In sustainability , misleading consumers to buy products that appear good for the planet ( when they actually are not ) is called greenwashing . It ’ s when companies spend more money and time promoting green credentials than actually creating a solution or doing the research and work to ensure that there is a reduction in environmental impact . unintentional and results from a lack of knowledge about what sustainability truly is , it is sometimes also intentionally carried out through a wide range of marketing and PR efforts that are just milking people ’ s desire to buy better products . There are the marketing firms that stick a green logo on an ad and make unfounded claims about carbon reductions or eco-ness , just to sell more products . During COP26 this was rife , with nearly every TV commercial making unfounded claims about environmental benefits of XY or Z products .
the true nature of the product ’ s impact and environmental performance .
This is one of the reasons that life cycle and foot-printing approaches are such important tools to know upfront what the impacts are so that sustainable design choices can be integrated into products right from the start . Many companies who get caught greenwashing are often not intentionally doing it , but more so are ill-informed of the impacts of different materials and make assumptions about environmental performance based on their own myths and biases .
When a company gets caught making false claims , then they ’ ll have to deal with the backlash . Clearly , the better option is to do the work required up front , to hire the right people , to educate staff , to ensure that the product or service has genuine environmental benefit . There are so many positives to upskilling staff and building the in-house knowledge needed to get sustainability embedded in business and design decisions so that companies can ethically and appropriately benefit from the growing market demands for sociallybeneficial and environmentally-responsible products !
Whilst some greenwashing is indeed
“
In sustainability , misleading consumers to buy products that appear good for the planet ( when they actually are not ) is called greenwashing . It ’ s when companies spend more money and time promoting green credentials than actually creating a solution or doing the research and work to ensure that there is a reduction in environmental impact . unintentional and results from a lack of knowledge about what sustainability truly is , it is sometimes also intentionally carried out through a wide range of marketing and PR efforts that are just milking people ’ s desire to buy better products . There are the marketing firms that stick a green logo on an ad and make unfounded claims about carbon reductions or eco-ness , just to sell more products . During COP26 this was rife , with nearly every TV commercial making unfounded claims about environmental benefits of XY or Z products .
Because marketing is so effective and influential , greenwashing can result in deep misunderstandings in the wider community about what is preferable and what is not . In many cases , basic assumptions are heavily promoted and overly simplistic solutions are advertised as being enough . Products that make claims about material properties , such as biodegradable , recyclable , renewable , etc . are recurring issues as these simply explain what a material could do , but doesn ’ t ensure that this will be the case . A perfect example of this is in “ flushable ” wipes that allegedly biodegrade once you ’ ve flushed them down the loo ; in actuality , they ’ re responsible for clogging industrial sewer systems around the world !
Buyers beware : terms that describe what something can do don ’ t mean it ’ s actually going to do that , because the system may not be set up to deliver on the promise . For example , only 9 % of all plastic ever produced has been recycled , much of what you think is recyclable , is most likely not . This all fits into a wider behavior of companies deflecting responsibility for their products onto the consumer , rather than taking full responsibility for the things they make ( and make money from ).
Thankfully , a clampdown on all this greenwashing is forthcoming . We now have more savvy customers , hyper-aware employees and ethically-motivated executives ensuring that there is more investment in the research and development needed to make sure products are actually reducing their ecological footprint and getting to a place where we , as consumers , don ' t have to get a PhD in what ’ s good or bad for the planet when making consumption choices . Many government entities are stepping in to swat back greenwashing . In many African countries , there ' s a growing concern over greenwashing across various industries , especially as environmental awareness increases . While there might not be standardized guidelines akin to the UK ' s Green Claims Code or the US Green
Guides , there ' s a palpable need for similar regulatory measures .
Several African nations have started addressing these concerns in their own ways . For instance , some countries have consumer protection laws that could potentially cover misleading environmental claims , although the enforcement might vary . However , there ' s a growing push for more explicit regulations specific to environmental claims , especially in sectors like fashion and investment .
Non-governmental organizations ( NGOs ) and advocacy groups in different African countries are actively raising awareness about greenwashing practices and calling for stricter measures to curb them . These organizations often work in tandem with government bodies to push for more robust regulations and guidelines .
One challenge in the African context is the diversity of regulatory frameworks across different countries . Harmonizing these regulations or creating continent-wide guidelines could be a monumental task due to the varying levels of development , priorities , and resources among African nations . However , regional blocs like the African Union ( AU ) could potentially play a role in fostering a more unified approach to combatting greenwashing .
Getting caught greenwashing can really ruin the relationship that customers have with a brand and set back genuine efforts to create sustainable products - so why not just seize the opportunity to embrace sustainability and do it right in your organization in the first place ?
How to Ensure you Avoid Greenwashing
Things like adding a solar panel , making something out of bamboo or using ocean plastic waste to make a product are quickly becoming green sales gimmicks , and what we have seen in the past is that this leads to a consumer backlash when they discover that they have been duped into buying something that is not really going to help address complex environmental problems we face .
As such , firms need really clear guidance on what is acceptable and what they should do to ensure that they don ' t greenwash . One of the best ways to make sure your company doesn ' t get caught up in greenwashing is ensuring everyone is educated on the key
36 MAL57 / 23 ISSUE