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What Greenwashing Really Means (And Why It Matters)

What Greenwashing Really Means (And Why It Matters)

Green is now trendy – but not everything labelled eco-friendly, carbon neutral, or garnished with a green logo is trustworthy. You may have noticed plastic biodegradable bags or carbon-neutral airlines, or you may have followed recent greenwashing cases such as Active Super, Tyson Foods, ESG, or even Coca Cola. Greenwashing is more and more noticeable, and customers are increasingly wary.

What is greenwashing?

If we look at the common definitions of greenwashing from dictionaries such as Oxford Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary or Cambridge Dictionary, they all focus on the idea of misleading or exaggerating certain eco-claims to present an improved environmentally friendly brand image.

“Behavior or activities that make people believe that a company is doing more to protect the environment than it is.” – Cambridge Dictionary

Just to give you an example, a water bottle company might call itself eco-friendly because it uses less plastic but still sells millions of single-use plastic bottles without going all the length and becoming truly sustainable.

How to spot greenwashing?

In most cases, you’ll stumble upon buzzwords like eco-friendly, green, natural, and eco-conscious that will be used without any context or data to back them up.

Another thing to pay attention to is verification and certifications. Real sustainability efforts require third-party verifications and certifications. Truly sustainable brands are backed up by credit labels from Carbon Trust, USDA Certification, Cradle to Cradle, B Corporation etc. No certifications should be a big red flag.

Brands with a strong eco-conscious brand messaging value authentic, transparent, and real communication of their green journey. You’ll be able to check third-party audits, reports, and partnerships with green organizations.

Does greenwashing have long-lasting effects?

Yes! The long-term impact of greenwashing is profound. On top of all the financial penalties, businesses suffer from a loss of credibility and loyalty from their customers. Rebuilding this trust is a long and costly process, sometimes surpassing the initial cost of the misleading green marketing.

What can you do as a sustainable brand?

With consumers being more vigilant and wary about the green claims that brands put out there, it’s more important than ever to support your claims with actions. Here are a few steps to take:

Get certified and verified – Carbon Trust, USDA Certification, Cradle to Cradle, B Corporation – if you would like to know more about these certifications, you can read more in the articles of the Talk Green to Me Collection
Always link to third-party audits, reports, or verifications that back your claims
Partnerships – always highlight your partnerships with authentic and credible environmental organizations
Don’t forget to address sustainability/circularity/impact in your FAQs page/section

What can you do as a consumer?

Read the labels – always look for certifications, verifications, badges, and third-party reports or audits.
Ask questions. On social media, by email, legit brands are always transparent and forthcoming.
Use tools like Ecolabel Index or Good On You to evaluate claims.
Support brands that walk the talk. Every step counts and is part of a wider, greener journey.

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