SRP Webinar Recap: Your EU Green Claims Questions, Answered

On 20 August 2026, the Sustainable Rice Platform (SRP) hosted a webinar on the EU Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (EmpCo) Directive and what it means for sustainability claims in the rice sector. Moderated by Tun Boonyakongrat, Senior Membership and Communications Officer, the session brought together SRP leadership, technical experts and legal counsel to explore how businesses can hold onto consumer trust while adapting to new regulatory demands.

The session drew 34 participants from across the globe, including Italy, the United States, the United Kingdom, Thailand and Pakistan, among other countries — a turnout SRP was delighted with, and one that fed into a lively, practical discussion.

A New Era for Sustainability Claims

In his opening remarks, Peter McAllister, SRP’s Executive Director, pointed to the rapid growth in sustainability labels and claims as a source of both opportunity and confusion for buyers and consumers alike. The EU EmpCo Directive, applying from 27 September 2026, is designed to protect consumers from vague or misleading green claims and to ensure that sustainability labels are backed by credible, transparent certification schemes.

For SRP and its members, Peter framed this less as a compliance burden than as a chance to strengthen trust. The EU remains a key market for SRP-Verified rice, and SRP’s role, he said, is to give members clear, dependable tools so they can speak to buyers and consumers with confidence.

How SRP Is Adapting ?

Trusti Widiastuti, SRP’s Standards & Assurance Manager, walked through how SRP has reviewed both what sits behind its claims — standards, assurance, Chain of Custody — and how these are presented on-pack and online. Key updates include:

SRP’s Brand Manual and Claims Guidelines — strengthened guidance on what can be claimed under the SRP-Verified label, added caution around generic terms like “sustainable” or “eco-friendly” in favour of precise, verifiable wording, and a clearer explanation of how the SRP-Verified label connects to different Chain of Custody models.
Tighter artwork and claims review — a more structured internal check of label artwork and messaging before it reaches the market, so that products carrying the SRP-Verified label genuinely trace back to SRP-Verified producers.
Improved consumer-facing information — a dedicated page explaining what the SRP-Verified label means and how verification works, with signposting to SRP’s core documents (Standard, Performance Indicators, Assurance Scheme, Chain of Custody, Brand Manual and Claims Guidelines) for anyone wanting more detail.

A central point from Trusti was one of scope: SRP-Verified confirms that defined SRP requirements have been met within a clear boundary — it does not, on its own, guarantee a specific percentage reduction in emissions or water use. Impact claims still need their own supporting data.

Legal Perspective: What EmpCo Expects?

Dr. Constantin, an environmental advertising lawyer, set out the regulatory context, covering the key EmpCo requirements for sustainability labels and generic environmental claims. His main points:

There is no grace period — by 27 September 2026, all products on the EU market must comply.
Sustainability labels must rest on credible certification schemes with public criteria, independent verification and safeguards against non-compliance.
Generic terms like “green,” “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” will only hold up if they are clearly explained and backed by strong evidence right next to the claim.

He noted that SRP’s approach — using “Verified” on the label and steering clear of broad, unqualified sustainability language — already sits close to the new rules, and could become a competitive advantage as weaker labels fall away.

Q&A: From Regulation to Practice

The Q&A brought the regulation down to ground level, with participants raising the questions their own teams are already wrestling with.

Who is responsible for a sustainability claim?

Answer:
Dr. Constantin broke responsibility down by who consumers actually see it from:

▶ First in line: whoever communicates directly with the consumer — typically the retailer on a supermarket shelf.
▶Second in line: the manufacturer or brand owner who designs the packaging and provides the claim.
▶Also under pressure: traders and importers, which is why compliance questionnaires are now moving up and down supply chains.

He noted this is part of why retailers increasingly lean on robust certification schemes like SRP: a system they can point to when managing legal and reputational risk.

Does the SRP-Verified label use the word “sustainable”?

Answer: No. Trusti Widiastuti confirmed the SRP-Verified on-pack label uses the word “Verified,” not “sustainable” — distinct from the separate SRP organisational logo used off-pack. A few specifics she and Dr. Constantin added:

▶Generic wording like “sustainable” or “eco-friendly” has been removed from SRP’s approved claim texts, replaced with specific, verifiable statements tied to a Chain of Custody model (Identity Preserved, Segregation or Mass Balance).
▶EU law does allow generic words inside a label where it’s based on a compliant certification scheme — but since SRP’s label never used “sustainable” in the first place, that question doesn’t really arise for it.

Can the QR code go on the pack, and what does it lead to?

