The pre-publish sustainability claim checklist

Is the claim precise about what it actually promises?

• The claim names its subject — the product, the packaging, the company, or one specific part.
• The benefit is concrete (for example “made with 60% recycled content”), not a vague term like “green” or “eco-friendly.”
• Any comparison says compared to what — a previous version, a conventional alternative, an industry average.
• A timeframe or scope is stated where relevant (this year, this product line, our own operations).
• Nothing important is left implied that a customer would reasonably assume.

Can you back up exactly what the claim says?

• You hold proof for this exact claim — not a related or broader one.
• The evidence is current and would still be true on the day the campaign runs.
• The source is credible: independent certification, test results, lifecycle data, or audited figures.
• The method behind the numbers could survive a regulator or journalist asking “how do you know?”
• Certifications cited are valid, in scope, and cover what the logo implies.

Are the limits of the claim easy to find and understand?

• Qualifications sit near the claim itself — not buried in a footnote or a linked PDF.
• Geographic limits are stated if the claim is only true in some markets.
• Exclusions are named (for example, “bottle only — cap and label excluded”).
• Disposal or recycling conditions are honest about what facilities actually exist where customers live.
• Fine print clarifies the claim rather than contradicting it.

Can customers realistically do what the claim asks of them?

• The action implied (recycle, refill, return, compost) is one customers can actually take.
• The needed infrastructure — collection schemes, refill points, industrial composting — is available to most of your customers.
• Instructions are clear enough to follow without hunting for information.
• You have considered what customers will assume if they cannot complete the action.
• There are no dead ends between the promise on the pack and the experience in real life.

Does the message separate fact from aspiration?

• Achieved results are worded differently from goals and future commitments.
• Tradeoffs are acknowledged where they exist rather than omitted.
• Progress claims include a baseline so “improvement” means something.
• Nothing in the surrounding imagery, colour, or copy overstates the written claim.
• You would be comfortable defending the whole impression — not just the literal sentence.