Carbon Neutral Alternatives: How to Phrase it Correctly

Why “carbon neutral” is no longer permissible The per-se prohibition under EmpCo applies to all claims that suggest a product or company has no negative climate impact — particularly if this is achieved through carbon offsetting.

15 Alternatives

1. “We have reduced our CO₂ emissions (Scope 1+2) by 47 % since 2019” 2. “Production with 100 % green electricity (certificate of origin: TÜV SÜD EE02)” 3. “Packaging made from 92 % post-consumer recycled material” 4. “Energy consumption per unit of product reduced by 35 % (2020–2025)” 5. “ISO 14001-certified environmental management system” 6. “Transport routes shortened by 60 % through regional sourcing” 7. “Water consumption reduced by 2.3 million litres/year” 8. “Waste rate below 2 % through circular economy” 9. “EMAS-validated environmental report (updated annually)” 10. “EU Ecolabel certified (licence no. DE/123/456)” 11. “SBTi-validated reduction target: -50 % by 2030 (base year 2019)” 12. “Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Gold” 13. “100 % recyclable materials (according to ISO 14021)” 14. “Photovoltaic system covers 80 % of our own requirements” 15. “Supply chain certified according to SA8000”