What do we look for in a “sustainable” brand?
From the start of Green Salon’s story, two years ago, we’ve been focused on promoting the best green brands out there. How exactly we do that is getting an upgrade; we’ve spent the last several months revising and updating our methodology for the Green Salon Directory and over the coming weeks we are thrilled to be able to share some insight with you on the changes to come.
When we launched Green Salon in the autumn of 2021, we set out to promote the innovative brands that are redefining the way we live through being at the cutting edge of sustainability; those brands that prioritise slashing their carbon emissions and ours, getting plastic out of the waste system and regenerating the soil, the seas and the oceans.
But we also knew that we could not recommend brands for their sustainability unless we knew hand-on-heart that they were doing what they said they were doing about their sustainability mission. So we created the Green Salon Directory.
From the moment we launched our directory, our focus has been on filtering the truly sustainable brands from those that are greenwashing and helping you, the consumer, know what brands you can rely on in your journey to a sustainable life. Unfortunately, the lure of the green pound means that some “sustainable” brands are not as sustainable as they seem. An investigation by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) a couple of years ago found that 40% of sustainable brands appeared to be making misleading claims about how sustainable they really are.
So in January 2022, the CMA launched the Green Claims Code which requires companies that make claims about their “sustainability” to back these claims with evidence, which should be easily accessible for consumers to check for themselves. But don’t worry, we know that you don’t have time to check each sustainable brand is living up to this code.
We do that so you don’t have to!
The Green Claims Code tells brands what they need to be doing to be green.
At our launch, the original methodology we used to analyse brands was devised with the size of Green Salon in mind. Often, these analyses were carried out by our founder, Lucy, over the phone. This was a lengthy process and, as such, the methodology was formed with a focus on simplicity - though never at the expense of accuracy.
The core principles that have always guided Green Salon centre around prioritisation of the planet, people, animals, regeneration and circularity. The methodology we used reflected both this and our aim for simplicity with just 30 questions that got to the core of a brand’s ethos, allowing us to determine if it aligned with our own.
Since then, Green Salon has continued to grow and amass an incredible, engaged community. As we’ve grown, we’ve realised that we can support a more detailed approach to determining a brand's sustainability, being more ambitious with the demands we make. With this in mind, the methodology we use to determine how ‘green’ a brand really is has recently had an overhaul.
What Are We Looking For?
Whilst we’re preparing to launch this new methodology, and our updated directory, we wanted to let you in on the guiding principles of the updates we’ve made. Firstly, for this level of our analysis, we’ve moved away from seeking out behind the scenes information. We are concerned with transparency and honesty when it comes to sustainable policies and thus we are approaching brands from a consumer perspective, currently only considering publicly accessible sources when analysing a brand. Within these sources, these are some things we are checking for:
Telling the truth: the most important thing we look for in a company is that it is wholly transparent about where it is on its sustainability journey. We know that embarking on the path to a sustainable business is a complex one, with the competing needs of balancing profit and purpose. But it is also vital for consumers who choose green brands to know that their money is supporting a business that is committed to minimising its impact on the planet. And this can only be done by being totally transparent about how the company is navigating the process.
Data, data, data: the sustainable business mantra is that you can’t manage what you don’t measure. So when we assess companies we look for a rigorous approach to understanding their impact by taking steps to measure their emissions, having a deep understanding of their supply chain, quantifying the impact of their production, distribution, use and end-of-life of their products. Solid data is the only way a consumer can truly trust a brand.
Not marking their own homework: we look at brands’ certification, accreditation and standards because third party verification is key to ensuring that policies and practices are being adhered to.
Sustainability is holistic: it is no longer enough for a company to make a sustainable baseball cap and call itself a green brand. Sustainable brands now need to be sustainable in all areas of their business, from their packaging to their carbon reduction programmes. Our assessment looks at companies in the round to understand the extent to which their model is holistic.
Space for learning: We believe that properly thought through plans, measurable progress, and awareness are also important metrics when analysing a brands sustainability. Thus, our assessment accounts for a brand’s clearly defined goals as they move towards improving their sustainability.
Empowering consumers: the point of our ranking system is to make it easier for consumers to find green brands, and learn about how well they are doing in their sustainability missions. We believe that by empowering consumers with this knowledge we can move the dial much faster on the transition to a greener world.
Here’s our handy guide to spotting greenwashing.
We know that as much as we would all like to shop and live sustainably, it can be confusing and overwhelming. Like we said, not everyone has time to check every ‘sustainable’ brand to ensure their claims are true.
So think of of us as your greenwash-filter to ensure that brands are not just working on their impact - but also being honest and open about how they communicate it. In aiming to represent consumers, it needs to be your opinions that are our guide. Our methodology is always evolving not just as our understanding around sustainability evolves but also as consumers needs change and grow. And it’s our mission to make sure that our directory reflects your needs and priorities.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on our new methodology and the journey we’ve taken thus far. Tell us how you feel about our guiding priorities and if they reflect your own. You can comment below, email us at info@greensalon.co.uk or DM us on instagram @greensalonconsultancy to let us know!
DISCLAIMER:
It is important to note that we are not a certification body, nor are we auditors, so, like consumers, we rely on companies to tell the truth about their sustainability policies, practices and goals in their publicly available claims.
What sustainable laundry detergent is best for you? Take our NEW quiz here to find out your best path to a greener life.
Want to know more about what we look for? Check out our new and improved How our directory works