Branding

New Report - What Assures Consumers in an Economic Downturn?

– 28th May 2009

This latest research report ‘What Assures Consumers in an Economic Downturn?’ highlights that consumer attitudes to corporate responsibility have remained fairly stable during the early days of this downturn, comments Barry Clavin, Ethical Policies and Sustainability Reporting Manager, The Co-operative Group. He also says in the foreword of the report that, issues that mattered to consumers back in 2006 remain important today. Download the Full Report.

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China urged to increase food safety in the supply chain

– 12th May 2009

Many Chinese food companies lag behind foreign firms in ensuring food safety, partly because consumers do not trust safety certification, said experts yesterday.

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Clarity and Transparency Needed for Green Claims

– 18th Sep 2008 by Alex Briggs

Brands making green claims about their products need clarity on what they can and cannot say. This Ethical Corp. article highlights the difficulty for corporations in proving their green claims. The use of language, including sustainability and “low-carbon” were highlighted as terms that are difficult to prove and could potentially leave global brands open to criticism.

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Latest Survey Indicates Americans want proof of green claims

– 23rd Apr 2008

90% of Americans say that companies need to prove their green claims, 80% say they should have independent third-party certification of those claims.

This Environmental Leader article highlights the Green Gap Survey from Cone and The Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship surveyed US consumers on a range of topics regarding environmental products and the companies selling them.

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Chiquita admits protection payments to Colombian terrorist groups

– 22nd Feb 2008

Chiquita Brands is under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department for bribing Colombian terrorist groups, apparently to protect workers in the country, Ethical corporation reports.

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Co-op Gets Serious: No caged hens, only Fairtrade hot drinks, reduce pesticides + packaging

– 11th Feb 2008 by Alex Briggs

The Co-operative Group, have announced transparent, detailed plans on addressing stakeholder concerns. They will ban the sale of eggs from caged hens, convert its entire own-brand hot beverage range to Fairtrade, reduce the weight of its wine packaging and add a further 66 pesticides to its prohibited list.

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Wal Mart to pay more for sustainably sourced products

– 4th Feb 2008 by Alex Briggs

Lee Scott, CEO and President of CEO commented,

“The drive will see the retailer favour - and in some cases even pay more - for suppliers that meet our standards and share our commitment to quality and sustainability”.
“Paying more in the short term for quality will mean paying less in the long term as a company. Higher quality products will mean better value, fewer problems, fewer returns and greater trust with our customers,”

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Are ethical food labels telling the whole story?

– 14th Jan 2008 by Alex Briggs

Organic or fairtrade? Sustainable or certified? With so many labels on food, clothes and white goods, it’s a miracle that we make it to the checkout before closing time. This article in the Observer takes a look at some of the labels out there. Which ones live up to their eco credentials?

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WWF Luxury Brand Research

– 12th Dec 2007 by Alex Briggs

The WWF has sponsored some interesting research into the Social, Economic and Governance performance of the world’s leading luxury brands.

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Most Green Marketing Claims Aren’t True, Says New Report

– 19th Nov 2007 by Sarah Whitworth

The overwhelming majority of environmental marketing claims in North America are inaccurate, inappropriate, or unsubstantiated, according to a comprehensive survey released today.

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