this article seeks to identify conditions in which a generalized eco-label in stores might modify consumers’ purchase choices.
Methodology—Two quasi-experimental studies (N = 333, 126) manipulate environmental information with a simple, traffic light–shaped eco-label. The measures focused on respondents’ choice or purchasing intentions, perceptions of the environmental harmfulness of each product, and individual characteristics (i.e., environmental concern, price sensitivity, familiarity with environmental information about the product category).
Findings—The presence of an eco-label influences consumers’ beliefs about products’ environmental harm and thus choice. The effect of perceived harmfulness on choice is moderated by environmental concern and price sensitivity, though the combinatory effects arise for only one of the two product categories tested (dish soap, not yoghurt). With a third product category (paper towels), Study 2 confirms the influence of familiarity with environmental information.
Research limitations/implications—Familiarity with environmental information accounts for some differences across product categories, but other factors come into play. These results must be interpreted carefully due to the use of a fictive eco-label.
Originality/value—This article examines the potential effects of a generalized, mandatory program. It also addresses the lack of consistent label effectiveness across product categories, with a possible explanation based on perceived familiarity with environmental information.
While prior ecolabel research suggests that consumers’ trust of ecolabel sponsors is associated with their purchase of ecolabeled products, we know little about how third-party certification might relate to consumer purchases when trust... more
While prior ecolabel research suggests that consumers’ trust of ecolabel sponsors is associated with their purchase of ecolabeled products, we know little about how third-party certification might relate to consumer purchases when trust varies. Drawing on cognitive theory, and a stratified random sample of more than 1,200 consumers, we assess how third-party certification relates to consumers’ use of ecolabels across different program sponsors. We find that consumers’ trust of government and environmental NGOs to provide credible environmental information encourages consumers’ use of ecolabels sponsored by these entities, and consumers do not differentiate between certified vs. uncertified ecolabels in the presence of trust. By contrast, consumers’ distrust of private business to provide credible environmental information discourages their use of business association sponsored ecolabels. However, these ecolabels may be able to overcome consumer distrust if their sponsors certify the ecolabels using third-party auditors. These findings are important to sponsors who wish develop ecolabels that are more credible to consumers and thus encourage more widespread ecolabel use.
We examine new dynamics of privatization and collective action in common pool resource situations facilitated by the nonstate multistakeholder institutions of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the global leader in sustainability... more
We examine new dynamics of privatization and collective action in common pool resource situations facilitated by the nonstate multistakeholder institutions of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the global leader in sustainability certification for wild caught seafood. Through a review of the literature and two case studies of fishing cooperatives in Baja California Sur, Mexico and on Fogo Island in the Canadian Province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), we advance two interrelated arguments. First, certification and eco-labeling institutions privatize fisheries governance in largely unexamined ways through the injection of new forms of exclusive rights or privileges into common pool resource situations already complicated by access and property privileges, creating conditions for confusion and conflict as well as cooperation. Second, the MSC whole stock definition of sustainability places greater demands on certification clients for engaging in collective action by encouraging coordination over all social extractions from targeted fish stocks. Although rules encouraging collective action in common pool situations militate against the narrow private capture of certificate and eco-label rights, they also undermine the ability of small-scale and community-based fisheries that are embedded in larger unhealthy fishery contexts to acquire the right to the MSC stamp of sustainability. We conclude that MSC certification and eco-labeling create new institutions of private property rights and collective action, which can result in exclusionary practices, inclusionary collective action, or both. Much will depend on the specific common pool context and history of the fishery.
Certification programs yield global assemblages of producers, consumers, investors, markets, and certifiers that are built around rules that define sustainability. In studying the dynamics and impacts of certification, scholars often... more
Certification programs yield global assemblages of producers, consumers, investors, markets, and certifiers
that are built around rules that define sustainability. In studying the dynamics and impacts of certification,
scholars often refer to ‘‘the rules’’ underlying certification in a manner that makes them seem
like immutable mobiles: permanent and unchanging objects that are produced by technical, expert-driven
processes and that can be applied in diverse places and contexts. In this paper, we turn attention to
the rules and rule-making processes underlying certification to demonstrate the unstable, changeable
and contested underpinnings of sustainability assemblages. We explore the World Wildlife Fund
(WWF)-sponsored multi-stakeholder Aquaculture Dialogues, an unusually open and participatory experiment
in ‘‘green’’ rule-making. Our analysis reveals that rules are never final. Instead, intersections
between rule-making bodies and the structure of rule-making procedures create critical debate and contestation
over the definition of ‘‘sustainability’’ that structures the aquaculture sustainability assemblage,
and over who can and should be empowered to do the defining. This approach enables scholars of certification
to rethink the ontology of certification rules as part of, rather than an external ordering principle
for, the dynamic and contested nature of sustainability assemblages.
