Consumer Information Lab – Driving Green Behavior Change – From Environmental Product Information To Green Product Consumption

06 May 2015, Berlin

Conference
Driving Green Behavior Change – From Environmental Product Information To Green Product Consumption
Hotel Palace Berlin: Europa Center, Budapester Straße 45, 10787 Berlin

Consumers are exposed frequently to messages encouraging them to green their behaviors. Those messages are not always easy to understand but even when awareness of environmental issues is raised, many consumers still do not adopt environmentally friendly behaviors. Specifically in terms of green purchasing challenges are:

• Difficulties to differentiate a green product from products with a higher environmental impact
• Lack of support or unclear instructions to address the right levers to reduce impacts during the use phase
• Misperception of consumer interest: consumers often get information that is relevant from an environmental point of view but it is not touching their personal interests. In other words they get answers for questions they have not asked while their main questions remain unaddressed.

Time to act is now: collaborative learning to increase green consumption.

Finding ways to bridge the gaps between complexity of information and environmental awareness and behavior change is critical to increase the adoption of environmentally sustainable behaviors and increase market shares of green products. Various national and international initiatives (public or private) are now increasing their efforts to tackle those challenges. With this increased focus, the timing to now engage and participate in the development process is right.
The issue will not be solved by environmentalists alone – collaboration with experts from various disciplines is key. To provide this space for interdisciplinary collaboration, last year we established the Consumer Inforamtion Lab at the PEF Food Conference and ran a second edition jointly with The Sustainability Consortium at the 2nd PEF World Summit/ TSC Member Summit 2014.

New Target Groups. New Stakeholders. New Constellations.

At the upcoming Consumer Information Lab, 6 May in Berlin, we dedicate a full conference-day on the topic and bring together experts from the multiple areas of:

• behavioral & social science
• civil sector
• creative industry
• marketing and communication
• environment and sustainability
• policy-making

By sharing the different perspectives and combining strengths of various disciplines we jointly identify the key factors of effective environmental communication and discuss approaches and challenges of their implementation. Thsi will be realized in an extended session with presentations, Q&As, best practices and group discussions.

New and established initiatives.

Additionally to the above mentioned session, the Consumer Information Lab will be rounded up with reports/updates on:

• 10 YFP Consumer Information Programme of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP)
• Status-quo of the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) Pilot Process of the European Commission and outlook on the consumer communication phase
• Recent developments and first conclusions in the harmonisation process of Environmental Labelling (l’Affichage Environnemental) in France

Speakers (selection):

• Kirsten Brodde, Greenpeace, Campaigner Toxics
• Sylvain Chevassus, French Ministry of Sustainable Development, SCP Policy Officer
• Ulf Jaeckel, German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Sustainable Consumer Protection/Product-Related Environmental Protection, Co-lead of the 10 YFP Consumer Information Programme
• Steffen Gentis, Chief Production Officer, BBDO Group Germany, Communication Network

Updated information can be found on the event website: http://www.pef-world-forum.org/consumer-information-lab/

Contact: Jan Christian Polania Giese, Programme Director PEF World Forum, polania[at]thema1.de

Partner for the event:

B.A.U.M.