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August 24, 2026
To help bridge the technical gap in climate-mitigation finance, Green Initiative presents this guide for financial institutions and SMEs as one component of a broader architecture for CMF tracking and deployment. Focused on GHG emissions measurement, reporting, verification and the planning and selection of mitigation projects, the guide is designed to accelerate the flow of mitigation resources in line with globally recognized decarbonization strategies. It provides a structured set of concepts, principles, and methodologies to help FIs and SMEs.
This Practical Guide for Financial Institutions and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises was developed by Green Initiative and in support of the Glasgow Declaration Initiative on Climate Action in Tourism.
More details at One Planet Network knowledge center.
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August 17, 2026
Ecolabels and sustainable certification schemes are powerful instruments for advancing global sustainability commitments. By setting robust sustainability performance criteria across value chains, they incentivize best practices, improve transparency, and can expand market access for more sustainable products and services. For consumers, ecolabels and sustainable certification schemes are key enablers to support more sustainable consumption.
Yet, despite their potential, these tools face challenges in developing robust criteria for rapidly evolving sustainability priorities, such as biodiversity protection, climate mitigation, and pollution reduction. These areas are inherently complex, context-specific, and still evolving in terms of metrics and data availability. As a result, translating these “trend” topics into measurable and verifiable criteria remains difficult.
This document aims to support ecolabels and sustainability certification schemes in identifying and considering relevant aspects related to climate, biodiversity, and pollution in the development of criteria for products and services across four high-impact sectors: building and construction, food, textiles, and electronics/ICT. The guidance promotes a lifecycle and holistic approach, highlighting priority areas—referred to as “hotspots”—within each value chain.
The intended audience of these guidelines includes ecolabels and other sustainable certification schemes, as well as stakeholders seeking to integrate environmental criteria for specific products, such as sustainable public procurement programs and initiatives aimed at enhancing transparency and facilitating access to consumer sustainability information in product supply chains, including Digital Product Information Systems.
This guidance was compiled under the Consumer Information Programme of the One Planet Network and the EcoAdvance project, jointly implemented by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Öko-Institute. It is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN) through the International Climate Initiative (IKI). The project promotes synergies between ecolabelling and public procurement, fostering more sustainable production and consumption practices and contributing to environmental conservation, biodiversity protection, and climate change mitigation.
More details at UNEP One Planet Network knowledge center.
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August 10, 2026
The rapid rise of the "olfactory economy" has brought fragrance products into a wide array of public and private spaces. Yet the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other pollutants they continuously release are posing a growing, often overlooked threat to consumers' respiratory health.
In January 2026, a pivotal group standard-Limit of Harmful Substances in Daily-use Fragrances, issued by the Shanghai Indoor Environmental Purification Industry Association-took effect. For the first time, it extends safety requirements beyond the product itself to cover the entire lifecycle, establishing strict limits on major health hazards, including total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), formaldehyde, benzene compounds, PM2.5, and five heavy metals.
Now, the China Environmental United Certification Center (CEC) has joined forces with the association to carry out professional evaluations of fragrance products in line with this new standard. Through authoritative third-party certification, the collaboration aims to give consumers clear, trustworthy safety labels, while steering the industry away from marketing-led growth toward technology-driven innovation. The ultimate goal: to help companies earn market trust through demonstrably safer products, and to genuinely protect every breath we take.
More details at one planet network knowledge center.
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August 3, 2026
Recently, CEC (China Environmental United Certification Center) granted the first “Zero-Waste Factory” evaluation certificate in the electrical and electronics sector of China to Motorola (Wuhan) Mobile Technology Communications Co., Ltd., a manufacturing base under Lenovo Group. This landmark recognition underscores how leading electronics manufacturers are advancing circularity, product life cycle responsibility, and sustainable operations aligned with consumer values.
