The global voice for consumers

La voix des Consommateurs à travers le monde

La voz global para la defensa de los consumidores

Sustainable ConsumptionMember Campaign Session

Consumers International World Congress 2007

Bjarne PedersenHead of Policy and Advocacy

Consumers International

CI and SC

Long history of working on SC including with members

In the early years often focussed on “close to home” issues in the area of environment (e.g waste, chemicals) and not so much on social/economic issues

Approaches included consumer education, information and influencing public policies

UN guidelines for Consumer Protection

CI with UNEP instrumental in ensuring their expansion to include sustainable consumption (section G). Work started in 1995 and the expanded guidelines were approved by the UN General Assembly in 1999.

Mix of public policy recommendations aimed at national level

Follow up work with UNEP to monitor and support implementation (“Tracking Progress”, 2002/2004, “Advancing Sustainable Consumption in Asia”, 2005 and “Hands on SC”, 2006)

The World Summit on Sustainable Development 2002

CI with UNEP involved in the preparatory meetings to the summit

Instrumental in including Sustainable Consumption in the final declaration (as opposed to only sustainable production). Hence consumer Education and Consumer Protection included

Resulting in a separate UN process (The Marrakech Process) to the next summit. CI involved in strategic taskforces (Education and Lifestyles)

CI and SC 2006/2007

More focussed research including investigative research incorporating the ethical dimension

Misleading green food claims

“JUST COFFEE” – Film and report

What Assures Consumers – Climate Change

The Consumer movement and SC - 2008

New CI programme on sustainable consumption including campaigning

Focused on selected issues and an “equity” approach

Future work

CI future work in the area of SC will focus on CI acting as the international consumer watchdog, which sets new agendas by documenting the consequences of corporate and government investments, procurement, trade and production worldwide.

We will use this evidence to inform our campaign and advocacy work and ensure continued high visibility in the international media

Focus areas

Holding corporations to account by exposing the connections between corporate activities and violations of human rights, corruption, environmental destruction and the products and services that reach the end consumer.

Focus areas

Holding governments to account for (lack of) implementation of progressive SC consumer protection policies with the basis in the UN Guidelines for Consumer Protection.

Examples

Some examples include analysis of misleading claims, analysis of ethical policies, contribution to climate change, analysis of non-sustainable commercial practices (e.g. fisheries) connecting this with consumer information and member magazines.

Also we will build our members capacity to monitor both corporate abuse as well as lack of adequate SC consumer protection policies.

In addition

Supplementing the two focus areas we will provide independent, clear and transparent information in relation to SC and consumers

We will do so by providing independent consumer information and education – both in relation to capacity building of our members (either focusing on formal or informal education) or via utilising members to communicate impacts of consumer choice in a market with globalised commodity chains.

Examples

This work could follow the same pattern as the ‘Just Coffee’ film or “What assure Consumers on Climate Change – analysing selected consumer goods and their lifecycle in an SC perspective and communicating this in member media combined with international action.

Next steps

Finalise strategy for final member consultation

Launch of CI SC programme mid 2008