In the last 20 years , the tourism industry has witnessed the proliferation of many ecolabels with different scopes and criteria and sometimes with a limited area of recognition, which has caused confusion among guest s. In order to offer... more
In the last 20 years , the tourism industry has witnessed the proliferation of many ecolabels with different scopes and criteria and sometimes with a limited area of recognition, which has caused confusion among guest s. In order to offer a tool useful for consumers and recognized all over Europe, in 2001 the European Union decided to extend its official ecolabel to the hospitality sector. Fifteen years since its introduction, Italy represents the first country in Europe in terms of adhesion to the European Ecolabel while in other countries like Austria, Spain and France, only a limited number of properties are certified. This paper aims at presenting a study of 36 Italian accommodation establishments with the European Ecolabel (out of 194, the 18.6% of the total) and analyses their motivations, difficulties, costs, and benefits deriving from its implementations.
Ecolabels are designed to help consumers identify environmentally superior products and services; however, they are not all created equal. Some ecolabels have strong rules that promote environmental improvements, while others have weaker... more
Ecolabels are designed to help consumers identify environmentally superior products and services; however, they are not all created equal. Some ecolabels have strong rules that promote environmental improvements, while others have weaker rules that permit free-riding. Because information about ecolabel design and rule strength is typically not readily available at the point of purchase, consumers struggle to differentiate stronger ecolabels from weaker ones. We investigate whether ecolabel sponsorship is a signal that can help consumers distinguish between ecolabels according to the quality of their institutional design. Using data of 189 prominent ecolabels, we find that while most ecolabels have basic rules for environmental performance, monitoring, and conformance, the strength of these rules varies across labels according to sponsoring organization. Independent sponsors have the strongest ecolabel rules, followed by governments. Industry sponsored ecolabels have the weakest rule structures. Taken as a whole, these findings suggest that sponsorship may provide important information about whether an ecolabel is designed with rules that effectively condition firms to promote meaningful environmental improvements.
Ο τουρισμός, ως δραστηριότητα με κοινωνική , πολιτισμική , περιβαλλοντική και οικονομική διάσταση, βασίζεται σε δύο πυλώνες , το φυσικό και πολιτισμικό περιβάλλον . Καθώς όμως αυτοί οι δύο πυλώνες απειλούνται από την οικονομική ανάπτυξη ,... more
Ο τουρισμός, ως δραστηριότητα με κοινωνική , πολιτισμική , περιβαλλοντική και οικονομική διάσταση, βασίζεται σε δύο πυλώνες , το φυσικό και πολιτισμικό περιβάλλον . Καθώς όμως αυτοί οι δύο πυλώνες απειλούνται από την οικονομική ανάπτυξη , η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση διαμορφώνει πολιτικές για βιώσιμη ανάπτυξη . Ειδικά για τον τουρισμό , μέσω των θεσμικών της οργάνων, η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση αναλαμβάνει δράσεις με στόχο την αειφόρο τουριστική ανάπτυξη . Ένα σημαντικό εργαλείο στην επίτευξη του στόχου αυτού είναι το οικολογικό σήμα της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης , που απονέμεται στα τουριστικά καταλύματα και κάμπινγκ βάσει του Κανονισμού 66/2010/ΕΚ του Ευρωπαϊκού Κοινοβουλίου και του Συμβουλίου . Ο σκοπός του άρθρου αυτού είναι η ανάδειξη του θεσμικού πλαισίου απονομής του οικολογικού σήματος της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης στις τουριστικές επιχειρήσεις φιλοξενίας, με στόχο τη βιώσιμη τουριστική ανάπτυξη.
In this paper we would like to focus on the awareness of sustainable management of resources among hotel managers and tourists visiting the mountainous parts of the Alpen-Adria region (Southeastern Alps, Northern Adriatic) of Europe. We... more
In this paper we would like to focus on the awareness of sustainable management of resources among hotel managers and tourists visiting the mountainous parts of the Alpen-Adria region (Southeastern Alps, Northern Adriatic) of Europe. We are going to elaborate on results of quantitative questionnaires made in several tourist resort of the region. Our study proves that the environment has become the problem of the society and the economy where tourism is taking place. Key words: Southeastern Alps, Northern Adriatic, tourism, sustainable development, environment
The state of the planet calls for large-scale sustainability transitions involving systemic adoption of markedly better environmental and social practices. The objective of this symposium is to better understand the role of corporations... more
The state of the planet calls for large-scale sustainability transitions involving systemic adoption of markedly better environmental and social practices. The objective of this symposium is to better understand the role of corporations in promoting such systemic change. We present four case studies—representing diverse industries and change mechanisms—-to investigate corporate leadership in sustainability transitions. The cases examine a wide range of mechanisms used by corporations to progress toward sustainability, such as political coalition building and information strategies through eco-labels, socially responsible investing, and the public statements of CEOs. In this introduction, we discuss the challenges associated with both achieving and studying systemic change, explain the rationale for a case study approach, describe the findings from the case studies, and draw some general conclusions on the mechanisms by which firms may be able to lead, or at least participate in, systemic change in the different phases of sustainability transitions.
