Ethical standards

Photography by Kathryn Choi

Labels to look for

It can be confusing sorting through the claims made by companies in order to work out which products really are ethical or environmentally sustainable.

However there are a variety of ethical standards organisations that provide independent guarantees about the ethical credentials of products. They approve the use of their system's label on these products so we can look out for them when we shop.

In the directory the categorisation information for each business entry shows when they have products carrying one of these ethical standards labels.

>> View the ethical standards labels below

Setting and guaranteeing standards

The ethical standards labels organisations often specialise in different fields and set codes of practice relating to specific areas such as ecological sustainability, social justice, human and animal welfare.

To provide a guarantee that their ethical codes of practice are kept to the organisations generally audit key stages in product supply chains, often using independent certification bodies to do so. This verifies that ethical standards are being maintained.

To find out more about the specific codes of practice each standards organisation sets, and how the ethical standards are guaranteed, please see each organisations' information, label and website link listed below.

Ethical standards labels

>> BUAV approved
>> Ethical Consumer Best Buy
>> EU Ecolabel
>> EU Organic Euro Leaf
>> Fairtrade Foundation
>> Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
>> Freedom Food RSPCA Monitored
>> Global Organic Textile Standard
>> GoodWeave
>> Marine Stewardship Council
>> Nordic Swan Ecolabel
>> Soil Association Organic Standard

BUAV approved Approved companies no longer conduct or commission animal testing, or buy animal tested ingredients, throughout their supply chain. Scheme operates across the world http://gocrueltyfree.org/ (Website opens in a new window) View directory entries categorised as Go Cruelty Free (BUAV) FAQ: Can products be labelled 'not tested on animals' but involve animal testing? ^ Back to top
Ethical Consumer Best Buy Rates products on wide range of ethical issues across product life cycle including environmental impact, social justice, human and animal welfare. Companies can only join the scheme by invitation Approval refers to: Ethics of individual products but brand subject to strict ethics checks too www.ethicalconsumer.org (Website opens in a new window) View directory entries categorised as Ethical Consumer Best Buy ^ Back to top
EU Ecolabel For products with lowest environmental impact based on product life-cycle, from raw materials, through production, distribution and disposal www.eco-label.com (Website opens in a new window) View directory entries categorised as EU Ecolabel ^ Back to top
EU Organic Euro Leaf (Launching 1st July 2010) Logo for food that has been produced to the EU Commission's organic standards. Products are certified by bodies accredited by the member state's relevant government department – DEFRA in the case of the UK http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/organic/consumer-confidence/logo-labelling_en (Website opens in a new window) View directory entries categorised as EU Organic Euro Leaf FAQ: How are organic products certified and labelled? ^ Back to top
Fairtrade Foundation Ensures fair prices are paid to developing world producers for products and decent working conditions and environmental criteria are met www.fairtrade.org.uk (Website opens in a new window) View directory entries categorised as Fairtrade Foundation FAQ: What is the difference between Fairtrade and fairly-traded? ^ Back to top
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Products with this label contain wood or pulp sourced from forests managed in an environmentally and socially responsible way and/or from recycled sources www.fsc-uk.org (Website opens in a new window) View directory entries categorised as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) ^ Back to top
Freedom Food RSPCA Monitored Approve farms that keep animals to mandatory RSPCA welfare standards, higher than UK/EU legal requirements. Criteria is set at levels to encourage higher standards industry wide not just for top range products www.rspca.org.uk/freedomfood (Website opens in a new window) View directory entries categorised as Freedom Food RSPCA Monitored ^ Back to top
Global Organic Textile Standard Ensures organic status of textiles, and environmentally and socially responsible work practices throughout the supply chain from harvesting of raw materials, to manufacture and distribution of end product www.global-standard.org (Website opens in a new window) View directory entries categorised as Global Organic Textile Standard FAQ: How are organic products certified and labelled? ^ Back to top
GoodWeave This label ensures that rugs imported from South Asia have not been made using illegal child labour. Also provides support and educational opportunities to rescued children and poor weaving communities www.goodweave.org.uk (Website opens in a new window) View directory entries categorised as GoodWeave ^ Back to top
Marine Stewardship Council This label is displayed on products verified as originating from certified sustainable fisheries. Covers wild-capture fisheries not farmed fish www.msc.org (Website opens in a new window) View directory entries categorised as Marine Stewardship Council ^ Back to top
Nordic Swan Ecolabel Indicates environmentally friendly products. Criteria is based on life cycle analyses, from raw materials used to the recycling of the finished product http://www.svanen.nu (Website opens in a new window) View directory entries categorised as Nordic Swan Ecolabel ^ Back to top
Soil Association Organic Standard Ensures all stages of a product supply chain have kept to strict organic standards exceeding UK/EU organic standards particularly in relation to animal welfare, GM and pesticide use www.soilassociation.org (Website opens in a new window) View directory entries categorised as Soil Association Organic Standard FAQ: How are organic products certified and labelled? ^ Back to top

Ethics and directory entries

All directory entries are categorised by ethical standards labels and/or tagged with additional ethics information so you can look for businesses that meet your criteria.

For more information read our FAQ How do I know a directory entry's products or services are ethical?
Product guides

Little purple dot helps you find where to shop for ethical products.

To find out which products and brands are the most ethical see the resources on how to use your consumer power.
FAQ

Do ethical standards labels approve brands or products?