Greenwashing? We can no longer wipe the (green) slate clean!

The European Union is working on new legislation to battle greenwashing. This will enable consumers to verify that the sustainable product they purchased is indeed sustainable. In addition the EU also aims to accelerate the transition to a circular economic model. This will have a huge impact on businesses. From the design phase they will have to take into account how a product can be disassembled and repaired, which offers a host of opportunities for us as a social enterprise.

Goodbye, greenwashing!

Europe is currently working on greenwashing legislation that will have far-reaching consequences for businesses. Greenwashing is what happens when companies or organisations pretend to be more sustainable or socially responsible than they really are. The new legislation aims to put an end to this. In the future, consumers who buy a sustainable product will be 100% certain that the product is as sustainable as it claims to be.

Right to repair

Europe not only wants to protect consumers against greenwashing, it also wants to ensure that the current economic model is transformed into a circular model in which raw materials are reused as much as possible and losses are minimised. With this idea in mind, the European Commission wants to impose a ‘right to repair’ on manufacturers. This means that customers, for a period of 10 years following their purchase, will be entitled to ask the manufacturer to repair their product.

Circular economy: huge consequences for companies

It goes without saying that this will have tremendous consequences for companies that market consumer goods. The transition to a circular model means that companies will have to take into account how a device can be disassembled and refurbished, starting from the design phase. Parts will have to be easier to remove and replace. Throwing away mobile phones or laptops because of a faulty PCB will be a thing of the past. And rightly so, because it’s the only option to effectively tackle the ever-growing waste mountain.

A fine example of how we can do things differently is our Satellic project. In this project, On Board Units are evaluated, repaired (if necessary) and put back into use. The circular acoustic panels we designed together with Belgium-based company Robberechts nv also illustrate how so-called ‘discarded’ products can be used to create an entirely new one.

Circularity and profit go hand in hand

The circular transition offers boundless opportunities for WAAK and the social economy. As a social enterprise, we place maximum focus on sustainability and circularity. We like to throw our weight behind projects that benefit the green economy. Such projects currently generate 25% of our turnover, a percentage we aim to grow in the future. We also want to reach out to companies who want to commit to such projects. We will be happy to help them rethink their product and adjust their production flow accordingly. We are convinced that these are the companies that will be most successful in the near future. The easier a product can be repaired, the fewer costs will be incurred. And as their product is adapted to this new reality, they will be able to protect their profit margins. As Charles Darwin said in his ‘Origin of Species’: “It is not the strongest of the species, not the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” And this clearly also applies to the business world!

Discover our circular collaborations