While prior ecolabel research suggests that consumers’ trust of ecolabel sponsors is associated with their purchase of ecolabeled products, we know little about how third-party certification might relate to consumer purchases when trust... more
While prior ecolabel research suggests that consumers’ trust of ecolabel sponsors is associated with their purchase of ecolabeled products, we know little about how third-party certification might relate to consumer purchases when trust varies. Drawing on cognitive theory and a stratified random sample of more than 1200 consumers, we assess how third-party certification relates to consumers’ use of ecolabels across different program sponsors. We find that consumers’ trust of government and environmental NGOs to provide credible environmental information encourages consumers’ use of ecolabels sponsored by these entities, and consumers do not differentiate between certified versus uncertified ecolabels in the presence of trust. By contrast, consumers’ distrust of private business to provide credible environmental information discourages their use of business association sponsored ecolabels. However, these ecolabels may be able to overcome consumer distrust if their sponsors certify the ecolabels using third-party auditors. These findings are important to sponsors who wish develop ecolabels that are more credible to consumers, and thus encourage more widespread ecolabel use.
The goal of this research was to shed light on the trade-offs that salmon consumers make between five types of production and health attributes of farmed salmon. In Canada, the major southern Ontario market cleaved into five distinct... more
The goal of this research was to shed light on the trade-offs that salmon consumers make between five types of production and health attributes of farmed salmon. In Canada, the major southern Ontario market cleaved into five distinct consumer segments that varied according to age and income, ‘tastes’, and threat perceptions. There was strong consumer aversion to increased levels of
Tourism is an important aspect of the lives of the European citizens, who travel more and more for leisure or business. To this end, since the early 1980s the European Union and in particular, the European Commission and the European... more
Tourism is an important aspect of the lives of the European citizens, who travel more and more for leisure or business. To this end, since the early 1980s the European Union and in particular, the European Commission and the European Parliament, have
been developing actions aiming at promoting sustainable tourism development. The main goal is to improve the tourism services within the EU and foster competitiveness of the European tourism industry with respect to the natural and cultural environment. The EU Ecolabel, a voluntary scheme established in 1992 in order to encourage businesses to market environmentally friendly products and services, has been an important tool to this
direction.
This paper aims at researching and studying analytically the EU institutional framework with regard to the EU Ecolabel awarding, highlighting the EU initiatives and actions for the promotion of the EU Ecolabel and exploring the way EU Regulations and
Directives have been incorporated into the Greek law system.
KEYWORDS: EU Ecolabel, tourist accommodation, tourist campsites, sustainable tourism development, EU ‘flower’
With more than 450 eco-labels worldwide, consumers have greater access to information about which products offer superior environmental attributes. How does a consumer decide which eco-labels are more likely to improve environmental... more
With more than 450 eco-labels worldwide, consumers have greater access to information about which products offer superior environmental attributes. How does a consumer decide which eco-labels are more likely to improve environmental outcomes? Eco-label’s sponsor can provide a useful cue for consumers looking to determine the strength of an eco-label’s rules and which are more likely to promote improved environmental performance outcomes.
This paper contributes to an ongoing effort by scholars to bridge the gap between the growing literatures on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethical consum- erism (EC) by proposing that these phenomena be considered as two ends... more
This paper contributes to an ongoing effort by scholars to bridge the gap between the growing literatures on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and ethical consum- erism (EC) by proposing that these phenomena be considered as two ends of an economic communication system linking companies and consumers. Though some researchers have called into question the data sources that most ethical consumers rely on when making their decisions in the marketplace and others have noted the shortcomings in the accuracy of our systems of CSR measurement, in neither of these cases have researchers been able to uncover viable alternatives to the imperfect solution of third party certifications (aka ecolabels). Emerging consumer-oriented CSR rating systems, being utilized by millions of consumers in the Anglosphere, may represent some of the first alternatives for CSR and EC scholars, as well as for ethical consumers themselves. This research compares the four most popular consumer- oriented CSR measurement systems produced in the US (GoodGuide, Better World Shopper), UK (Ethical Consumer) and Australia (Shop Ethical). While thousands of companies are rated in each system, statistical analyses are focused on comparing the CSR ratings of the 106 companies common to all four systems. The findings reveal that although each system’s goals of measuring CSR are closely aligned, out- comes are considerably divergent.
With more than 450 eco-labels worldwide, consumers have greater access to information about which products offer superior environmental attributes. How does a consumer decide which eco-labels are more likely to improve environmental... more
With more than 450 eco-labels worldwide, consumers have greater access to information about which products offer superior environmental attributes. How does a consumer decide which eco-labels are more likely to improve environmental outcomes? Eco-label’s sponsor can provide a useful cue for consumers looking to determine the strength of an eco-label’s rules and which are more likely to promote improved environmental performance outcomes.
