7 Ways to Avoid Greenwashing in Marketing
And other climate musings
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has updated its Green Claims Code.
Excellent news for sustainability. A potential minefield for brands and marketers.
This week, I’m looking at how marketers can avoid accidentally greenwashing, as well as sharing some of the marketing and climate content I’ve loved.
All while enjoying a cappuccino at Café Sur in what’s turning out to be a finger-numbing Peruvian winter (this is a good thing—a cold, good thing.)
How to avoid greenwashing in your marketing efforts
Being accused of greenwashing can be catastrophic. Exposed companies can quickly go viral on social media for all the wrong reasons. And, aside from upsetting customers (which is bad enough on its own), companies deliberately or even accidentally can end up in legal trouble and face significant fines.
So, the Green Claims Code’s recent update means brands and marketers have no choice but to take a red pen to their communications to check for misleading sustainability terms.
For brands, this should also force them to look at the whole life cycle of their product or service. Sustainability claims need to reflect every stage in the product’s journey, or clearly relate to a specific part.
But while scrutinizing and improving a product’s life cycle isn’t a quick fix, changing how you communicate sustainability in your marketing materials can be.
Seven ways to avoid greenwashing
Companies now have no choice but to embrace transparent communication. This goes for all marketing materials, including both content and images.
And while this will take a lot more care and diligence, it’s by no means impossible to get right. Here are seven tips to avoid greenwashing in your sustainability comms:
1. Clarify the scope of your claims
Clearly define what specific environmental benefits your claim refers to, such as reduced carbon emissions, water conservation, or elimination of toxic chemicals.
2. Use precise language
Avoid vague, unqualified terms like “green” or “eco-friendly.” Instead, use specific, measurable descriptors with data, such as “made with 100% recycled materials.”
3. Give context
Explain how significant the benefit is within the context of the product’s overall environmental impact. If a product is made with recycled materials but has a high carbon footprint during manufacturing, make this clear.
4. Make information accessible
Make the supporting evidence for your claims easily accessible to consumers through QR codes on packaging or direct links on your website. This helps them make fully informed decisions before making a transaction.
5. Educate consumers
Don’t just market your product, market your sustainability efforts. Social media posts, articles and white papers provide information on why certain practices are sustainable and the impact these practices have. This gives consumers a deeper understanding and appreciation of your sustainability efforts.
6. Align your marketing collateral
Make sure all marketing materials, including ads, packaging, and online content, consistently reflect your claims. If in doubt, feed your content through ChatGPT and ask it to highlight any potentially misleading terms.
7. Avoid misleading images
Only use imagery that accurately reflects your claim. As an example, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently told ASOS, Boohoo and George at Asda that they cannot use “‘natural’ imagery – such as green leaves – logos, or icons in a way that suggests a product is more environmentally friendly than it actually is.” They’ve been warned…
Content marketing tips
Consistently creating and publishing quality content takes dedication.
And you may sometimes wonder if it’s all worth it.
On this Content Marketing Commute episode, Lindsay King explains how regular publishing keeps you top of your audience’s mind.
They may not be ready to buy now, but when they are, and if you’ve done it right, they’ll come to you first.
Add to your watch list
If you’re anything like me, you’ve seen hundreds of hours of nature documentary footage, likely narrated by the lovely Mr. Attenborough.
But while I’m only one episode into Judi Dench’s Wild Borneo Adventure, it still gets my vote.
It’s not telling me much I don’t already know, but watching Judi marvel over everything she sees, from chiefly orangutans to hardworking dung beetles, is a reminder that you can never be too old or too experienced to be utterly delighted by nature.
Check it out on ITV (UK) and Disney+.
Wise words on writing
“Any fool can make something complicated. It takes a genius to make it simple.“
WOODY GUTHRIE
Creatives for Climate
I recently became aware of the work of Ana Teresa Fernandez, a Mexican-born artist living in San Francisco.
As we’re seeing around the world, San Francisco is a coastal area under threat from climate crisis-driven sea level rise. Predictions suggest the water here could rise by six feet over the coming decades.
To raise awareness and make the invisible visible, Fernandez created On The Horizon – an installation consisting of acrylic tubes filled with sea water.
People that stand next to the tubes can understand what six feet of sea level rise looks like, and are encouraged to take action, whether through donations, political pressure, or behaviour change.
