We’re all a bit more mindful these days about our impact on the planet. This year’s COP26 summit in Glasgow brought the scale of the environmental issues we face into sharp focus. So, at this time of year, you might be more careful to check that you really can re-cycle that wrapping paper? You might also make a big effort to ration the amount of plastic that goes into the children’s stockings? As consumers it’s incredibly important we have access to clear and accurate information to enable us to make better choices, so greenwashing is something of which we all need to be aware.
What is greenwashing?
“Greenwashing” is a term which describes the exaggerated or otherwise misleading environmental claims made about a product, service, brand, business or its activities.
Generally, such claims are intended to give the impression that a product, service or business has a positive environmental impact (or, no environment impact), or is less damaging to the environment than a competitor’s product or service.
Environmental claims can appear in advertisements, marketing material, branding (e.g. trading names) and on packaging. They may become part of a brand’s story and may be repeated and re-enforced by staff.
To illustrate the extent of the problem, it has recently been found that 40% of green claims made online could be misleading.
Jumping on the environmental bandwagon
During the COP26 summit in November, it certainly seemed like all sorts of businesses were trying to wring some positive PR from the event by putting out advertising and other material reminding consumers just what they were doing to save the planet! The media did pick up on this opportunism, with the BBC running a piece at the time entitled: Seven ways to spot a business greenwashing.
There’s no doubt some brands have very skilfully created a greener picture than the reality through exaggeration, clever imagery and by deflecting attention away from less sustainable elements. For example, how is the average consumer to understand, let alone verify vague terms used to describe products such as “eco-friendly”, “organic”, “green” or “sustainable”?
Greenpeace has referred to this as “dishonest Green PR” and as a PR professional, this troubles me. I know most of our industry observes the highest ethical standards and would never want their reputation to be damaged by being associated with dubious practises.
So, I was pleased to see that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued some guidance (the Green Claims Code), back in September to help business communicate their green credentials appropriately and reduce the risk of misleading consumers. This should be required reading for anyone working in marketing and PR.
While the code may seem more relevant to retailers than b2b businesses, professional services should take note. Like consumers, clients are becoming increasingly discerning about the firms they use in terms of their ESG credentials.
What does the Green Claims Code say?
The Green Claims Code (the “Code”) sets out six principles, based on existing consumer law, to help businesses avoid greenwashing in their marketing and PR:
- claims must be truthful and accurate;
- claims must be clear and unambiguous;
- claims must not omit or hide important relevant information ;
- comparisons must be fair and meaningful;
- claims must consider the full life cycle of the product or service; and
- claims must be substantiated.
The Code sets out further explanation and helpful examples of each of these principles. It also explains that all aspects of an environmental claim may be relevant to whether or not it is misleading, such as:
• the meaning of any terms used;
• the qualifications and explanations of what is said;
• the evidence that supports those claims;
• the information that is not included or hidden;
• the colours, pictures and logos used; and
• the overall presentation.
The Code applies to all environmental claims made both online or offline.
The deadline is almost here
At the launch of the Green Claims Code, the CMA said that it would give businesses until “the start of 2022”, when it intended to carry out a full review of misleading green claims.
The CMA said it could prioritise industries for review where consumers appear most concerned about misleading claims, namely: textiles and fashion, travel and transport, and fast-moving consumer goods (e.g. food and beverages, beauty products and cleaning products). However, no sector can afford to be complacent.
PR professionals need to be aware of this development; accusations of greenwashing in the future are not only likely to generate negative PR but, may also lead to action being taken by the CMA.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
As we think about re-cycling the Christmas tree after this year’s festivities have come to a close, we should make a new year’s resolution to weed out greenwashing in 2022!
Tips for building long (and happy) relationships with your clients
Guest blogging can help your business reach for the stars
You’re on mute: how PR can help get your marketing message heard
PR jargon buster: everything you wanted to know (and were afraid to ask)….
Need some help with PR? Feel free to drop me an email to arrange a 30 minute complimentary call or take a look at some of the packages I offer law firms, accountancy practices and other b2b businesses.