About the Declare Dialogue and How to Post to It
WHAT IS THE DIALOGUE
The Dialogue is the online forum for requesting precedent-setting clarifications, exceptions, and definitions related to program requirements. Through its responses to those requests, ILFI provides guidance on situations, devised strategies, or innovations that were not contemplated by the rule set articulated in the Handbooks for a given Standard or Program. Anyone can review the posted questions and rulings, but only registered manufacturers that have initiated at least one label submission can submit posts to the Dialogue.
Rulings are made publicly available so that other project teams and interested parties can learn from the posted questions and responses. Identifying information specific to the manufacturer (or any party submitting a request) and its product(s) will be omitted, but all other content included in the inquiry will be posted. Searchable based on content, the activity in the Dialogue not only provides a mechanism for distributing strategies for success, but also yields modifications to future releases of Declare and its program requirements. In this way, the Dialogue captures the ongoing evolution of the Standards and Programs and gives credit to the hundreds, if not thousands, of individuals who contribute to the process.
POSTING TO THE DIALOGUE
To ensure that the question is directed through the most appropriate process, manufacturers are advised to consider the following questions before submitting. If a review of those questions suggests that the inquiry doesn't warrant submission as a Dialogue post, but rather is seeking clarification or additional information, then it should be directed to declare.support@living-future.org as a standard technical support question. Technical support staff will direct the question through Dialogue if deemed appropriate.
Does the answer already exist?
- Have you looked in the Declare Manufacturer's Guide?
- Have you searched the Dialogue?
Is the situation unique or does it require specific guidance?
- Are you requesting a specific approach or strategy that isn’t clearly permitted in the Declare Manufacturer's Guide?
- Are you requesting clarification on how to apply a requirement, pathway or Exception that might be open to interpretation?
- Are you asking about a product-specific situation, circumstance, or process that isn’t addressed in the Guide?
- A subject line that identifies the topic and includes the words “Dialogue Post”;
- The registered product name (if the product has already been submitted to ILFI for review;
- The program requirement the post pertains to; and
- A specific question(s) on a single topic with sufficient detail and background to permit evaluation.
Posts related to Declare Program Exceptions and Red List Change Requests utilize specific forms that can be accessed through the ILFI Member Dashboard, on the Declare page.