Building on independent third-party certification, the new labels state precisely what is certified and make it verifiable, strengthening the transparency, traceability and credibility of certified environmental claims.
Friend of the Earth, the sustainability certification scheme of the World Sustainability Organization (WSO), is rolling out its new labels for certified products and services. Each label combines the round Friend of the Earth logo with a clear, sector-specific certification claim, and is accompanied by a unique FOE ID that links the claim to its verified and authorised certification.
The update is aligned with Directive (EU) 2024/825 on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (“EmpCo”), which applies in EU Member States from 27 September 2026 and introduces stricter requirements for environmental claims and labels, strengthening protection against misleading environmental communication.
A label that says exactly what is certified
The label contains the round Friend of the Earth logo, a specific certification claim (for example “Certified to Agriculture Standard”) and the Friend of the Earth web address, and is accompanied by the FOE ID traceability code, placed directly below it. Dedicated labels and claims are available for each certified sector, from agriculture, farming and fashion, among the 16 standards covered by the Official Product Claims Register.
Companies can therefore communicate precisely what has been certified, while consumers receive clearer and more specific information at a glance. The round logo remains the anchor of the label, a mark in use since 2016, now accompanied by a clear statement of what it stands for.
Built on independence and sustainability in its full sense
EmpCo requires sustainability labels to be based on a certification scheme or established by public authorities. Friend of the Earth believes it has always been aligned with this approach, because its certification rests on:
- Independent certification: on-site audits by independent certification bodies
- Sustainability as a whole: criteria addressing the environmental, social and economic dimensions, including, for example, requirements on workers’ rights and safety.
- Traceability, monitoring and accountability: chain of custody requirements, ongoing monitoring of label use, and tools such as satellite-based vessel tracking where applicable.
“Trust is at the heart of credible certification. We believe Friend of the Earth has always been aligned with the spirit of this Directive, because our certification is independent and addresses sustainability as a whole. With the new labels we have chosen to make our message even more specific, trusting the power of the logo itself: the round Friend of the Earth logo, a clear claim on what is certified and a FOE ID that anyone can check. This strengthens the connection between certified companies and the people who choose their products” added Paolo Bray, Founder and Director of Friend of the Earth.
FOE ID and optional claims: always clearly connected to the label
FOE ID: Shown in the format “FOE ID: 1234”, it links the label to the certified product and to the company producing it, and to the certificate’s validity and expiration date, offering consumers greater traceability and certified companies additional protection. It must be placed directly below the label, so that it is easily and clearly connected to it.
Optional explanatory claims: The label already states the certified standard. Companies that wish to describe the scope of certification in more detail may add one pre-approved text from the Official Product Claims Register (compact, standard or extended), reproduced without modification. These claims are optional and not mandatory, so that smaller packs are not penalised by space constraints. When used, they should be placed directly next to or below the label and the FOE ID.
Guidelines and claims in 24 languages
Friend of the Earth has produced label claims and optional explanatory claims in up to 24 languages, depending on the standard. They cover 14 of the EU’s 24 official languages and many of the world’s most widely spoken languages, including English, Chinese, Hindi, Spanish, French, Arabic and Portuguese, so that companies can display the version matching the official language of each market. Where a language is not yet available, an official version can be requested from WSO.
The Logo and Label Usage Guidelines set out the official label variants, colours, minimum sizes, clear space, FOE ID placement and uses to avoid. Certified companies are also asked not to combine the label with generic, unverified environmental statements, and to state clearly when certification applies only to a specific ingredient or component.
A pragmatic approach to adaptation. Although WSO strongly recommends the use of the official labels, it takes a pragmatic approach and allows companies to adapt the layout of the claim, the URL and the FOE ID to their on-pack space requirements, graphic design, colours and font, without changing their content. All adaptations must be submitted to and formally approved in writing by WSO / Friend of the Earth before printing.
The updated labels and guidelines are being progressively introduced across Friend of the Earth certified products and communications.
Join Our Guidance Webinar
To walk you through these changes, explain the optional claim formats, and answer your team’s practical questions, we invite you to attend our dedicated session:
- Date: Wednesday, 21st October 2026 – 3.00 pm CEST
- Topic: Navigating EmpCo Compliance with Friend of the Earth Certification
- Agenda: Detailed breakdown of mandatory vs. optional claims, visual examples, artwork approval workflows, and Q&A.
- Webinar Info link: https://friendoftheearth.org/it/webinar-navigating-eu-directive-empco-825-2024-friend-of-the-earth-compliance-new-label-guidelines/
Webinar registration link: https://meeting.zoho.com/meeting/register?sessionId=1080570628
About Friend of the Earth
Friend of the Earth is the project of the World Sustainability Organization (WSO) for the certification of products and services that respect and protect the marine environment. Founded by Paolo Bray in 2016 and based in Italy, Friend of the Earth operates internationally. The programme began with standards for agriculture and livestock farming and has expanded into additional products, materials, supply chains and services.
To learn more, please visit: www.friendoftheearth.org
