SASCHA NISSEN, VALÉRIE SÉJOURNÉ
A.I.S.E. – International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products, Brussels, Belgium

Abstract

A.I.S.E., the International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products, has a long tradition over the last 20 years of proactive work towards sustainable production and consumption for the whole detergents and maintenance product industry sector. In the global perspective, this industry sector is positively contributing to the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); focus in this article is put especially on Goals 12 (Responsible Production and Consumption), 13 (Climate Action) and 17 (Partnership for the Goals). In this context, the main learnings from A.I.S.E.’s EU pilot Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) project for household liquid laundry detergents for machine applications are summarised, and we demonstrate how the industry already pursues the main objective of this project and goes even further, enabling noticeable reductions of the overall environmental footprint.

A ROLE MODEL INDUSTRY FOR SERVING SOCIETY IN AN INNOVATIVE AND SUSTAINABLE WAY

A.I.S.E., the International Association for Soaps, Detergents and Maintenance Products, is the official representative body of this industry in Europe. Its membership totals 29 national associations across Europe, 18 corporate members and 6 value chain partners. The A.I.S.E. network of members represents over 900 companies supplying both household and professional cleaning and maintenance products and services to consumers and professional users.

CONTRIBUTING TO THE EU SUSTAINABILITY AND RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AGENDA

Sustainable development is enshrined in the EU Treaty as an ‘overarching’ principle of all EU policies and is also fundamental to the EU 2020 strategy on smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. In that spirit, A.I.S.E. has been closely involved in various EU efforts relating to the EU 2020 strategy. With the publication of the Single Market for Green Products (SMGP) Initiative in April 2013, the European Commission strived to facilitate a higher uptake of green products and of greener ...