SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, has published a Consumer Compact article looking at the issue of belief in environmental attribute claims and why businesses need an independently verified ‘green’ mark that can be trusted.

Sustainability is now a key driver in consumer products industries. Consumers want to buy from environmentally conscious companies and are willing to pay more for goods. However, there is a problem – greenwashing!

SGS’s Consumer Compact article considers the statistics around demand for sustainable products and the solutions that are available to manufacturers and brands who want to demonstrate the veracity of their environmental attribute claims. It also looks at the benefits of SGS’s Environmental Claim Certification and Verification schemes and the power of the SGS Green Mark.

Read the original Consumer Compact article, ‘Can You Trust ‘Green’ Product Claims?’.

SGS solution
SGS’s Environmental Claim Certification and Verification schemes, combined with SGS Green, reinforce consumer trust in products by testing products against recognized standards. Green Marks cover six individual product attribute claims – industrial compostable, biodegradability, biobased, hazardous substance assessed, recycled content and PVC-free.

Learn more about SGS Green Marks.

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For more information, please contact: 

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.sgs.com/cp
LinkedIn: SGS Connectivity & Products

About SGS
We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 96,000 employees operate a network of 2,700 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.

SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, has published a Consumer Compact article looking at the issues surrounding global trade fraud and the ways SGS e-Valuator can help governments beat trade scammers. 

It’s estimated that around four billion paper documents relating to global cargo trade are in circulation at any one time. Digitalization gives authorities the opportunity to speed up the exchange of documents while automatically detecting fraudulent practices. By cross-referencing the declared value for a good against an up-to-date database of prevailing international prices, attempts to defraud governments can be identified even before the consignment has reached port.

SGS’s Consumer Compact article looks at the challenges around global trade and explains how SGS e-Valuator is helping governments to focus their attention on high-risk consignments to beat the trade scammers.

Read the original Consumer Compact article, ‘The Importance of Knowing the True Value of Imported Goods’.

SGS solution
SGS e-Valuator is a fully automated trade valuation system that seamlessly interfaces with a country’s customs management system. It utilizes a regularly updated database containing accurate price references to ensure governments are not being defrauded. All trade transactions are automatically assessed, enabling better targeting of suspicious consignments to reduce costs and increase success rates.

Learn more about SGS e-Valuator.

Subscribe here to receive SGS Consumer Compact direct to your inbox.

For more information, please contact: 

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.sgs.com/trade
LinkedIn: SGS Connectivity & Products

About SGS
We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 96,000 employees operate a network of 2,700 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.

January 2024 – Whether you are looking to purchase your first or sixth property, finding the right expert for advice can make all the difference.

At Hipster Real Estate, buyers have been more than happy to place their trust and faith in Patrick Ward and his wife. They have experienced both the highs and lows of the real estate market and have vowed to help families, couples, and singles find their feet in this highly competitive, fast-moving market.

“Hipster Real Estate was established to help people who have never bought a house understand how the process really works,” said Patrick. “Whether it’s explaining the hidden costs of real estate, connecting buyers with homeownership assistance programs, or explaining the subtle nuances of buying investment properties, Hipster Real Estate’s main purpose is to combat the notion that only ‘other people’ can buy and profit from real estate.”

Patrick’s first experience with real estate came when he and his wife bought a foreclosure on his teacher’s salary. It was a nice change from city life, but the house needed a lot of work. All their ‘spare’ money went into replacing one thing after another each weekend, but after four years they were able to do a cash out refinance. The sudden windfall of extra cash enabled them to pay off graduate school, credit card debt, and buy a new minivan for their growing family. When the time was right, they sold that very same house for more than double what they owed.

They now own their dream home and run rental properties. With Hipster Real Estate, they hope to pass on what they’ve learned and help people realize their own real estate investment goals.

Real estate has long been a popular avenue for individuals seeking to diversify their investment portfolios and build long-term wealth. Anyone able to come up with a down payment and closing costs can become a real estate investor. Whether the home is to be a primary residence or a second property doesn’t matter. The purchase of just a single home can open up a world of financial opportunities.

Patrick said: “Many investors consider real estate the best investment. Once you understand how to utilize it, you can build a portfolio that will generate income for both yourself, your immediate heirs, and future generations.”

Why not contact the Wards for more advice on property investments? Email them at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or view the services at https://www.hipsterrealestate.net/.

SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, has published SafeGuardS 010.24 to provide stakeholders with an overview of Australia’s prohibition on several persistent organic pollutants (POP).

The amendment – Industrial Chemicals Environment Management (Register) Amendment (2023 Measures No. 1) Instrument 2023 – adds the following POP to Schedules 6 and 7 of the Industrial Chemicals Environment Management (Register) Instrument 2022 (IChEMS Register). Chemicals under these schedules are considered the highest environment concern and therefore have tighter controls.

Chemicals added:

Schedule 6 – likely to cause serious or irreversible harm to the environment with essential uses:
- Nona- and decaBDE

Schedule 7 – same characteristics as Schedule 6, but with no essential uses:
-Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)
-Tetrabromodiphenyl ether (tetraBDE) and pentaBDE
- Hexa-, hepta- and octaBDE
- Pentachlorobenzene (PeCB)Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds
- Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts, perfluorooctanesulfonyl fluoride (PFOS-F) and PFOS-related compounds
- Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and PFHxS-related compounds
- Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCP)

These prohibitions will be implemented in phases, starting in July 2024. 

SGS publishes SafeGuardS to keep stakeholders informed about regulatory changes that may impact their business. SafeGuardS 010.24 summarizes the impact the designation of these chemicals as Schedule 6 or 7 chemicals will have on businesses. It includes a table highlighting several provisions on the presence of the substance/substance class as an unintentional trace contaminant under the amendment.

Stakeholders are advised to review SGS’s original SafeGuardS 010.24 for more details.

SGS Chemical Testing
SGS offers a comprehensive range of testing services to help manufacturers and suppliers ensure their products are safe and comply with national and international regulations concerning harmful chemicals. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS Chemical Testing Services.

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Australia Bans Several POP Chemicals SafeGuardS.

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Dr. HingWo Tsang
Global Information and Innovation Manager
Tel: (+852) 2774 7420
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Website: www.sgs.com/cp
LinkedIn: SGS Connectivity & Products

About SGS
We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for sustainability, quality and integrity. Our 98,000 employees operate a network of 2,650 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world