No Added Hormones - Self Declared is one of the declarations under the Ekko Score Conservation & Environment Standard.
No Added Hormones - Self Declared usually relates to animal or animal related products. It typically refers to the fact that the relevant animal has received no synthetic hormones, which are typically used for the promotion of either growth or milk production. (Hormone-free labels do not disclose what the animals were fed or if they are free range or had access to pasture.) Australian law prohibits the use of hormones on poultry and in dairy products. However, Australian law does permit the use of hormones in beef cattle and pigs. Hormonal growth promotants (HGPs) are used in cattle to accelerate weight gain. Reporcin and Ractopamine are hormones used in the Australian pork industry and they are administered daily for 30 days during the 'finisher' stage or the latter stage of production before slaughter.
No Added Hormones - Self Declared supports the demand for environmentally and socially responsible goods. While the pork and beef industry advocate that there is little difference in the hormone levels between no added hormones and added hormones, it is still true that many countries have banned the use of hormones with pigs.
No Added Hormones - Self Declared sits in the GMO & CHEMICAL FREE Family under the Environmental Standard: Organic - Chemical Free of Ekko Score. One set of weighted Ekko Score points are gathered from each Family.
These are the claimable declarations & certifications under the Environmental Standard: Organic - Chemical Free . Please note that different certifications and declarations may be relevant to each category.
Yes, where the impact of the claim is similar. This is how it works.
IMPORTANTLY, SELF DECLARATIONS ARE GOVERNED BY CONSUMER LAW. IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR BUSINESSES TO MAKE FALSE CLAIMS (INCLUDING IMPLIED CLAIMS IN A CONTEXT LIKE EKKO SCORE).
EVEN IF A PRODUCT HAS A FORMAL CERTIFICATION, THAT CERTIFICATION DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ENTIRE INTEGRITY OF THE PRODUCT'S MAKE UP.
An example might be a Handmade, Australian, Certified Organic chocolate that contains Palm Oil. Under Ekko Score, this product would claim Certified Organic and would self declare: Zero Waste Production and Australian made, but could not claim the No Palm Oil declaration. This would mean a lower score under the Conservation & Environment Standard, making the inclusion of Palm Oil clear to potential consumers, without detracting from its other assets.
No product is perfect, but some products are definitely better than others. Ekko Score allows you to make the best decision you can, or to put it another way, the least worst decision. And to make that decision with the confidence of not being green washed. Find out more about how Ekko Score works.