How PR professionals can spot and avoid greenwashing in communication strategies

Climate change has always been a major topic of discussion. Even more so recently, with record-breaking heat waves and rising sea levels around the globe. In fact, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has noted strong evidence linking rapid climate change to human activity. Yikes.

Naturally, this direct connection has spurred strong reactions from many people wanting to change their lifestyle and dietary choices drastically. In fact, people are more ‘climate conscious’ now. Sustainability has become the number one factor for consumers when making a purchase. According to Statista, 44% of global consumers are more likely to support a brand committed to sustainability and 69% say sustainability is now more important to them than it was two years ago.

Like a ripple effect, this has caused many brands to jump on the bandwagon. Implementing and prioritising eco-friendly practices in their business to meet the surging demand. While some companies genuinely strive to innovate and create more sustainable products, others may engage in greenwashing and take advantage of the trend for marketing purposes without truly committing to those promises. Lines start to get blurred, and it’s getting harder to tell if brands are committed for real or simply using eco-friendly terms for the sake of it. 

For PR professionals, this requires adapting strategies to incorporate environmental initiatives. It is important to keep communication clear and stay true to sustainability instead of greenwashing.

What is greenwashing?

No, it has got nothing to do with cleaning or laundry. First coined in the late 1980s, greenwashing refers to deceptive and misleading communication strategies about a product or a company’s eco credentials. Basically, lying about something and making it something it is not. 

It’s everywhere and the more you look for it, the more obvious it becomes. In fact, try scanning the shelves of any supermarket or scrolling on any online retailer, and you’ll easily spot words like ‘environmentally friendly’, ‘all-natural’ and ‘sustainable’ smacked-on products and labels when it’s really anything but. 

Green or Gimmick?

So, how can we be green, or what constitutes being green? From a PR’s point of view, this can take the form of Green PR. A type of public relations that essentially emphasises a company or brand’s environmental impact and sustainability. We’re talking about real commitments to making internal changes, from how they operate the business and logistics to external factors like the partners they engage with and their philanthropic efforts.

Unfortunately, when implementing a Green PR strategy or campaign, there is a risk it might be seen as a gimmick, aka greenwashing and sometimes, greenwashing happens unintentionally because companies are not be fully aware of how to market their sustainability efforts responsibly and effectively.

Here are some common tactics to spot and avoid accidental greenwashing in your PR campaigns:

Greenwashing #1 – Use of vague terminology instead of clear descriptions

There is no clear description of the company’s operations or definition of the materials used. Usage of generic terms as product labels such as “natural”, “organic” and “eco-friendly” when it may not actually be so or there is no evidence to back it up. Instead, try replacing vague or general terms with simple but measurable details backed by facts and data. The more details it is, the better. This will prevent any misleading information in the campaign.

Greenwashing #2 – Red Herring

This is not a reference to the fish but rather the term for overhyping small aspects of a product and its benefits while hiding or ignoring the fact that it is bad for the environment. An example is a compostable water bottle, but the manufacturing process; the water and electricity resources used is destructive to the environment.

Greenwashing #3 – Making false claims without proof

No evidence or valid certification on the environmental claims made by a company. When questioned, the company will usually make a statement that they are unable to disclose trade secrets. It is important to use concrete facts and data, especially when pitching to the media.

Greenwashing #4 – Overuse of nature-based imagery/green logo/symbol

Avoid using too much nature-based imagery, green logo or symbol in a PR campaign unnecessarily. As these may mislead consumers into thinking that the product or company is environmentally friendly when it is not. 

Greenwashing #5 – Claiming to be carbon neutral without any transparency

Many companies claim to be carbon neutral and pledge ‘net zero’ targets but often lack credible plans to cut emissions. This creates a false sense of ‘climate security’, allowing them to keep polluting while using carbon credits to ‘offset’ emissions. However, truly green companies are more open to showing their impact on the environment and shares web links to information or progress on sustainability commitments and projects stating goals and timelines.

Ultimately, using Green PR and eco-friendly practices can unlock many exciting opportunities with the media. Such as getting featured in sustainability-focused publications, reaching out to new audiences and working with organisations dedicated to tackling the climate crisis. This can boost the credibility and authenticity of your PR campaign and help prevent accusations of greenwashing.

So what if they greenwash, why does it matter?

It matters because it misleads consumers, and that’s one of the many dangers of greenwashing. It makes them believe that these companies care about the same things as they do and gives the impression that a company is more environmentally friendly than it really is. 

Not only that, it diminishes genuinely sustainable brands’ efforts to reduce their environmental impact and stifles progress towards meaningful change. 

If you pick up a blouse with an ‘eco-friendly’ tag, you expect some good to come from it – to a certain extent. Like how its materials were ethically sourced and made. However, the truth is, it’s easier for companies to make unsubstantiated claims. In Singapore, 51% of products had greenwashing in the form of unsubstantiated claims and many of these claims used vague terms and did not provide enough supporting details.

Paired with the use of nature images in the campaign, these companies can easily be seen as green to attract people to buy from them. A study found products that make ESG-related claims grew by 28% over the past five years than those without. Such thinly veiled deceit creates false brand loyalty through greenwashing rather than making actual real change.

Takeaway

The reality is, greenwashing is a problem in every industry. But the best thing about Green PR is that it is applicable to every industry. As the climate crisis continues, people are becoming more knowledgeable about what true sustainability looks like and what greenwashing is. They can easily spot the difference and won’t support brands that aren’t genuine. In fact, a survey by YouGov found that 23% of consumers say they will completely stop buying from brands that engage in greenwashing, while 44% will reduce their purchases from such brands.

Therefore, ensuring your green PR strategy is genuine can feel a little daunting, but with the right environmental knowledge and effective anti-greenwashing tactics, you’re set up for sustainable success! Get in touch today if you’d like to know more or get started!