A common green-claims process does not mean that every sector may make the same claims. Work begins with the exact wording, its published location and supporting evidence. Yet a packaging statement, a sourcing statement, a building footprint and a financial disclosure create different expectations. Use a shared workflow, while reviewing scope, methodology and specialist rules separately for every case. This makes collaboration easier without flattening important differences between industries.
Packaging and retail
“80 percent recycled material” can describe a specific property when supported by evidence. In this hypothetical example, establish whether the percentage covers the bottle body, the cap or the full packaging. The weight basis, assessment period and product variant also matter. “Recyclable” raises a further question: are collection, sorting and recycling actually available in the target market? An advantage of the packaging must not be presented as an environmental advantage of the entire product.
Food: origin is not a blanket environmental proof
Regional sourcing needs a geographical reference and a traceable supply chain. State whether the claim covers all ingredients, one primary ingredient or a particular share of procurement. Suppliers change; a one-off record does not automatically support an ongoing statement. Organic and natural are not interchangeable terms. Specialist labelling rules and the actual context still need review. Origin alone does not establish excellent environmental performance across every impact category.
Buildings: distinguish operation from construction
Low electricity use says little about the production of building materials. Name the lifecycle stage, floor area, reporting period and calculation method. Comparisons between buildings need comparable uses and system boundaries. If the claim concerns operation only, the heading and image caption must communicate that limitation too. A specific metric must not turn into an unlimited promise about the building as a whole. Recheck changes in occupation or energy supply before carrying the statement forward.
Finance: account for its own requirements
Finance has sector-specific requirements alongside general advertising rules, including the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation and the EU Taxonomy. Which provisions apply depends on the product, the organisation’s role and the communication. An EmpCo-oriented communication analysis does not replace specialist assessment of a financial product. Review national implementation separately in other countries. EmpCo primarily complements consumer rules; it is not a universal standard for every business-to-business statement.
One inventory, different subject-matter reviews
Record the original wording, full URL or PDF page, surrounding context, scope, evidence document, method and validity. Assign a responsible person and a next review date. Marketing clarifies the wording; subject-matter teams confirm the facts. Escalate material or far-reaching cases to qualified external advisers. Your organisation remains responsible for the published statement and its release. Preserve the decision and its supporting version so that later changes can be understood.
What you can structure with VERDAI
VERDAI helps assess public claims and organise follow-up work. An indication of missing evidence does not mean that evidence does not exist inside your organisation. Check the actual documentation before changing the sentence. Reasoned exclusions matter too: “recharge your energy” in a wellness description is not automatically an environmental claim. Automated findings do not replace human context review. After release, check copied versions on product pages, campaigns and brochures as well.
Sources
About the author
Marco Giraldo · Founder of VERDAI
Marco Giraldo is the founder of VERDAI. His work focuses on evidence-based sustainability communication and practical claim management.
VERDAI is an independent orientation tool. This post does not replace legal advice.
