Smart Approved WaterMark - Certified is one of the declarations under the Ekko Score Energy, Utility & Building Standard.
Smart Approved WaterMark - Certified products are specifically designed for and have proven a direct correlation between their use and water savings. They are typically washers, irrigation equipment, mulches, pool covers, water efficient services and soil amendments. Products and services must also be environmentally sustainable while satisfying the other criteria, and despite claimed water savings will not adversely affect the environment.
Water is a scarce resource and efficiency products and services help save water around the home, garden and business. Smart Approved Watermark are committed to making ‘water visible’ so that Australians relate to it, value it and want to use it efficiently. You can get more information on the Smart Approved Watermark website.
Smart Approved WaterMark - Certified sits in the BUILDINGS Family under the Environmental Standard: Energy, Utility & Building 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: Energy, Utility & Building. 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 No Exploitation 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.