Sustainable Products & Services (SPSv2.0i-2020)

GECA has designed the Sustainable Products & Services standard to be a unique fusion containing the robust nature of a lifecycle ecolabel with the data generation of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). 

An LCA is a science-based tool that can help evaluate the environmental or social impacts of products and services throughout their whole lifecycle, from raw materials extraction to their end-of-life.

However, unlike other LCA services, by certifying under GECA’s lifecycle ecolabel standard, a product or service must demonstrate that it produces a reduced environmental load compared to current typical offerings without compromising other areas of sustainability, such as social or health impacts. 

The Sustainable Products & Services standard is especially suited to those products and services not currently covered by existing GECA standard categories, designed using circular economy principles. 

The standard sets requirements that aim to provide a benefit by:

• encouraging recovery, reuse, recycling and responsible disposal of materials and packaging

• ensuring that the product or service demonstrates a significantly reduced environmental impact compared to other current offerings that meet the same consumer need

• reducing the use and subsequent release of environmentally harmful substances to the environment at all stages of the product’s life cycle, including ozone depleting substances

• preventing the use of specific hazardous materials and toxic heavy metals such as known carcinogens and mutagens

• ensuring workers and suppliers through the supply chain can expect fair pay, equal opportunity, and a safe working environment

This standard supersedes the Environmentally Innovative Products (GECA 08-2007) standard.