Building ESG: 6 Shades of Green and How to Spot Them
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Consumers today are increasingly concerned about the environment and seek out sustainable products and services.
Unfortunately, some companies capitalize on this by engaging in “greenwashing“ – deceptive marketing practices that create a misleading impression of eco-friendliness.
Let's delve into six sneaky tactics of greenwashing:
1. Green Crowding: Imagine a company with a so-so environmental record hiding amongst a sea of eco-certifications and logos in their marketing. That's green crowding. They downplay their negative impact by showcasing irrelevant positive associations.
How to Spot It: Look beyond the abundance of eco-imagery and certifications. Research the company's actual environmental practices.
2. Greenlighting: This tactic involves highlighting a single, minor eco-friendly initiative while overshadowing their larger, unsustainable practices. They might boast about using recycled cardboard boxes while their core operations leave a significant carbon footprint.
How to Spot It: Ask yourself: Does this initiative address the company's most significant environmental impact?
3. Greenshifting: This involves presenting a vague or distant future goal of sustainability without any concrete steps on how they'll get there. It creates an illusion of progress without real action.
How to Spot It: Look for clear, time-bound commitments with measurable goals. Empty promises are a red flag.
4. Green Labeling: A product might be labeled “natural“ or “eco-friendly“ but lack any meaningful definition or certification. This capitalizes on positive associations without real substance.
How to Spot It: Look for independent certifications from reputable organizations. Research the meaning behind any eco-claims.
5. Green Rinsing: This tactic involves making minor changes to a product, like using recycled plastic packaging, while the core product remains environmentally unfriendly. It's a superficial attempt to appear green.
How to Spot It: Look beyond packaging tweaks. Consider the product's overall lifecycle and environmental impact.
6. Green Hushing: This is the opposite of greenwashing. A company might be taking positive environmental steps but neglecting to communicate them clearly. While not deceptive, it misses an opportunity to promote genuine progress.
How to Spot It: Research a company's sustainability reports or contact them directly to understand their environmental efforts.
Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below! Please click on the link below and feel free to share
https://lnkd.in/dEsQRyqh
#buildingEsg
#circulareconomy
#sustainablefinance
#esgreporting
#esgstrategy
#esgrisk
#climaterisk
#climatechangeaction
#climaterisks
#india
#emissions
#esgratings
________________________________________
Consumers today are increasingly concerned about the environment and seek out sustainable products and services.
Unfortunately, some companies capitalize on this by engaging in “greenwashing“ – deceptive marketing practices that create a misleading impression of eco-friendliness.
Let's delve into six sneaky tactics of greenwashing:
1. Green Crowding: Imagine a company with a so-so environmental record hiding amongst a sea of eco-certifications and logos in their marketing. That's green crowding. They downplay their negative impact by showcasing irrelevant positive associations.
How to Spot It: Look beyond the abundance of eco-imagery and certifications. Research the company's actual environmental practices.
2. Greenlighting: This tactic involves highlighting a single, minor eco-friendly initiative while overshadowing their larger, unsustainable practices. They might boast about using recycled cardboard boxes while their core operations leave a significant carbon footprint.
How to Spot It: Ask yourself: Does this initiative address the company's most significant environmental impact?
3. Greenshifting: This involves presenting a vague or distant future goal of sustainability without any concrete steps on how they'll get there. It creates an illusion of progress without real action.
How to Spot It: Look for clear, time-bound commitments with measurable goals. Empty promises are a red flag.
4. Green Labeling: A product might be labeled “natural“ or “eco-friendly“ but lack any meaningful definition or certification. This capitalizes on positive associations without real substance.
How to Spot It: Look for independent certifications from reputable organizations. Research the meaning behind any eco-claims.
5. Green Rinsing: This tactic involves making minor changes to a product, like using recycled plastic packaging, while the core product remains environmentally unfriendly. It's a superficial attempt to appear green.
How to Spot It: Look beyond packaging tweaks. Consider the product's overall lifecycle and environmental impact.
6. Green Hushing: This is the opposite of greenwashing. A company might be taking positive environmental steps but neglecting to communicate them clearly. While not deceptive, it misses an opportunity to promote genuine progress.
How to Spot It: Research a company's sustainability reports or contact them directly to understand their environmental efforts.
Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below! Please click on the link below and feel free to share
https://lnkd.in/dEsQRyqh
#buildingEsg
#circulareconomy
#sustainablefinance
#esgreporting
#esgstrategy
#esgrisk
#climaterisk
#climatechangeaction
#climaterisks
#india
#emissions
#esgratings