Answer: Yes — Trusti confirmed brands and retailers are free to print the SRP QR code on pack. It currently leads to the SRP homepage and, from there, to a consumer landing page explaining what the SRP-Verified label means, how verification and RiceTrace work, and linking through to SRP’s core normative documents. Brands interested in adding the QR code to their packaging can reach out to the SRP communications team for support. Tun added that for detailed guidance on communicating claims, members should refer to the SRP Brand Manual and Claims Guidelines v2.0 on the SRP website.

Is a QR code or link on pack mandatory?

Answer: Not explicitly, said Dr. Constantin — EmpCo doesn’t spell out a requirement for a QR code or web link. But he considers it strongly advisable: SRP’s Brand Manual already points approved claim texts back to the SRP website, and based on how EU regulators tend to interpret these rules, he expects case law to move in that direction over time. His recommendation to members is to include a clear route to further information on pack regardless.

Where does the explanation for a generic claim need to sit — website or label?

Answer: This distinction matters, Dr. Constantin explained. Because the SRP-Verified label itself carries no generic environmental claim, EmpCo’s generic-claim rule doesn’t apply to the label content — SRP’s approved claim texts are treated as specific claims under ordinary advertising law. For a company’s own generic claims (like “sustainable” or “climate-friendly”), though, EmpCo requires the explanation to sit in clear, prominent terms on the same medium as the claim itself — a link to a separate website generally isn’t considered sufficient. His practical advice: avoid generic words unless you can explain them right next to the claim, and if you must use them, give a concrete explanation immediately alongside.

Peter McAllister added an important clarification on scope:

▶SRP itself shouldn’t be read as substantiating specific numerical claims — a “50% emission reduction” or “30% water saving” — as a blanket figure; those results depend on context: production system, country and the specific practices applied.
▶SRP provides the framework, but companies using SRP-Verified rice still need to gather and hold their own evidence, often together with partners and farmers.
▶SRP would not endorse a project-specific figure being presented as a generic, universal result.

Trusti added that every use of the SRP-Verified label and any related claim goes through SRP’s label-and-claim assessment process, checking both the artwork and that the product genuinely traces to SRP-Verified producers

Does the name “Sustainable Rice Platform” itself count as a generic claim?

Answer: Dr. Constantin drew a distinction between the organisation’s name and logo and the on-pack SRP-Verified label, which doesn’t spell out “sustainable” and instead uses the abbreviation “SRP” alongside “Verified.” He noted that EmpCo’s definition of a generic environmental claim generally excludes terms that are part of a label based on a genuine certification scheme. Peter added a risk-management perspective: absolute words like “sustainable” invite scrutiny of a product’s entire lifecycle, which is why SRP is comfortable describing its work as “working towards sustainable rice” while staying cautious about making absolute sustainability claims at product level. Dr. Constantin closed this point by flagging words like “sustainable,” “neutral” and “responsible” as ones that tend to draw attention from regulators and NGOs, and suggested it’s generally easier to avoid them on pack than to change packaging later.

Should companies hold off on SRP-related claims until national guidance is clearer?

Answer: Dr. Constantin’s view was that EmpCo’s generic-claim rules only bite when a claim is actually generic — and SRP’s approved, specific claim wording (for example, referencing the Mass Balance model) sits outside that provision, governed instead by long-standing general advertising law. In short:

▶Caution is warranted for genuinely generic or borderline wording.
▶There’s no need to wait purely because of EmpCo when using SRP’s specific, approved claims.
▶Companies can also approach national authorities directly with draft claim wording for informal feedback.

Peter noted that SRP has commissioned legal advice from Dr. Constantin’s firm and translated it into updated guidance, a strengthened consumer information page and internal review processes — but was clear that nothing shared in the webinar should be taken as case-specific legal advice, and that each company should work with its own legal counsel on final wording, with SRP available to support with system-level context.

How is SRP supporting different European languages?

Answer: Trusti shared that SRP is preparing its consumer-facing page in around eight European languages, including German, Dutch, Italian, Swedish, Polish, Finnish and Danish, and is looking for native-speaker volunteers from the community to help proof-read for accuracy.

Throughout, speakers were consistent on one point: these are summaries of a discussion, not formal or case-specific legal advice, and members should pair SRP’s materials with their own legal counsel when finalising claims.

Next Steps

In closing, Tun encouraged participants to stay engaged with SRP’s upcoming events and learning opportunities, make use of the updated Brand Manual and Claims Guidelines and SRP’s review process, and share feedback through the post-webinar survey to help shape future support.

The webinar recording and materials will be shared with registered participants. As the regulatory bar rises, SRP and its partners aren’t just adjusting to change — they’re working to position the rice sector as a benchmark for credible, trustworthy sustainability claims.