Criteria and point system
This page summarises the Green Product Award criteria and point system. The binding rules for eligibility, assessment, seal use, monitoring, renewal, suspension and withdrawal are set out in the Full Scheme Rules. >>Access here
How submissions are assessed
Submissions are assessed under the responsibility of the independent jury according to the criteria of the Green Future Club gUG on the basis of the information and evidence submitted by the participant. Each eligible submission is reviewed against seven criteria and scored from 0 to 8 base points per criterion.
The seven assessment criteria
|
Criterion |
Focus |
|
Overall Approach |
Clarity, originality, credibility and relevance of the submitted solution. |
|
Elaboration |
Research, development quality, feasibility, documentation and evidence. |
|
Impact |
Environmental, social, user-related or systemic benefit, including the clarity of the impact boundary. |
|
Market |
Target market, user need, demand, differentiation and adoption potential. |
|
Design |
Aesthetic quality, usability, functionality, packaging logic and responsible communication. |
|
Innovation |
Meaningful novelty, improvement or new application. |
|
Sustainability |
Specific, lifecycle-aware and evidence-backed sustainability benefits. |
|
Score |
General meaning |
|
0 |
Not addressed or not assessable based on the submitted information. |
|
1-2 |
Very weak, barely substantiated, marginally relevant or only generally claimed. |
|
3-4 |
Solid; understandable, assessable and provides a clear basis for the criterion. |
|
5-6 |
Good; easy to understand supported by proportionate evidence. |
|
7 |
Very strong; well evidenced, relevant and convincingly implemented. |
|
8 |
Outstanding; exceptionally clear, well evidenced and exemplary for the criterion. |
|
Criterion |
Weighting |
|
Sustainability |
2.0 |
|
Innovation |
0.5 |
|
Market |
0.5 |
|
All other criteria |
1.0 |
Sustainability threshold
For the Green Product Award Seal, sustainability has a gatekeeping function. A submission must reach at least 3 out of 8 base points in Sustainability to be eligible for Green Product Award Finalist Seal use. Winner status requires at least 5 out of 8 base points in Sustainability and no material sustainability substantiation gap. Scores in Market, Design, Innovation, Overall Approach or communication quality cannot compensate for insufficient Sustainability scoring or unsupported sustainability claims.
Evidence and documentation
The assessment is based on the information and evidence submitted by the participant. Relevant evidence for products and services on the market must include, for example:
• material data and supplier declarations
• technical documentation and test reports
• certificates, LCA, EPD or audit reports
• repairability information, recycled-content proof or comparable documentation
Claims must be specific, scoped and supported by proportionate evidence. Vague or unsupported sustainability claims receive little or no weight.
Award types
The Green Product Award system distinguishes between seals and additional award recognitions.
A: Seals
Green Product Award
The Green Product Award Seal applies to products or services already on the market that have been assessed under the published criteria and meet the applicable scoring, sustainability and evidence requirements. Companies can use the seal for the awarded product or service in their product, sales and communication materials. The seal is valid for one year; active seals are subject to annual status review and monitoring. The Green Product Award Seal is not a whole-company certification, does not apply automatically to other products or services, and does not guarantee legal compliance. Seal usage should link to the certificate record, project page or this Criteria page where technically possible.
Green Concept Award
The Green Concept Award Seal applies to concepts that are not yet placed on the market. It recognises the submitted concept at the stage in which it was assessed. It is an award recognition, not a product-market certification or sustainability certification seal. If the concept later becomes a marketed product or service, the Green Concept Award Seal may no longer be used for product-level market communication. It must be submitted again under the Green Product Award before product-level Green Product Award Seal use is possible.
B: Award Recognitions
Audience Award and Editor’s Choice are additional award recognitions, not seals. They do not replace the jury assessment and do not change the jury score. They may be communicated as the specific recognition received, for example in award announcements, press, social media, company news, presentations and winner communications. In consumer-facing product marketing, they must not be used in a way that suggests product sustainability proof, legal compliance approval, whole-company certification, approval of other products or services, or equivalent product certification.
Award Audience Award Winner
The Audience Award is based on public voting among eligible finalists. The most voted product and concept is selected.
Editor's Choice Winner
The Editor's Choice is selected by the award editorial team among eligible finalists.