Why Do Certifications Matter?

When it comes to ‘sustainable’ products, you hear a lot of buzzwords thrown around. Think ‘sustainable’, ‘ethical’, ‘biodegradable’, ‘eco-friendly’ – the list goes on. However, without certifications or independent verification, how can you verify that the claim is true and not just greenwashing (intentional or not)?

If you’re new to the topic, greenwashing is when businesses make false or misleading environmental claims to capitalise on the good intentions of consumers. And greenwashing has consequences: individuals and organisations cannot make informed decisions about the products they want to buy. 

This is where certifications come in.

Certifications create transparency, helping businesses and consumers feel confident in the products and services they support.

Certifications demonstrate a company's commitment to quality, safety and sustainability. It confirms that a company's claims regarding its products, processes and social impacts have passed specific performance, sustainability and quality assurance tests.  

By recognising the right certifications – the ones that are regulated and meet robust standards – consumers and business owners can shop and sell responsibly.

Before we dive into some of the certifications to look for, it’s important to note that not all ‘certifications’ are created equally. 

While certifications exist to give consumers clarity – some certifications can be unclear, misleading or fabricated. Here are a few examples:

• When businesses don’t go into detail on what the certification is or what it means, this could be made up, fabricated or exaggerated. 
• Businesses may use certifications in a misleading way, like insinuating that it applies to a whole product range, instead of just the one product that has the certification.
• Businesses may use a standard certification (for example, the seedling logo that represents industrial composting) without referencing any certification licence beneath it (this could mean their company is not properly certified).
• Lastly, businesses might create their own ‘stamp’ misleading consumers into thinking their product is certified to some official standard.

At BioPak, we’ve made sure our manufacturing facilities and products are certified to several local and international standards. This shows our commitment to doing the right thing – for people and the planet. 

Let’s have a closer look at some of our certifications.

As a certified B Corporation, we’ve met verified higher levels of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. B Corporations, or B Corps, make decisions that make a positive impact for their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment (source). Read our blog on what it means to be a B Corp.

Our plant-based compostable foodservice packaging is certified compostable to Australian and European standards. There are two types of compostable standards you should look for: Home Compostable (AS5810 and NF T51-800) and Industrially Compostable (AS4736 and EN13432). 

Let’s take a closer look at both.

The seedling logo is a registered trademark owned by European Bioplastics and the Australasian Bioplastic Association. It proves that a product is certified industrially compostable according to the European and Australian standards EN13432 and AS4736. This means they can be sent to a commercial composting facility to rapidly biodegrade under controlled conditions, like specific temperature, moisture and oxygen levels. 

For more information on the seedling logo, you can read the European Bioplastics Guidelines For The Use of The Seedling Logo or visit the ABA website for the Australian certifications. 

This is an example of the seedling logo. Make sure you look for this logo AND the company’s sub-licence number stated underneath.

The home compostable logo means a product is certified home compostable to Australian (AS5810) or European (NF T51-800) standards. This means they can be thrown into your backyard compost along with food scraps, grass clippings, leaves and other organic matter. 

The Australian and New Zealand composting standards are similar to the European standards, only in Australia, products have to pass an additional ‘worm test’ to make sure there are no toxic effects on plants and earthworms.

This is an example of the home compostable logo under Australian and New Zealand standards. Make sure you look for this logo AND the company’s sub-licence number stated underneath.

This is an example of the home compostable logo under European standards. Make sure you look for this logo AND the company’s sub-licence number stated underneath.

ISO international Standards provide a series of frameworks for organisations to follow. Defined as formulas that outline the best way of doing something, ISO standards range from IT security all the way to environmental management. 

ISO 14001 is a recognition towards a reduced environmental impact. This can mean things like using less energy and water in their production processes, minimising waste, and using recycled materials.

At BioPak, our goal is to achieve ISO 14001 certification for the majority of our manufacturing facilities by 2025. Most of the facilities are already certified, with two additional suppliers in the process of obtaining their certifications.

ISO 9001:2015 specifies requirements for a quality management system, helping organisations increase quality and consistency, reduce risk of errors and defects and continuous improvement. 

BRC certification is a globally recognised program for meeting food quality and safety standards. It covers areas such as:

• Gluten-free manufacturing
• Plant-based products
• Ethical trade and responsible sourcing 
• Food storage and distribution
• Safe packaging materials 

To become BRC certified, a facility must attend training courses and undergo a multi-day audit by a registered certification body. Only when certified can a website display its BRCGS credentials. 

HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is an internationally recognised standard that defines the requirements for effective food safety control. It should be applied while manufacturing food, ingredients and beverages and is a key element of the CODEX General Principles of Food Hygiene. (Source)

BRC certification is a globally recognised program for meeting food quality and safety standards. It covers areas such as:

• Gluten-free manufacturing
• Plant-based products
• Ethical trade and responsible sourcing 
• Food storage and distribution
• Safe packaging materials 

To become BRC certified, a facility must attend training courses and undergo a multi-day audit by a registered certification body. Only when certified can a website display its BRCGS credentials.

Our packaging solutions are made from rapidly renewable, sustainably sourced materials – like FSC™ certified paper and birchwood. We use FSC™ certified paper for our compostable paper straws and birchwood for our takeaway cutlery.

The Forest Stewardship Council™ is a non-profit organisation that acts to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. Products with the FSC™ certification signify that the material has been sourced from responsibly managed plantations.

Read more about what the FSC™ certification means.

Any product or company can claim they’re doing good for people and the planet, but these claims don’t mean anything without proof. 

To meet the certifications above, companies and products have to go through stringent, time-consuming and costly test regimes. But it’s worth it, because the use of the correct logo and certifications shows a brand’s commitment to doing the right thing. 

This is why we - as consumers - should learn what these certifications represent, how to read them, and when to look for a company licence number. That way, we can support companies with trustworthy certifications committed to doing the right thing.

• Greenwashing Meaning and How To Spot It
• Why We Started Compost Connect
• Recycling vs Composting: Which Is Better?