As EmpCo raises the stakes for green claims, FSC helps companies communicate with confidence

Bonn, Germany, [21 September 2026] — The EU Empowering Consumers Directive, known as EmpCo, is taking effect next week, raising the bar for how companies communicate environmental performance. Broad sustainability statements are no longer enough: businesses will need clear language, strong evidence, and greater confidence that what they say can stand up to scrutiny.  

Ahead of the Directive's entry into force, FSC Senior Director of Markets Helen Chepkemoi Too, said:  

“EmpCo gives companies a clear choice: make environmental claims they can stand behind, or rethink how they communicate. The goal should not be to communicate less, but to communicate with greater precision, transparency, and accountability. FSC is committed to helping businesses make claims that are clear, measurable, and supported by evidence.” 

Here's what to know:  

What is EmpCo? 

The EU EmpCo Directive comes into force on 27 September 2026. 

Designed to protect consumers from misleading environmental messages and make sustainability information more reliable, EmpCo gives national authorities stronger grounds to act where businesses cannot support what they communicate. For companies, the consequences could be significant, from enforcement action to financial penalties and legal exposure. 

But without clear regulatory expectations – and with the Green Claims Directive proposal currently on hold – some companies may choose to scale back environmental communications to limit their exposure to scrutiny, rather than invest in developing precise claims that are supported by robust evidence.  

As a trusted third-party certification system, FSC ensures that environmental claims associated with its certified products are credible, verified, and substantiated. 

How can FSC certification help? 

FSC is supporting licence holders with EmpCo requirements through trusted certification and clear guidance. FSC meets EmpCo requirements for certification schemes, and our labels are aligned with the Directive. 

FSC issues sustainability labels such as FSC 100% (from well-managed forests), FSC RECYCLED (made from recycled material), and FSC MIX (supporting responsible forestry). Through transparent governance, multi-stakeholder standard setting, robust conformity mechanisms, and independent third-party verification, FSC ensures that sustainability labels associated with FSC are specific, credible, and substantiated. 

For an overview of how the FSC certification system aligns with each EmpCo requirement for schemes, please visit our dedicated webpage.  

FSC certification can help organizations demonstrate that the forest-based material in their products comes from responsibly managed forests and other controlled sources. Verified Impact builds on this assurance by enabling companies and forest managers to strengthen evidence-based communications about their contributions to climate action, biodiversity conservation, and other ecosystem services, with the help of credible, verified data.  

Together, these tools help companies move from broad environmental messaging to clearer communication grounded in credible systems and independently assessed results. 

As EmpCo is transposed and implemented across the EU, FSC encourages organizations to review their environmental communications, align them with the latest requirements, and ensure that any statements about sustainability performance are accurate, proportionate, and supported by appropriate evidence.  

While rules around environmental claims are changing, the underlying goal remains the same: encouraging meaningful action and long-term commitments to protect forests and nature, and safeguarding our planet for future generations. 

For companies, the message is clear: the answer is not to step back from sustainability commitments, but to strengthen them. Stronger rules do not mean saying less. They mean ensuring that words are backed by action, evidence, and impact. 

Read more about how FSC is continuously evolving to meet emerging regulatory requirements:  

• Clear and accurate: Why individuals and businesses can trust the claims about FSC   
• FSC and Empowering Consumers