BSR Publishes a Business Guide for Understanding and Preventing Greenwash
A few months ago, Scot Case, the Vice President of TerraChoice, testified before a congressional subcommittee that of all the products claiming to be eco-friendly, a whopping 98% are guilty of greenwashing.
Now, BSR and Futerra Sustainability Communications have teamed up to publish a new report to help companies “rise above the noise of greenwash” and effectively communicate the true impacts of their environmental initiatives.
“Greenwash is more than a distraction for the consumer; it threatens the entire market for green products and services,” says Lucy Shea, Chief Executive of Futerra. “Even while consumer trust goes down the drain, with only 10 percent believing green claims, demand for credible, environmentally friendly products and services is rising. Greenwash exacerbates this tension. The danger is that consumers lose all faith in green advertising, in effect dragging demand down.”
The report, “Understanding and Preventing Greenwash: A Business Guide,” advises that companies improve their environmental communications by adopting a framework that incorporates these three fundamental elements:
Impact: Making sure sustainability practices and products address real, significant environmental concerns.
Alignment: Sustainability initiatives must be integrated enterprise-wide, including strategy, procurement, design, government affairs, marketing, and other stakeholders.
Communication: Sustainability initiatives and achievements must be communicated clearly –and with transparency.
The full 41-page report is available at http://www.bsr.org/reports/Understanding_Preventing_Greenwash.pdf
In other BSR-related news, Marshall Chase, associate of advisory services, and Ryan Schuchard, manager of environmental research and innovation at BSR, have an excellent post at GreenBiz.com today. “Why Climate Change Will Matter to Every Company,” walks the reader through the varied array of looming climate change business impacts –from owned operations and supply chains to customers and industry dynamics. This is a great overview of the challenges we all face, and it’s well worth a few minutes of your time.
