The growth of green labels on products and companies of all kinds can be seen as a positive step, an increasing awareness and concern about the environment among businesses and consumers alike. But with this growth has come confusion and a lack of trust among shoppers who are suddenly inundated with similar-looking options for "green" products.

Aiming to focus companies' efforts on backing up the environmental claims of products is the goal of a report just released by Business for Social Responsibility and Forum for the Future. The report, entitled "Eco-promising: communicating the environmental credentials of your products and services," offers a look at the past, present and future of green labeling schemes, and suggests ways that companies can live up to the green promises .

The report answers the questions of why companies should communicate the benefits of their products as well as laying out a how-to for companies just starting out.

Among the benefits of eco-promises, according to the report, are growing the sales of products, enhancing a company's reputation, improving how it addresses risk and embraces opportunities, and shaping existing or upcoming regulations that might affect a company's products.