The certification marks a significant step in promoting “Zero-Waste City Cells”, such as zero-waste factories and supply chains, which directly contribute to reducing environmental footprints and enhancing resource efficiency-key concerns for eco-conscious consumers. By obtaining this credential, Lenovo’s Motorola facility demonstrates tangible commitment to sustainable production practices, strengthening its brand image as an environmentally responsible enterprise.
CEC, in collaboration with the China Household Electrical Appliances Research Institute, has been developing standards and evaluation frameworks for zero-waste facilities since 2024, ensuring rigorous, industry-relevant benchmarks. The partnership combines technical expertise with certification authority, offering credible validation of corporate sustainability efforts that consumers can trust.
For consumers, this achievement signals greater transparency and accountability in electronics manufacturing, linking product purchases to broader environmental benefits like reduced waste generation and enhanced material recycling. It highlights how corporate sustainability initiatives can drive tangible progress toward national green goals, including Beautiful China construction.
Moving forward, CEC plans to scale up zero-waste and low-carbon certification services across more sectors, refine professional evaluation frameworks and further support sustainable consumption and production.
More details at One Planet Network website.
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July 27, 2026
The Global Framework for Action - Using Public Food Procurement as a Strategic Driver of Sustainable Food Systems supports governments in using public food procurement as a strategic tool to promote more sustainable food production and consumption patterns. Developed through a multi-stakeholder process led by UNEP and FAO, the Framework provides a flexible roadmap for integrating social, economic, and environmental sustainability objectives into food procurement systems.
Organized around three core principles, enabling governance and regulatory framework, strengthening public demand-side capacity, and supporting inclusive and resilient supply chains, the Framework offers a practical “menu” of actions that countries can adapt to their national and local contexts. By shaping public demand for food, SPFP can contribute to healthier diets, stronger local economies, biodiversity conservation, reduced pollution, and lower greenhouse gas emissions across food systems.
More details at one planet network knowledge center.
Download the report at one planet network website.
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July 20, 2026
Lately, the report of Practices Collection-Innovative Application on Carbon Label and Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management was jointly released within the collaboration between International Green Purchasing Network (IGPN) and the One Planet Network Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) Programme, which was produced by IGPN Secretariat-China Environmental United Certification Center (CEC).
The Practices Collection brings together innovative supply chain practices from seven organizations across four countries: China, the United States, Thailand, and the Netherland. By summarizing practical experience and demonstrating phased achievements, the Practices Collection effectively enhances supplier capacity, promotes the adoption of carbon labelling, and stimulates market and supply-side demand for sustainable products and services.
Practice #7｜Green manufacturing and supply chain transformation: A practice of Farizon (Zhejiang) new energy commercial vehicles
Theme: Remanufacturing and cleaner production and carbon label
Core Content
This document focuses monetization on full supply chain carbon reduction, an integrated supply chain management system with four key components of "green supply chain, low-carbon logistics, zero-carbon manufacturing and resource recycling" built by Farizon New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group (Farizon), through measures including supply chain carbon management, low carbon logistic system, zero-carbon manufacturing, resource recycling system, and digital platform.
It is essential to be highlighted that the practice Integrated scenario-based service platform with circular ecosystem, enable carbon reduction investment cost of individual corporate, and enhances the overall sustainable competitiveness of the industrial chain through collaboration. Meanwhile, the digital platform it builds to monitor carbon emission reduction and convert emission reduction into liquid carbon assets on the basis of decarbonization, providing a replicable and measurable reference for supply chain carbon reduction.
Innovation in Supply chain Management
This practice demonstrates how can facilitate innovation from aspects of full coverage, digital & standard empowerment, ecosystem collaboration, and mechanism innovation in supply chain management:
Full coverage: full-chain carbon reduction framework was established covering the stage of "upstream, manufacturing, logistics and transportation, product operation, recycling";
Digital & standard empowerment: Integrate digitalization with standard building to ensure all emission reduction measures are traceable, assessable and replicable;
Ecosystem collaboration: Integrated scenario-based service platform with circular ecosystem, enable carbon reduction cost of the industrial chain through collaboration;
Mechanism innovation: Establish a virtuous cycle that links "qualified targets, technology commercialization, revenue reinvestment" to transforming carbon reduction from "cost centre" into "value driver".
