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10.10.2025

Invitation to the 3-CO Final Event: Empowering Bio-Based Choices Through Smart Certification

By developing smart label design guidelines, digital support tools, and implementing social innovation strategies, 3-CO addresses transparency and trust in bio-based products.

At its final online-event “Empowering Bio-Based Choices Through Smart Certification” on 21 October 2025 from 9:00 to 13:30 CEST, the EU-funded research project 3-CO (Concise Consumer Communication through Robust Labels for Biobased Systems) will showcase the project’s significant advances in consumer communication through investigating and implementing consumer perspectives and attitudes. The online event brings together international experts in certification, industry professionals, policy makers, researchers, (social) innovators, and stakeholders committed to driving a green transition of the EU’s bioeconomy and society at large.

Many of the products consumers purchase display eco-labels and promise sustainability, bio-based content, or fair and ethical production conditions. The messages and criteria behind these labels and certification schemes often remain unclear. To simplify and decode these messages, 3-CO focuses on improving how certification schemes and eco-labels communicate with consumers. By developing smart label design guidelines, digital support tools, and implementing social innovation strategies, the project addressed the challenges of transparency, trust, and consumer engagement, especially with regard to bio-based products. 

Registration for the online-event “Empowering Bio-Based Choices Through Smart Certification” on 21 October 2025 from 9:00 to 13:30 CEST is available at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sGB9lEzvTRq-E6Q3-K1_vw 

Driving dialogue on certification and sustainability 

In four sessions, the final 3-CO event will showcase panel discussions, expert presentations, case studies and best practise examples.

Session 1 (9:00 – 10:00): Certification and Labelling 

This session kicks off the programme by highlighting how smart certification and clear labelling can enhance consumer trust in bio-based products. Experts will evaluate the role of label and certification schemes in consumer choices, put EU eco-labels through a reality check, and introduce how the developed 3-CO app helps consumers decode label-information and identify sustainable products.

Speakers:

  • Martin Junginger (Utrecht University)
  • Margaux Le Gallou (ECOS)
  • Philippe DeWolfs (TÜV Austria)
  • Loha Hashimi (ENIDE)


Session 2 (10:00-11:00): Social Innovation 

This session delves into the transformative potential of social innovation and includes recommendations for implementation of social innovations in EU-policy and brand strategies. Noemi de Santis and Andrea Mangone from the Junker-App will introduce a successful example of social innovation with their user-friendly app that supports consumers in correctly recycling their packaging waste.

Speakers: 

  • John Vos (BTG)
  • Zoritza Kiresiewa (Ecologic Institut)
  • Florian Birk (SIGU Plattform)
  • Noemi De Santis & Andreas Mangone (Junker App)


Session 3 (11:30-12:30): Policy 

Putting the crucial role of policy frameworks at centre, this session explores the impact of policy and market instruments in establishing effective certification and scaling certified bio-based solutions. Kaj Seger (nova-Institute) will present the label design guidelines developed in the 3-CO project. Policy representatives will provide insights into how certification can be integrated with public procurement and regulatory strategies to foster sustainable consumption.

Speakers:

  • Luciano Proto Cassina (nova-Institute)
  • Margaux Le Gallou (ECOS)
  • Kaj Seeger (nova-Institute)
  • Jiannis Kougoulis (European Commission)


Session 4 (12:30 – 13:30): Consumer Perspective 

This session presents the latest research on how consumers perceive and respond to bio-based products and what concerns they voice towards certification and labelling. Experts will share key behavioural insights, while representatives from consumer associations will discuss communication strategies that enhance transparency, build trust, and ultimately promote sustainable purchasing choices.

Speakers:

  • Maira Devisscher (ISEAL)
  • Agnieszka Wiśniewska (University of Warsaw)
  • Mariano Votta (Active Citizenship Network)
  • Florian Junge (WALA Heilmittel GmbH/ Dr. Hauschka)

The event agenda is available at:

https://3co-project.eu/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/25-09-30_3co_agenda-1.pdf 

Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sGB9lEzvTRq-E6Q3-K1_vw   

For further information and registration details, visit the official 3-CO project website at http://www.3co-project.eu. 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.