GreenPro is an ecolabel launched by CII in 2015 to facilitate green products market transformation in India. GreenPro assesses ‘How Green is a product’ based on a holistic product life cycle framework (ISO 14024) and highlights the way forward to achieve excellence in environmental performance. The ecolabeling scheme serves as an excellent tool for the selection of credible sustainable products, materials, and technologies.

GreenPro is accredited by Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) through GENICES – ‘GEN’s Internationally Coordinated Ecolabelling System. Thus far, over 2,000 products from more than 135 companies have achieved GreenPro ecolabel for their products and are available in the market.

UN Environment has developed a case study on GreenPro Ecolabel based on ten principles such as reliability, accuracy, transparency, relevance, etc. This study has determined GreenPro is in line with UN Environment’s guideline on providing product sustainability information.

As part of promoting sustainable consumption and production in manufacturing sector, GreenPro, with support of all relevant stakeholders such as paperboard manufacturers, technical associations (IIP & IPPTA), converters, testing laboratories and FMCG companies, has developed an ecolabel for paper packaging products under the leadership of SN Venkataraman, executive vice-president, marketing and commercials, ITC, that addresses printers and converters segment in the paper packaging supply chain. It also facilitates selection of sustainable paper packaging products and to meet growing demand of green packaging as FMCG companies are adopting sustainable practices.

Through GreenPro ecolabelling scheme, CII GreenPro has been encouraging the product manufacturers to implement sustainable measures across product life cycle to reduce environmental impact of the product. As far as evaluation framework is concern, CII GreenPro considered a set of criteria to enhance product performance and effectiveness of manufacturing process.

The following are some strategies considered in the assessment:

• Light-weight packaging design
• Use of environmentally responsible raw materials (sustainable plantation or recovered fibre)
• Design for recyclability and biodegradability
• Explore alternatives, reusability and product changes at each component of packaging material
• Resource efficient and cleaner manufacturing process
• Restriction of prohibited substances use during manufacturing process
• Extended Producer Responsibility related strategies to promote circular economy

The CII believes that the implementation of GreenPro Ecolabelling scheme would result in, optimum use of raw materials; lower GHG emission from manufacturing process; improved health and well-being of consumer; increasing waste paper recovery; implementing circular economy in paper packaging sector and creating employment opportunities.