Sustainable Brands? You Decide.

The LA Times is reporting this week on the challenges of being a green consumer in a vast sea of green labels and the rising number of corporate claims of virtuousness broadcast daily on newswires such as the Environmental Leader and CSRwire.com.

As a sign of these times, brands are scrambling to position themselves as environmentally and socially responsible several upcoming conferences, such as SustainableBrands'07 in New Orleans and Business for Social Responsibility in San Francisco, are themed toward green branding and, one would hope, a modicum of sincere idea sharing on meaningful action.

Many of these companies deserve real kudos. But where is the line between green and greenwashing? What do you think about some of these major brands? Is their brand image legitimate? Obviously, its complicated, but one innovative idea is DoTheRightThing.Com , which lets you decide by creating a community where news on the topic can be posted and community members can rate the action on positive and negative scales. Over time, the result is a consumer-driven rating on responsibility for different brands, and as a result, more accountability and effective consumer watchdogging of these brands.

When it comes to paper choices and true responsibility in the industry, the Environmental Paper Network and its member groups can help you sort through the clutter to efficiently find the raw truth. Visit to see a list of links to members, our Common Vision, and guidance for making responsible paper choices. Its important, its easier than you think, and, you can be sure, its important to your brand management to make responsible choices when it comes to paper.