The Blue Angel was initiated by the German government and awarded by an independent Jury to products that are environmentally friendlier than others serving the same use.

Each label specifies that the product or service focuses on one of four different protection goals: health, climate, water, and resources.

The Blue Angel Standard is managed by four entities:

1. The Environmental Label Jury is an independent decision-making body composed of representatives from environmental and consumer associations, trade unions, industry, trade, crafts, local authorities, science, media, churches and federal states.
2. The Federal Ministry for the Environment Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety is the owner of the label. It regularly informs the public about the decisions of the Environmental Label Jury.
3. The Federal Environment Agency with its “Eco-labelling, Eco-declaration and Eco-procurement” department acts as office of the Environmental Label Jury and develops the technical criteria of the Basic Award Criteria for the Blue Angel.
4. RAL gGmbH is the label-awarding agency.

The Blue Angel promotes the concerns of both environmental protection and consumer protection. Therefore it is awarded to products and services which are particularly beneficial for the environment in an all-round consideration and which also fulfill high standards of occupational health and safety and fitness for use.