May 2010 – While organic food labelling started in the 1960s, it was the timber debate that first triggered the idea of product stewardship. In the late 1980s, growing recognition of the loss of tropical rainforests led to the creation of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which delivered the closest solution: to provide an economic incentive for the sustainable harvesting of forests.
An opinion piece by Professor Alan Knight OBE, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership Senior Associate. Why we should create a coordinated toolbox from the existing clutter of product stewardship, labelling and certification schemes. There needs to be a fresh look at product stewardship. We should take a toolbox approach, assessing the issues where stewardship is part of the solution, and designing the optimum portfolio of schemes without unnecessary duplication or gaps.
