Latest News > Media Release
| Media Release |
30 July 2008
AANA considering self regulating advertising “green” claims
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) today announced that the Association is considering adopting a self regulatory code for environmental claims used in advertising and marketing communications and is about to undertake a public consultation process.
“The AANA considers that there is emerging community expectation that environmental claims in advertising and marketing communications should be truthful, ethical and regulated. It is our experience that self regulation of advertising and marketing activities is the most efficient, flexible and cost effective means of ensuring both advertising and marketing communications comply with both the law as well as meeting community expectations,” Mr Ian Alwill, Chairman, AANA said.
“Increasingly many businesses are using their environmental, sustainability or carbon performance to differentiate themselves, their products and services from their competition in part in response to an increasing interest and demand from consumers, investors, the community and other stakeholders. This is a worldwide trend.”
“The AANA initiates, creates and reviews, as the owner, the Australian advertising and marketing communications self regulation codes. The Advertising Standards Board (ASB) is the manager and adjudicator of complaints against the codes.”
“If the AANA Board decides to implement a self regulatory Code in regard to “green” claims as a result of the review, it will be consistent with the current suite of successful AANA codes. Further utilising the existing complaint handling process administered by the ASB would avoid unnecessary duplication and confusion in handling complaints about “green claims” in advertising and marketing communications campaigns,” Mr Alwill said in conclusion.
Environmental or “green” claims are self proclaimed statements about the environmental benefits or impacts of any product, service, person, organisation and line of conduct in advertising or marketing communications. Green claims or statements that are made as a result of a legal or regulatory requirement would not be covered.
The AANA Board has commissioned Res Publica, a leading public affairs consultancy, to conduct the public consultation process. Res Publica recently completed the review and update of the Advertising and Marketing to Children Code on behalf of the AANA.
A Discussion Paper is currently being prepared. It is expected that the Discussion Paper will be released and associated public call for submissions will be made in August 2008. In the meantime interested stakeholders may express their interest in being consulted by contacting Res Publica
Download this media release
For further information:
Collin Segelov, AANA Executive Director 0414 858 899
Armon Hicks, Res Publica 0414 981 372
Background Information
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) is the peak advertising industry body representing the rights and responsibilities of Australia’s major advertisers and their industry partners. Further information about the AANA is available from http://www.aana.com.au/
The AANA’s aim and objective is to promote and safeguard the advertising interests of its members and to ensure that ethical standards are upheld through the management of the industry’s self-regulation system, implemented today through the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) in Canberra. The industry self regulation system is created, reviewed and owned by the AAHA.
The AANA represents the interests of companies responsible for 85% of Australia's annual expenditure on national mainstream media advertising, which topped $10 billion in 2005.
The ASB administers a complaints process under a national system of advertising self-regulation through the Advertising Standards Board and the Advertising Claims Board. Both boards make their determinations about complaints under appropriate sections of the Advertiser Code of Ethics, and the Food & Beverages Advertising & Marketing Communications Code and the Advertising and Marketing to Children Code as prescribed by the AANA, by following principles laid down by the AANA in consultation with the advertising industry and other stakeholders. Further information about the ASB is available from http://www.adstandards.com.au/pages/index.asp
The ASB reports annually on the complaints it has received.