Together with the German Direct Marketing Federation DDV), eco has initiated a safe-list project, the so-called "Certified Senders Alliance".

What is the Certified Senders Alliance (CSA)?

Mass mailers, who send marketing material with the permission of the addressee (Permission Marketing), have been increasingly complaining bitterly that a substantial percentage of requested material – which the addressee actually wants - no longer arrives, due to spam filtering systems. The solution currently being steered towards is internal safe lists administered by Internet service providers (ISPs) that mass mailers can ask to be registered on.

But this approach has some weaknesses. For instance, a mass mailer must negotiate placement on the safe lists of scores of ISPs. And ISPs are faced with the task of vetting myriad mass mailers based on safe list criteria, which, of course, vary from provider to provider. Changing contacts at ISPs make the process even more difficult. All this points to the potential usefulness of a centrally administered safe list, with standard registration procedures for mass mailers, a consistently high quality of service and an efficient customer complaint mechanism.

A centralised safe list does not just constitute a “spam fence”. It also functions as the interface between mass mailers and Internet service providers, which could contribute to improving the quality of email as a commercial medium. But, above all, it could ensure that emails - which are actually requested - from respectable mailers, arrive smoothly at their destination, without the mailer having to fear their mailings ending up being stamped as illegitimate. Participating in the Certified Senders Alliance means that server-side spam filters allow legitimate messages to pass, and that only individual user settings can block messages from list-approved mass mailers. This approach can save time and resources for both Internet service providers and mass mailers.

In addition to these motivations, the joint initiative by eco and the German Direct Marketing Federation (DDV) will ensure buy-in from both the Internet industry and direct marketing companies. The DDV has recommended that its members participate in the project, and has supplied two of the four individuals who will run the Registration and Complaint Committee. And the service remains free-of-charge for Internet service providers.