Environmental accounting experts Best Foot Forward has won a contract with Ecover, the UK’s leading brand of ecological cleaning products.  Best Foot Forward has been appointed to help measure Ecover’s carbon and ecological footprints as part of an on-going sustainability programme. 

Ecover started 27 years ago with the ethos of sustainability, believing that it’s not about ticking boxes but a continual journey of reviewing and assessing how their products are rated sustainable.  Ecover wanted to find a framework for measurement that wasn’t just paying lip service, but was a very real tool for future decision making.

While carbon footprinting is currently a powerful tool for sustainability, much confusion surrounds definitions and methodologies and there is a growing realisation that carbon is not everything. Ecover was seeking to find a more holistic metric than just carbon and while a carbon footprint is a key part of the programme Best Foot Forward is delivering, it also takes a much broader view of ecological sustainability.  

Outputs from the project will actively support decision making for ecological sustainability in all aspects of the products. With this in mind the company approached Best Foot Forward to scope a project which would look at the product materials and ingredients, manufacturing and distribution within the company, focusing initially on the ecological footprints of 3 beacon products; washing up liquid, toilet cleaner and washing powder.

“We asked Best Foot Forward to measure the ecological footprint of three particular products as the chemistry and technology behind them is all different, each using separate processes.  We are aware that this is an evolving situation, so we needed a tool that gave us benchmarking for today and guidance for tomorrow.”  Mick Bremans, managing director, Ecover.

Best Foot Forward is delighted to work with Ecover who leads the field in its progressiveness and foresight in developing effective and environmentally safe products.  “When we started talks with Ecover we were impressed with the level of commitment they showed in pursuing ecological measurements of the products and company.  The results we produce will help them in their clear aim of evolving sustainable, effective products for customers.”  Nicky Chambers, director, Best Foot Forward.

Ecover operates from the world famous Ecological factory and is globally respected as an organisation which is forging the way for ethical companies of the future. The company’s guidelines for environmental criteria, the selection of ingredients and manufacturing processes are far stricter than those required by EU legislation.  Ecover sets the standard for others to follow and has been recognised by the United Nations Environment programme (UNEP) for their outstanding practical achievements for the protection and improvement of our environment.