Tech for Sustainability - Self Declared is one of the declarations under the Ekko Score Systemic Sustainability Standard.
Tech for Sustainability - Self Declared means that the products, gadgets or services provided by the trader utilize high tech products to offer alternative solutions to unsustainable products & practices or utilizes tech solutions to disseminate information, power, water, transport and space at a speed far greater and cost far lower than would be otherwise achievable.
Tech for Sustainability - Self Declared is important as technology plays an increasingly vital role in building sustainable personal space, neighbourhoods and streets. From personal monitor Apps for toxic chemicals in cosmetics to power sharing platforms, technology reduces both the speed to deliver and cost to the planet for many products. And allows many others to exist at all.
Tech for Sustainability - Self Declared sits in the ENABLES SUSTAINABILITY Family under the Societal Standard: Systemic Sustainability of Ekko Score. One set of weighted Ekko Score points are gathered from each Family.
These are the claimable declarations & certifications under the Societal Standard: Systemic Sustainability. 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.