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July 30, 2026

SRP Webinar, 20 August: Preparing for the EU EmpCo Directive

When “Sustainable” Has to Mean Something

For years, sustainability claims have lived in a grey zone — a green leaf on a label, a promise of “eco-friendly,” a badge nobody quite remembers verifying. Consumers wanted to believe them. Brands wanted to make them. And in the space between those two wants, a lot of vague language slipped through unchallenged.

That grey zone is closing. On 27 September 2026, the EU’s Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (EmpCo) Directive becomes binding across the European Union — and it does not leave much room for ambiguity. Generic claims like “eco-friendly,” “green,” or “responsible” will no longer be permissible unless they’re specific and backed by evidence. Sustainability labels will only hold up if they rest on independent, third-party certification or established public systems — self-declared badges won’t be enough anymore. And there’s no grandfathering clause: products already on shelves are covered too. The Directive arrives on the back of an EU finding that more than half of the environmental claims it examined were vague, misleading, or simply unfounded. EmpCo exists to close that gap.

For a value chain like rice — one that touches millions of farmers, hundreds of supply chains, and consumers who are asking harder, more specific questions than ever about what’s actually behind their food — this isn’t a distant regulatory footnote. It’s a signal of where trust is heading, and a live test of whether the systems built to earn that trust can actually stand up to scrutiny. The organizations whose claims are underpinned by real assurance, real verification, and real evidence won’t just survive this shift — they’ll be the ones consumers and regulators alike can still point to with confidence.

That’s the conversation we’re opening on 20 August 2026, 2:00–3:00 PM (Thailand Time), in a webinar titled “Building Trust in Sustainability Claims: SRP’s Response to the EU EmpCo Directive.” We’ll walk through what the Directive actually requires in practice, why third-party assurance is fast becoming the currency of credibility rather than a nice-to-have, and — most importantly — how SRP has shaped its Assurance Scheme and communication framework to help members and partners make claims that are precise, evidenced, and built to hold up under this new level of scrutiny. This isn’t a compliance lecture; it’s a practical look at how a global multi-stakeholder platform is preparing its members to communicate sustainability with confidence, in a regulatory landscape that no longer forgives shortcuts.

This session is designed for SRP members, partners, retailers, and anyone else navigating what credible sustainability communication now looks like — whether you’re directly affected by EU market access or simply want to understand where the bar is moving. Only one live session will be held, so there won’t be a second chance to join in real time. That said, a recording of the webinar and the full presentation materials will be shared with everyone who registers, so it’s worth signing up even if you know you can’t attend live — you’ll still walk away with the complete picture.

If you’re an SRP member and haven’t received your registration link yet, please reach out directly to Tun.boonyakongrat@srpglobal.org and it will be sent to you.

For any other questions, the team is reachable at assurance@srpglobal.org.

Thank you for helping build a rice value chain the world can actually trust.

— Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP)