The Label - A trademark focused on both the environment and profitability
The Label
Thanks to a rigorous evaluation process, the "Solar Impulse Efficient Solution" Label is the only evaluation that guarantees the economic profitability of products and processes that protect the environment. Considered a recognition for innovators and a credible trademark of quality for governments and companies, it enables decision-makers to find efficient solutions to meet their environmental commitments.
The Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label is designed to shed light on existing Solutions that are both clean and profitable. The Label is awarded to products, services, and/or processes that combine credible environmental and economic performance, while outperforming the mainstream options in its market.
The decision to grant the Label is based on a rigorous assessment performed by external, independent Experts. The development of stringent selection criteria has resulted in the Solar Impulse Label being internationally recognized and endorsed by several institutions, states, and cities around the world.
Each time I speak of protecting the Environment to heads of state or government officials, they tell me that it is too expensive. This Label is a strong message to them: solutions exist and represent the biggest market opportunity of our century. An opportunity which cannot be missed.
Bertrand Piccard
Requirements
Note:
Please note that only the Standards here are considered as valid information for the Label.
The following eligibility criteria apply under all circumstances, a Solution must:
Once the Applicant has verified the fulfillment of the Eligibility Criteria and has completed the Member profile, the official submission of their Solution for the Labeling process can begin. The applicant has access to the Member Dashboardwhere he/she can start filling in the Solution Submission Form (SSF). Once the SSF is initiated, applicants have 30 days to complete the application.
Applications must be assigned to three external independent Experts in a process called matchmaking. The matching process is designed to impartially assign the Experts to solutions that match their field of expertise in order to ensure a competent evaluation. Learn more about our Experts community here.
Assessments are performed online via the Solution Assessment Form (SAF). Each SAF (one for each of the three independent Experts) needs to be completed and submitted within fifteen days after the Expert was officially assigned the Solution.
Once a solution is assigned the evaluation process begins. The assessment methodology is designed to evaluate candidate solutions against five criteria: Credibility, Scalability, Environmental Benefits, Client’s Economic Incentive, and Seller’s Profitability.
Once three usable assessments are completed and validated by SIF’s Team, a final outcome can be determined. Both positive and negative outcomes will be communicated to both the Member and the Experts in written format (via email). Both rejected and Labeled Solutions receive feedback in the form of an Assessment Summary Report (ASR) which compiles the three usable assessments performed by the Experts assigned to the Solution.
In addition to the Assessment Summary Report (ASR) Labeled Solutions will receive a communication toolkit which contains the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution logo in several versions. Members are encouraged to communicate about the SIF Efficient Solution Label on both digital and physical materials within the guidelines provided by SIF.
Products can be labeled with the SIF Efficient Solution Label logo starting from the day they receive their label (labeling date) up to three years’ time. After this time, labeled Solutions will maintain the right to promote their Solution using the Label (dated version) on their digital materials, but will lose the benefit of using the Label (un-dated version with ™ symbol) on physical products (e.g. packaging). More information can be found on the Label Standards.
In 2022, as part of SIF’s continued commitment to upholding the value, credibility, and impact of its Label, the Label Update Program (with retroactive effect) will be introduced. The Label Update Program (LUP) aims at introducing a process for already-Labeled Solutions to reaffirm their association with SIF as well as receiving an official confirmation that their solution still meets SIF standards. More information can be found in our Label Standards.
Ernst & Young (EY) collaborates with the Solar Impulse Foundation to provide expertise in securing the robustness of the Labelling processes which is the backbone of the Foundation’s mission to select and support clean and profitable projects worldwide. EY’s contribution focuses primarily on challenging the concept behind the Label selection process - including the choice of evaluation criteria, eligibility, and expert’s format of involvement– helping concretely shape and improve the future of the Efficient Solution Label. External auditing are performed on a regular basis on a significant sample of Solutions.
Within the framework of its partnership with the European Commission (EC), the Solar Impulse Foundation has established a partial equivalence between the (EIC) Accelerator Pilot Phase-2 / SME Instrument Phase-2 selection process and criteria of the Solar Impulse Efficient Solution Label.
Consequently, all the selected Solutions that reached a certain score after EC Experts’ examination of this specific program (receiving either funds or the Seal of Excellence of the EC if no funds are available) are eligible for this partial equivalence.
More about The Label
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