Recognizing more sustainable items

You can recognize more sustainable items at bol.com by their sustainability label, which you will see both on the product page itself and in the search results. Here is an example of such a label:

Items from our more sustainable assortment can be found via:

• The ‘Sustainability’ filter in the left column
• The ‘More sustainable choices’ page
• The list of all sustainable items

When your item carries a sustainability label, the item is easier to find and recognize. This increases the chances of sales!

Apply for a sustainability label

Does your assortment meet one of the criteria below? Then apply for a sustainability label now by following the steps below:

1. Check if your assortment meets one of the criteria listed below.
2. Download this “bestand duurzaamheidskeurmerken and indicate per EAN which criterion your article meets.
3. Deliver the file including the supporting certificates (in case of a label) and/or the supporting verification by the manufacturer (in case of another characteristic) to your contact person within the store. We will check if your item meets the criteria and label your item.

The sustainability characteristics at bol.com

Bol.com works with the following sustainability categories:

• More sustainable ingredients
• Energy saving
• Reusing materials
• People and society
• Responsible materials
• Free of harmful substances

Within each of these categories are a number of criteria that your item can meet to receive a sustainability label. These criteria have been drawn up by bol.com based on independent research by various expert organizations.

More sustainable ingredients

Items within this category encourage more sustainable growing methods, better working conditions and greater care for the environment. An item must carry at least one of the labels or characteristics listed below to be included within bol.com’s more sustainable assortment:

• Aise Cleanright Charter
• Agriculture Biologique
• ASC
• Bio Siegel
• Certified Sustainable Enterprise
• Demeter
• ECOCERT Cosmos Natural
• ECOCERT Cosmos Organic
• Ecogarantie
• EKO
• European Hallmark for Organic
• Groenkeur
• ICADA Natural
• Krav
• MPS
• MSC
• NaTrue
• Natural Cosmetics Standard
• Naturland Aquakultur
• On The Way To Planetproof
• Rainforest Alliance
• RSPO (Mix)
• Soil Association
• USDA Organic
• UTZ
• Sustainable Florist
• Nature Care Product
• Oostenrijkse Ecolabel (ÖUZ)

Personal care criteria

For personal care items, Milieu Centraal commissioned bol.com to draw up alternative conditions to be included within their more sustainable assortment.

Milieu Centraal is a knowledge center for sustainable living and provides independent and reliable information. In addition, Milieu Centraal provides consumers with practical tips to live more sustainably.

Below is an overview of the criteria personal care items must meet to be included in bol.com’s sustainable assortment. These criteria apply to the following product groups:

• Shower and bath foams, gels, scrubs
• Shampoos and conditioners
• Hand soap and disinfectant
• Toothpaste
• Face and hand creams, body lotions, sunscreens and lotions

These criteria do not apply to perfume, makeup or cleaning and laundry products.

You can use the “Personal Care” tab in the entry form to provide the information of more sustainable personal care products.

Energy saving

Items within this category save energy during use and therefore CO2 emissions. An item must carry at least one of the labels or characteristics listed below to be included within bol.com’s more sustainable assortment:

• EcoVadis Platinum
• EPEAT
• European Energy label*
• TCO
• Smart Thermostat and self-learning, modulating thermostat dial with clock
• Solar powered electrical appliances
• Windows – HR Double/Triple Glazing
• Water-saving Faucet
• Insulation Material
• Solar Panels
• GroenGedaan!

*For a number of household products, the Dutch government has mandated a European Energy Label. Depending on the product group, these labels run from F (lowest) to A+++ (highest). The higher the class, the more energy efficient the item is.

Within the product groups where the greatest negative impact lies in energy consumption during the product’s life cycle, we automatically add the most energy-efficient items to our more sustainable assortment. So there is no need to fill out a form for this.

Reuse of materials

To save precious resources and avoid waste, it is important that we reuse materials. This is how we make the transition to a circular economy. Items within this category contain reused materials. Think of items made from recycled materials, but also refurbished or second-hand items. An item must carry at least one of the labels or characteristics listed below in order to be included in bol.com’s more sustainable assortment:

If you want to have an item labeled as more sustainable using a feature (e.g., >50% recycled material) instead of a label, we ask that you send verification along by the manufacturer of the item proving the origin and percentage of the material.

Recyclable items do not fall within bol.com’s more sustainable assortment, as their sustainability is strongly influenced by consumer behavior and the existence of a return process.

Refurbished & second-hand

To build a more sustainable and fair world for everyone, organizations working toward a social cause are desperately needed. Items within this category are, for example, fair trade, from a social enterprise or from a charity. An item must carry at least one of the labels or characteristics listed below to be included within bol.com’s more sustainable assortment:

• ANBI
• B Corporation
• CBF
• Cotton made in Africa
• Fair for Life
• Fairtrade (formerly: Max Havelaar)
• Social Enterprise NL
• VSO
• Fair Stone
• Fair Wear Foundation
• FairForward
• IGEP
• Xertifix

Organizations for a better world

Items within this category are made from independently determined more sustainable materials, such as production using responsible forestry. An item must carry at least one of the labels or characteristics listed below to be included within bol.com’s more sustainable assortment:

• BioKreis
• Blue Angel
• Cradle to Cradle
• European Ecolabel
• FSC 100%
• FSC Mixed
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS)
• IVN Natural Leather
• Leather Working Group
• Ecolabel
• Naturtextil IVN
• Nordic Ecolabel
• Organic 100 Content Standard (OCS)
• PEFC
• Responsible Down Standard (RDS)
• Responsible Mohair Standard (RMS)
• Responsible Wool Standard (RMS)
• Article must be made of at least 50% ECONYL material
• Article must be made of at least 50% hemp
• At least 50% of the article has to be made of lenzing ECO VERO material
• At least 50% of the item must be made of linen
• Article must be made of at least 50% tencell/lyocell material

The labeling of more sustainable books is currently handled by bol.com itself, so you do not need to apply for a more sustainable label or otherwise contact bol.com about it.

Free of harmful substances

Chemicals are used in all kinds of products, from makeup to paint to toys to clothing. They can make our lives easier: for example, they make sure that cream keeps for a long time and that our raincoats keep us dry. When legislation is followed and you handle the product properly yourself, chemicals in the final product are not dangerous to your health or the environment. However, in some cases, there is a possible risk that certain chemicals do have a negative impact.

Items within this category offer a more sustainable alternative to products with this potential risk. An item within must carry at least one of the labels or characteristics listed below to be included within bol.com’s more sustainable assortment:

• PFAS-free
• PFC-free