Eco labelling, paving the way as a sustainable solution for food safety and quality

Ministry of Environment Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe

UNIDO International Senior Technical Specialist Dr. Jairo Villamil-Diaz

UNIDO National Quality Infrastructure Specialist Sumathy Rajasingham

Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Deputy Head of Delgation and Cooperation Lars Bredal

NCPC Sri Lanka Chairman Gamini Gunasekara

Hayleys Plantations Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurei

NCPC CEO Samantha Kumarasena

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) jointly with the National Cleaner Production Center (NCPC), Sri Lanka recently organised the CEO Forum on ‘Eco Labelling as a sustainable solution for food safety and quality’. 

A global practice, Eco Labelling is a voluntary method of environmental performance certification and labelling among many industry sectors. The ‘CEO Forum on Eco-Labelling’ introduced businesses to new ways of manufacturing and processing products and services that are sustainable and eco-friendly. This event is part of the European Union (EU) funded BESPA-FOOD project, implemented by UNIDO in collaboration with FAO.

The CEO Forum gathered business leaders from the tea, dairy and coconut food sectors, representatives from ministries, heads of government institutions, and INGOs. The Chief Guest of the CEO Forum was Ministry of Environment Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe. The guest speech on ‘The importance of Eco labelling for ensuring food safety and quality’ was delivered by Rich Life Dairies Ltd. Factory Manager Tharanga Perera.

Other speakers included UNIDO International Senior Technical Specialist Dr. Jairo Villamil-Diaz, NCPC CEO Samantha Kumarasena, Japan Environment Association Deputy Manager (Promotion Section) Hiroyuki Kobayashi, and Hayleys Plantations PLC Managing Director Dr. Roshan Rajadurei. 

“Eco Labelling is an opportunity for food producers to ensure and demonstrate quality compliance in products and services as it increases access to safer, high-quality food markets in Sri Lanka and abroad. UNIDO is supporting NCPC on this endeavour in the framework of our BESPA-FOOD project,” said UNIDO International Senior Technical Specialist Dr. Jairo Villamil-Diaz.  

Increasingly becoming popular with businesses across the world, eco-labelling addresses environmental concerns of companies and provides them with an edge in international markets. Companies are compelled to adopt sustainable solutions due to an ever-growing consumer demand. Eco-labelling is a benefit to the environmentally conscious consumer as they want more information about the products they use. As defined by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Eco Labelling provides indications on a product, by a third party, about the impact goods and services can have on the environment. This creates awareness on the environment, on sustainable consumption and allows for consumers to identify greener products, giving value to products and services. 

According to the NCPC, the ‘Eco Label-Sri Lanka’ program is the first national green product certification scheme and the most successful and influential Type-1 ecolabelling program in Sri Lanka with the international acceptance through the full membership of Global Eco Labelling Network (GEN). Independent third-party assessments are made for all Eco Label products and services giving confidence to consumers, suppliers and even procurement teams. All NCPC Sri Lanka Eco Label standards provides a sustainability criterion related to the environment, human health, social issues and fitness for purpose. The NCPC Eco Labelling is implemented under the International Standards on ISO 14024:2018 on Environment Labels and Declarations – Type I environmental labelling. 

“We have developed rigorous voluntary standards with sector experts and stakeholders, which are then independently and critically reviewed and approved by the Governing Council,” NCPC CEO Samantha Kumarasena said. 

Currently, NCPC is certifying 3 product categories based on standards developed, ranging from agrifood sector (dairy, tea) to construction chemicals and products of paint, steel, cement, etc. At the CEO Forum companies; Nippon Paint Lanka Ltd., Megakem Lanka Ltd., Union Chemicals Lanka PLC, Samson Rajarata Tiles under Construction Chemicals and Products Category and under Dairy and Tea product categories, Richlife Dairies Ltd., Horana Plantations PLC, and Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC were awarded the Eco-Label certification. 

With the support provided by the UN Environment Consumer Information Programme, the technical inputs from Eco Mark, Japan; and a certified GEN ecolabel membership, NCPC, Sri Lanka Eco-Label is widely respected and recognised locally and internationally. NCPC, is a member of The Global Network for Resource Efficient and Cleaner Production (RECP Net) and is founded by UNIDO and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). 

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), a specialised agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalisation and environmental sustainability, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is jointly implementing a European Union (EU) funded project titled BESPA-FOOD ‘Mainstreaming Standard-based best practices for Agri-Food Sector Development’. The overall objective of the project is to contribute to a more productive, sustainable, diversified, climate resilient, market oriented and inclusive agriculture and agri-food production sector in Sri Lanka.

Pix by Sameera Wijesinghe