
Top tips to counter greenwashing through transparent communications
Greenwashing has emerged as a significant worry for businesses, with two-thirds of executives reporting that greenwashing is a serious concern in their industries. Businesses want to be honest with their customers about their green credentials, but it may not always be clear how to do this.*
The Carbon Trust has created Be F.A.C.T.U.A.L a set of guiding principles helping businesses transparently share their green credentials:
Be F.A.C.T.U.A.L:
F - Fact Driven
Be factual, specific and evidence-based, including data sources.
A - Avoid
Claims of being first and saving the planet. Remember every product has an environmental impact - never suggest that a product actually benefits the planet. Humble communications vs over claims will create greater trust in your brand.
C - Check and verify your work
Check the CMA's Green Claims Code principles for best practice for your environmental claims.
Reach out to your local self-regulatory organisation to seek copy advice. EASA acts as their umbrella organisation in Europe and the International Council for Ad Self-Regulation (ICAS) for other geographies.
Seek third party assurance to international standards to provide authority and rigour to claims so you can communicate with confidence.
T - Truthful
Be truthful on your progress of what you have and haven't achieved and what you are still working on. Avoid positioning your environmental work as a completed task, but rather as a milestone along a long journey. Creating an on-going dialogue with your customers, suppliers and stakeholders to share where you are in your journey will help build credibility.
U - User Friendly
If there's a claim that the product helps avoid emissions use simple, easy to understand language, free of acronyms. Include definitions of terms and how they have been applied to help explain. Also ensure easy access to further information and details.
A - Accountable
If errors in communication should arise, take responsibility for the error, apologise and explain how it will be corrected. Consumers and shareholders are more likely to forgive if you are open and honest with them.
L - Learn
No company's journey to Net Zero will be the same based on sector, market, size, etc. To attain Net Zero requires a collective effort by all, so continuously learning, and sharing those learnings will help industries to accelerate to a decarbonised future.
Source:
*Deloitte, 2022
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