This practice creates an integrated low-carbon system covering four key areas: green supply chains, low-carbon logistics, zero-carbon manufacturing and resource recycling. It uses a digital platform to visualize and control carbon emissions across the whole industrial chain. By upgrading production, logistics and recycling models and designing new ways to convert carbon assets, the practice sets an easy-to-follow example for commercial vehicle manufacturers to adopt green production and cut carbon across supply chains.
Learn more at the report Practices Collection: Innovative Application on Carbon Label & Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management.
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category : Topics
July 20, 2026
Lately, the report of Practices Collection-Innovative Application on Carbon Label and Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management was jointly released within the collaboration between International Green Purchasing Network (IGPN) and the One Planet Network Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) Programme, which was produced by IGPN Secretariat-China Environmental United Certification Center (CEC).
The Practices Collection brings together innovative supply chain practices from seven organizations across four countries: China, the United States, Thailand, and the Netherland. By summarizing practical experience and demonstrating phased achievements, the Practices Collection effectively enhances supplier capacity, promotes the adoption of carbon labelling, and stimulates market and supply-side demand for sustainable products and services.
Practice #6｜Integrate corporation carbon governance for sustainable development: Establishment, innovation and practice of Midea RAC carbon footprint management system
Theme: Corporate supplier management; Digitization and carbon label/carbon reduction
Core Content
This practice focuses on the carbon footprint management system establishment of‘Midea RAC’ through measures including standard development, digital platform, information disclosure, and green design. These efforts promote the design of green air-conditioning products and the application of carbon labelling, which accelerates the green and low-carbon transformation of the Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) industry.
It is essential to highlight that the practice drives collaborative carbon reduction along the supply chain through a carbon footprint management system. Meanwhile, the corporate carbon footprint management platform enhances international mutual recognition and provides replicable experience for carbon management in the industry.
Innovation in Supply chain Management
This practice demonstrates how can facilitate innovation from aspects of dual-wheel drive mode, end-to-end system platform, green supply chain management in supply chain management:
Dual-wheel drive mode: Systematically elevate carbon management, based on the combination of fundamental capability of standard development and digital platform with the demonstration application of information disclosure and green design;
End-to-end system platform: Build the product carbon platform into a credible platform, achieve the closed-loop management which include platform development, system construction, evaluation and recognition, calculation and application, and carbon footprint certification;
Green supply chain management: Empower and collaborate with small and medium-sized suppliers, build an industry-specific database for raw materials and components, promote green supply chain management measures, and drive carbon reduction throughout the entire value chain.
Tailored to industry features, this practice builds a standardized, digital full-chain carbon footprint management system. By leading the formulation of industry standards and self-developed carbon management platform, It solves typical flaws of conventional carbon accounting: inaccurate calculations and disconnected data. Through supply chain collaboration, green tech innovation and carbon information disclosure, forms a complete carbon management loop featured with a three-component carbon management consisting of standards, digital platforms and real-world applications, delivers coordinated carbon reduction across the whole supply chain, serving as an excellent model for home appliance and manufacturing sectors to manage carbon footprints and build green supply chains.
Learn more at the report Practices Collection: Innovative Application on Carbon Label & Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management.
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category : Topics
July 20, 2026
Lately, the report of Practices Collection-Innovative Application on Carbon Label and Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management was jointly released within the collaboration between International Green Purchasing Network (IGPN) and the One Planet Network Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) Programme, which was produced by IGPN Secretariat-China Environmental United Certification Center (CEC).
The Practices Collection brings together innovative supply chain practices from seven organizations across four countries: China, the United States, Thailand, and the Netherland. By summarizing practical experience and demonstrating phased achievements, the Practices Collection effectively enhances supplier capacity, promotes the adoption of carbon labelling, and stimulates market and supply-side demand for sustainable products and services.
