Ready for EmpCo?
Starting September, the EU's Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (EmpCo) Directive introduces strict measures to combat greenwashing. FLOCERT's Readiness Assessment helps businesses with expert, assurance-focused support to help them know where they stand.
The Assessment is not legal advice, not a legal conformity assessment, and does not confirm compliance with any law or regulation.
What is EmpCo & how will it impact my business?
The EU Empowering Consumers Directive (EmpCo), amending the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive (2005/29/EC), aims to tackle deceptive environmental claims. To achieve this, EU member states are asked to pass national laws by September 27, 2026, to ensure transparency and credibility of any claims and labels.
Under these new rules, businesses are expected to ensure that:
- Sustainability claims are supported by credible evidence.
- Sustainability labels are backed by approved certification schemes and independently checked.
- The criteria and methodologies behind claims are transparent and accessible.
- Product information such as durability and reparability is accurate and substantiated.
As a result, vague claims such as “eco-friendly”, “green”, or “environmentally friendly” may no longer be permitted unless they can be clearly demonstrated and verified. Any company advertising with vague eco or social claims or private label programmes risks financial penalties, reputational damage, and loss of customer trust.
The information above on EU legislation is a high‑level, non‑exhaustive overview for general information only. For a full understanding of your legal obligations, you should seek independent legal advice.
How FLOCERT supports you
Operating a private label?
EmpCo is expected to require that sustainability labels are backed by approved certification schemes and are independently checked.
FLOCERT provides expert-based preparatory support for sustainable schemes, labels, programmes, and claim through our Readiness Assessment by helping organisations evaluate the clarity, consistency, feasibility and auditability of their programme.
Need claim verification?
EmpCo is expected to require an independent and accredited verification body to review your claim.
As a globally recognised, DAKKS-accredited social enterprise, and official certifier for Fairtrade, FLOCERT has extensive experience assessing sustainability standards and certification programmes.
Our experts are here to provide preparatory support for your claim!
Your business’s benefits
If you are operating a private environmental or social label, our EmpCo readiness assessment:
- Saves you time and money: Our report can help you identify gaps early to avoid costly rework of your programme later.
- Strengthens internal decision-making: The report will help equip stakeholders with the answers to make decisions.
- Supports reputational risk management: Supports your claims stand up to scrutiny.
Label Readiness Assessment
Unlike typical self-assessments or free, generic checklists that often provide only surface-level results, FLOCERT’s EmpCo Readiness Assessment delivers preparatory support in the form of an in-depth, expert-reviewed evaluation of your sustainability scheme, standard, label, or programme. Our Readiness Assessment is a preparatory service and does not in itself constitute the accredited verification that may be required under future legislation.
Using AI-supported analysis and independent expert review, we assess whether your framework is designed to support credible environmental claims and sustainability labels intended to support your internal preparation for upcoming EU requirements on environmental claims, from a technical and assurance perspective.
The result is a detailed readiness report that highlights strengths, identifies gaps, and provides practical recommendations for improvement. These recommendations relate to the design, clarity and auditability of your scheme. FLOCERT sustainability scheme experts review and validate all findings before finalising the report.
What the EmpCo Readiness report includes
The Readiness Report provides a technical and assurance-based assessment.
- Evaluation of your scheme, approach, standard, code, or programme: A FLOCERT sustainability scheme expert will review your standard and provide feedback on whether, from an assurance and standard design perspective, the criteria are clear, verifiable and auditable.
- Evaluation of the suitability of the assurance method to assess the programme or standard: A FLOCERT sustainability scheme expert will evaluate whether, in our experience, the scheme is designed in a way that is clear, verifiable, auditable and suitable to support credible conformity decisions and external environmental claims.
The following is also included in the report:
- An analysis of the setup, roles of actors, governance, accessibility of policies and rules around your programme
- An evaluation of mechanisms for monitoring certificate holders and how certification decisions are taken
- An assessment of complaint procedures
Price & Delivery
1.399,00 (plus legal VAT)
You will receive your assessment within 10 business days after you’ve submitted all relevant documents.
How our label assessment works
1. Request an assessment
Start by filling in the form below and uploading your supporting documents (Certification programme or scheme documentation, scheme or scheme rules, standard or code requirements, and documents that define e.g., sampling, testing methodology).
2. Expert evaluation
Next, our sustainability scheme experts will review your setup against EmpCo requirements.
3. Report delivery
Finally, you will receive your detailed EmpCo Readiness Assessment within 10 business days.
Book your EmpCo Readiness Assessment!
Complete the form below and our experts will contact you regarding your assessment.
EmpCo is expected to expand: Start preparing today!
At the moment, EmpCo primarily focuses on environmental claims and consumer protection. Social claims and social standards (such as “fair trade,” “socially responsible,” “ethical working conditions,” etc.) are not the central concern of this Directive. However, the EU is working on broader legislation covering substantiation and communication not only of environmental, but also social claims (for instance, the proposed Green Claims Directive and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive—CSDDD).
Businesses can expect more detailed requirements for social standards in the near future, particularly concerning due diligence, reporting, and substantiation of social impact claims. By getting started now, businesses can stay ahead of the curve and position themselves as industry leaders in ethical business practices.
