Good Environmental Choice Australia has today announced that it has been awarded the internationally recognised GENICES accreditation by the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN).
GENICES recognition is awarded to ecolabelling schemes that meet international best practice. GECA is the only Australian ecolabelling scheme to be accredited with GENICES.
“GENICES recognition means GECA can provide a whole new suite of benefits for Australian manufacturers seeking third-party certification for their products in international markets,” said GECA’s National Business Development Manager, Bobby Ali-Khan. “It will provide benefits for Australian architects who are specifying for green building projects overseas.”
“GECA’s scheme already sets a benchmark for the Australian ecolabelling industry. GECA licensees will now have direct access to mutual recognition by other GENICES accredited ecolabelling schemes in Europe, North America, Asia and much of the rest of the world.”
Architects working on green building projects in other countries can now specify GECA certified products and potentially gain points under the green building ratings schemes of any international GEN member country. This opens up increased opportunities within Asian green building markets, such as those governed by The Singapore Environment Council and the Hong Kong Green Council.
GENICES status helps Australian suppliers whose products are imported and have already been certified overseas under another ecolabel recognised by GEN. For these products, the process of achieving certification under an existing GECA standard is now more streamlined and cost-effective, often with fewer site audits or the need to resubmit documentation.
Australian manufacturers looking to have their products specified internationally for green building projects in GEN member countries will also find the process easier, as their GECA certified products will be recognised by their overseas equivalent.
GEN is the global peak body for Type-1 ecolabelling organizations based on the ISO 14024 standard. GEN promotes and represents world best practice in ecolabelling. Type-1 ecolabel standards address multiple environmental criteria across the life cycle of the product or service, they are transparent in their development process and employ independent, third-party verification.
Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) runs Australia’s only independent, not-for-profit, multi-sector ecolabelling program and is the only Australian member of the Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN). It develops standards against which products can be independently audited by GECA’s JAS-ANZ accredited conformity assessment bodies (CABs). Its standards are developed following ISO 14024 principles for global best practice in ecolabelling. For more information go to geca.org.au.
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