Practice #5｜Requiring life cycle CO2 emissions calculation, reduction, and compensation for carbon efficient and climate neutral IT products
Theme: Public institute supplier management
Core Content
This practice focuses on requiring life cycle CO2 emissions calculation, reduction, and compensation for carbon efficient and climate neutral IT products of procurement strategy “Procurement with impact” launched by the Government of the Netherlands. Through the procurement rules, requirements and reporting mechanisms for calculating, reducing and compensating CO2 emissions, contractors are committed to take actions to reduce CO2 emissions in the supply chain, hence to fulfill the government's climate target.
It is essential to be highlighted that the practice has combining economic measures such as carbon emission reduction and carbon footprint compensation, and also introducing incentives for purchasing carbon credits in accordance with stricter standards, has enhanced the willingness of participants to reduce emissions.
Innovation in Supply chain Management
This practice demonstrates how can facilitate innovation from aspects of full-process low-carbon target embedding, standard-linked tender incentives, regular-report dynamic supervision in supply chain management:
Full-process low-carbon target embedding：The government’s sustainability commitments (with references to the Paris agreement, the Dutch climate agreement, its procurement strategy, etc.) and the main sustainability objectives are described in the document of the general context, framework, and conditions of the contracts, sustainability are included in procurement procedures;
Standard-linked tender incentives: In the technical specifications, contractors were required to provide the carbon footprint of the products purchased under the contract, to provide support and define actions to contribute to the overall IT carbon footprint, to compensate the estimated carbon footprint emissions of the products purchased through the appropriate compensation programmes, meanwhile, if suppliers committed to buy credits from projects complying with stricter sustainability standards, points were awarded;
Regular-report dynamic supervision: Regular monthly and yearly reports to monitor contract deployment and the contribution to the organization’s corporate responsibility goals were compulsory required to the contractors. In the monthly sales reports, contractors had to provide, for each purchased product, their carbon footprint and compensation, among other information. In the yearly reports on corporate responsibility, information of CO2 emission and compensation were required.
The Netherland“Procurement with impact”procurement practice model integrates carbon footprint control, carbon credit offsets, tender rewards and ongoing oversight. It offers an easy-to-follow template for public agencies to buy low-carbon IT goods and better manage suppliers’ carbon emissions.
Learn more at the report Practices Collection: Innovative Application on Carbon Label & Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management.
...continue to read
category : Topics
July 20, 2026
Lately, the report of Practices Collection-Innovative Application on Carbon Label and Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management was jointly released within the collaboration between International Green Purchasing Network (IGPN) and the One Planet Network Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) Programme, which was produced by IGPN Secretariat-China Environmental United Certification Center (CEC).
The Practices Collection brings together innovative supply chain practices from seven organizations across four countries: China, the United States, Thailand, and the Netherland. By summarizing practical experience and demonstrating phased achievements, the Practices Collection effectively enhances supplier capacity, promotes the adoption of carbon labelling, and stimulates market and supply-side demand for sustainable products and services.
Practice #4｜CO2 Performance Ladder: A proven and effective GPP best practice
Theme: Public institute/corporation supplier management; Low carbon logistics; Carbon inclusion
Core Content
This practice focuses on the “CO2 Performance Ladder” (Ladder) which integrates carbon management, green procurement incentives and third-party verification, in order to achieve global climate targets through helping organizations to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050 or before. These include, on one hand, defining three Steps of ambition for organizations to realize energy savings and reduce CO2 emissions in their own organization, projects and in the supply chain; and on other hand, providing advice to contracting authorities on how they can incorporate the "Ladder" into their tenders, procurement policies, rules and requirements. The third-party verification, shifts the burden of proof for procurers, making it easier to be applied.
It is essential to highlight that the Ladder, contributes to the monitoring of GPP, and encourages participants to develop new tools, products and methods to reduce emissions.
