Ecolabels point the way to more sustainable choices and products

What does it take to obtain such a label?

“A lot! The first step, of course, is to fully understand the requirements of the label. Next, we assess how feasible it is within the context of our activities: do we already meet most of the criteria or is there still a long way to go? Where possible, we make the necessary improvements. When we believe we have a good chance of success, we enter into discussions with the organisation to undergo the required audits. Only when everything – after any final adjustments – is fully in order, do we receive the ecolabel. In 1995, our Pergo floors were our first recipient of an ecolabel: the prestigious Nordic Swan, as the first flooring producer ever! Another key milestone was 10 years ago, when we became the first laminate flooring manufacturer to obtain the EU Ecolabel. That label is awarded by the European Union to the most environmentally friendly products in their category.

But earning a label isn’t the end of the story. Many labels also require regular reassessments to check whether our products are still up to standard. Sometimes, they even introduce stricter requirements to ensure the label retains its value. One example is the very exacting criteria of the Cradle to Cradle (C2C) Bronze certificate for our chipboards and HPL. This globally recognised ecolabel takes into account both environmental and social criteria, such as working conditions. In short, obtaining an ecolabel is far from easy but it’s well worth the effort if it helps our customers make a more sustainable choice.”