10. May 2009 09:30
If you have been interested in my previous blog posts on environmental claims in business and the best ways to avoid greenwash, you might be interested to hear that Defra, the Institute for Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) and the ISBA (another advertisers' body) are hosting a series of free workshops this month to get input into their planned revisions for the Green Claims Code (last revised in 2003).
Unfortunately, there is not a workshop dedicated purely to property or construction (a serious oversight IMHO, given the huge surge in interest in low and zero carbon buildings and communities, ecotowns and all things 'sustainable').
But the event in London next week (15 May) will cover utilities, energy and energy-using appliances, construction and industrial and... er, furniture.
The workshops are aimed at:
"getting businesses to contribute to the new green claims guidance which will help businesses understand how to make truthful and transparent claims about the environmental credentials of their products."
The events will apparently cover all aspects of advertising and marketing communications.
Defra's press notice on this came out just days before the first workshop, so I hope they still manage to get a reasonable turnout. I can't be at the event next week, but if you can I'd be fascinated to hear how it goes. The 15 May workshop will be at Wallacespace St Pancras, 22 Dukes Road, WC1H 9PN. Registration and breakfast at 8.30am. To request a place, email clare@ruthvenstuart.co.uk.