Getting the "Green" Message Right: A New Framework for Environmental Marketing

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - January 26, 2010) - As more consumers consider environmental features important in their purchasing decisions, businesses have a keen interest in communicating the "green" attributes of their products. Getting the message right is far from easy. To help marketers and advertisers avoid the mistakes of vague, non-specific or misleading environmental claims, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has produced a new global Framework for Responsible Environmental Marketing Communications (available at http://www.uscib.org/docs/icc_framework_on_environmental_marketing_claims.pdf).

Launched today at a seminar for marketing professionals and self-regulation experts in New York, the framework responds to a call from industry stakeholders on how to better engage in, and evaluate, environmental marketing communications to ensure consumer confidence in these claims is safeguarded.

ICC is the largest, most representative business organization in the world. Its thousands of member companies in over 120 countries have interests spanning every sector of private enterprise. The United States Council for International Business (USCIB), based in New York, serves as ICC's American national committee and hosted today's seminar.

"The new framework helps marketers and their agencies ensure the messages they develop hold up to the basic principles of truthful, honest and socially responsible communications," said John Manfredi, chair of the ICC Marketing and Advertising Commission. "While the principles are simple, applying them amid the hype and fury of new claims and terms that are not universally understood, is more complicated. This guide is an attempt to map that process for companies and provide a standard for self-regulators to evaluate when claims are questioned."

ICC has been a major rule-setter for international advertising since the 1930s, when the first ICC code on advertising practice was issued. Since then, it has extended the ICC self-regulatory framework on many occasions to assist companies in marketing their products responsibly.

Developed by the ICC Commission on Marketing and Advertising, the framework includes a practical checklist aimed at the creators of marketing communications campaigns around environmental claims, as well as a chart that provides an easy reference to relevant provisions of the global advertising code and interpretations on current issues related to environmental marketing.

USCIB promotes international engagement and prudent regulation in support of open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility. More information is available at www.uscib.org.

Contact Information: CONTACTS Jonathan Huneke, VP of Communications, USCIB +1 212.703.5043 jhuneke@uscib.org