Sustainability in Trademarks: Leveraging Marks to Convey Eco-Friendly Brands, Avoiding Potential Pitfalls

Course Details
- smart_display Format
On-Demand
- signal_cellular_alt Difficulty Level
- work Practice Area
Trademark and Copyright
- event Date
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
- schedule Time
1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT
- timer Program Length
90 minutes
-
This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.
This CLE webinar will guide IP counsel on leveraging trademarks to convey sustainability. The panel will discuss the impact on brands and how they message their eco-friendly brands. The panel will offer best practices for brand owners to consider when using marks to communicate the brand's eco-friendly initiatives.
Faculty

Ms. Ciotola concentrates her practice on counseling, protecting and enforcing trademark, trade dress, copyright, and related IP rights, as well as counseling clients in unfair competition, internet, advertising, and promotions law. She assists clients in the development and exploitation of their trademark portfolios, including clearance of marks; prosecution of trademark applications before the USPTO; and identifying important overseas jurisdiction and filing or coordinating with local counsel for protection and enforcement of marks in those jurisdictions. Ms. Ciotola develops strategies for the enforcement of her clients’ IP rights, including preparing demand letters, negotiating settlement agreements, handling opposition and cancellation actions before the TTAB, and coordinating and overseeing litigation with local counsel around the world. She also develops strategies for enforcement of her clients’ IP rights online, including handling Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy proceedings. Ms. Ciotola attends and speaks at the world’s leading trademark industry association gatherings, including the INTA, MARQUES, the European brand owner association, European Communities Trade Mark Association and the Asociancion InterAmericana de la Propriedad Intelectual (ASIPI). She also talks about trademarks on her podcast, IP Obsessed.

Mr. Coble has helped clients navigate and mitigate risk relating to intellectual property and heavily regulated markets such as alcohol, biotech, personal data, pharmaceuticals, and, of course, cannabis. He has managed international trademark portfolios, crafted complex licensing agreements, and shepherded all types of IP throughout their lifecycles, from conception to commercialization to enforcement.
Description
People are increasingly environmentally conscious and, as a result, companies are seeing consumers wanting and being willing to pay for sustainable goods. It is not surprising that many companies have responded by shifting their focus to providing eco-friendly products. Trademarks play an important role in conveying brand values and sustainability.
For example, Eileen Fisher and Patagonia have led the way in leveraging trademarks to communicate social and environmental commitments. Many other brands are now following their lead. However, there has been little regulation of greenwashed products. There is increased scrutiny of claiming environmental initiatives without actually having such initiatives in place.
Terms and phrases used to describe a brand's sustainability practices must be chosen carefully. The line between protectable and unprotectable terms is not always clear. These marks play an important part in ensuring that consumers know what they are getting or that the product that they are buying meets certain standards.
Listen as our authoritative panel of IP attorneys examines sustainability in trademarks and the potential pitfalls to avoid. The panel will discuss the impact on brands, how they message, and best practices for brand owners to consider.
Outline
- Sustainability in trademarks
- Potential pitfalls
- Impact on brands
- Messaging
- Best practices
Benefits
The panel will review these and other key issues:
- How can green trademarks help brands promote sustainability?
- What potential challenges do companies face when seeking to use trademarks to convey sustainability?
- What best practices should companies and counsel employ to leverage marks to communicate eco-friendly products?
Unlimited access to premium CLE courses:
- Annual access
- Available live and on-demand
- Best for attorneys and legal professionals
Unlimited access to premium CPE courses.:
- Annual access
- Available live and on-demand
- Best for CPAs and tax professionals
Unlimited access to premium CLE, CPE, Professional Skills and Practice-Ready courses.:
- Annual access
- Available live and on-demand
- Best for legal, accounting, and tax professionals
Related Courses

Trademark Infringement Monetary Remedies: Protecting IP Rights and Overcoming Challenges
Wednesday, May 7, 2025
1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT

Comparative Advertising: Avoiding Trademark Infringement, Disparagement
Friday, April 11, 2025
1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT

Demonstrating Use in Commerce for Trademark Registration and Enforcement
Tuesday, April 15, 2025
1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT

Functionality in Trade Dress Prosecution and Litigation: Protecting the Look and Feel of Products and Packaging
Thursday, April 10, 2025
1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT
Recommended Resources
Getting the Most Out of BARBRI Resources
- Learning & Development
- Business & Professional Skills
- Talent Development
Transforming CLE from a Requirement to a Career Advantage
- Learning & Development
- Career Advancement
- Talent Development