Innovation in Supply chain Management
This practice demonstrates how can facilitate innovation from aspects of low-carbon procurement management mechanism and establish a standardized carbon management system in supply chain management:
Low-carbon procurement management mechanism: incorporating the Ladder award criterion into the procurement documents; incorporating the advantage available per ‘CO2 Ambition level’ in the tender document; awarding contract based on the price-quality ratio and the CO2 ambition level offered by the contractors. target which recorded in the contract. After signing the contract, the winning contractor(s) shall execute the contract and demonstrate its compliance with the offered CO2 ambition level within a set period, and annually thereafter.
Standardized carbon management system: organizations can choose themselves at which of the three steps established by the Ladder they wish to be certified. Then, they can take different measures by following the specific requirements of the ladder, grouped into four ‘angles’ - "insight, reduction, communication and collaboration" and by implementing a continuous improvement (PDCA) cycle, in order to structurally manage and reduce energy use and carbon emissions.
This practice introduces a carbon management system for government purchasing, built on three core measures: tiered rating standards, tender rewards and independent third-party checks. Using government purchasing power to encourage suppliers to actively cut carbon emissions, this model offers practical new ideas for public organizations to decarbonize their supply chains and roll out carbon benefit programs.
Learn more at the report Practices Collection: Innovative Application on Carbon Label & Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management.
...continue to read
category : Topics
July 20, 2026
Lately, the report of Practices Collection-Innovative Application on Carbon Label and Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management was jointly released within the collaboration between International Green Purchasing Network (IGPN) and the One Planet Network Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) Programme, which was produced by IGPN Secretariat-China Environmental United Certification Center (CEC).
The Practices Collection brings together innovative supply chain practices from seven organizations across four countries: China, the United States, Thailand, and the Netherland. By summarizing practical experience and demonstrating phased achievements, the Practices Collection effectively enhances supplier capacity, promotes the adoption of carbon labelling, and stimulates market and supply-side demand for sustainable products and services.
Practice #3｜Analysis on greenhouse gas emissions hotspots and reduction levers for retailer products
Theme: Innovation in retail supply chain management
Core Content
This practice focuses on the greenhouse gas emission “hotspots” associated with the retail industry. It outlines the climate impacts of the raw materials used to make products, the manufacturing process, retail operations, getting the products to consumers’ homes and consumer impacts from using and disposing of products, emphasized on the main hotspots and the consumer and retailers’ connection to these and how they can contribute to GHG emission reduction through their measures and decisions.
It is essential to be highlighted that key levers are product selection, how the product is transported “the last mile” and the way the consumer uses the products. These entailed for consumers awareness on key levers and retailers focus on measures providing environment and climate friendly products or creating resell market, which tend to influence consumers making choice and using based on reducing its own climate impacts.
Innovation in Supply chain Management
This practice demonstrates how can facilitate carbon reduction and circular innovation throughout entire chain in supply chain management:
Packaging Reduction: Promote reusable and refillable containers to cut waste of packaging materials at source.
Second-hand circulation system: Build a resale platform for second-hand goods to boost the circular flow of lightly used products and extend product lifecycles.
Optimize sustainable product supply: Expand the range of sustainable and low-carbon products, empowering consumers to embrace green lifestyles and advance sustainable development goals.
Low-carbon operational transformation: Reduce operational energy consumption, switch to clean energy, improve resource recycling rates and cut waste emissions, so as to comprehensively mitigate the climate impact of business activities.
This practice establishes a retail supply chain carbon management model featuring stakeholder coordination across the full product lifecycle, breaking away from the narrow production-side carbon reduction mindset. It achieves supply chain carbon reduction and the advancement of green consumption, by means of optimizing product supply, consumers awareness raising, and circular system building, offering replicable practical approaches for the low-carbon transformation of the retail industry.
Learn more at the report Practices Collection: Innovative Application on Carbon Label & Carbon Reduction Integrated Supply Chain Management.
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