Dutch NGO report says sustainability certification schemes give false confidence

In the Netherlands, many certification schemes which supposedly help consumers make environmentally friendly decisions when buying food and biofuels containing palm oil were found to stand in the way of sustainability and should undergo significant reform, according to a new report.

The findings come in new research from the Changing Markets Foundation, which investigated whether voluntary certification schemes for seafood, palm oil and textiles are accurately guiding consumers towards sustainable products.

In the vast majority of cases, the evidence of schemes’ benefits was lacking, while the report revealed many cases, in which they provided cover for companies that are destroying the environment.