Reality Check: Is Your Brand Engaging in Green Marketing or Greenwashing?

Showing love to the planet is as important as ever, and many brands have made strides when it comes to implementing sustainability efforts. However, there’s no denying that embracing sustainability, or at least looking like you do, is a savvy business move. So, what happens when brands put this image over actually going green?

66% of global consumers have reported that they would pay more to support a sustainability-focused brand. This is consistent throughout generational groups, with marked increases of Millennials, Gen Z and Baby Boomers expressing willingness to pay a premium for products that prioritize environmental health. 

COVID-19 has also played a role. The supply chain havoc caused by the pandemic further strengthened consumer interest in shopping sustainably. In short, there is a huge bottom-line advantage to making your business more sustainable. Not incorporating sustainable practices into your business can even mean missing out on revenue.
But here’s the thing: if you begin to promote your brand as eco-friendly, but your products or company aren’t actually sustainable, you’re participating in greenwashing. Not only is greenwashing unethical, but it can also create irreversible damage to your brand.

What is Greenwashing?

Greenwashing happens when businesses brand their company practices, products and/or services as more eco-friendly than they actually are. Companies that participate in greenwashing use clever design and messaging to manipulate customers into purchasing from them, all under the guise that they are sustainable. In other words, greenwashing can be considered a form of false advertising. 

An example of greenwashing is Nestle’s “Eco-Shape” single-use plastic water bottle. The company advertised that their eco-friendly water bottle shape contained up to 30% less plastic than conventionally shaped bottles. However, environmental groups found that Nestle arrived at the 30% plastic savings by unfairly comparing their water bottle to all kinds of plastic bottles, even thick ones used to hold juice.

As another example, Chevron’s People Do ad campaign promoted water and wildlife preservation. But while the campaign ran, Chevron was being sued by the EPA and Sierra Club for dumping pollutants into the Santa Monica Bay, thus violating the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.

While some forms of greenwashing are overt, others are more subtle. But modern consumers are resourceful, often researching the validity of a brand’s values. 62% of consumers name trust as the number one driver of their purchasing decisions. If they find any sign of greenwashing, they are quick to lose that trust and even discuss it publicly. It’s safe to say that if a brand participates in greenwashing, consumers will realize and call it out.

General Guidelines to Avoid Greenwashing:

• Educate yourself and your team on greenwashing. Check out the FTC’s Green Guides and this helpful summary.

• Certify your products. Avoid using descriptors such as “fair trade,” “organic” and “animal friendly” unless you can support those claims with formal certifications, such as USDA Organic and Fair Trade Certified.

• Use only relevant and accurate images. If your company does not yet incorporate sustainable practices, don’t use environmentally focused images, icons or branding on your packaging or marketing materials.

• Be transparent. The best way to gain trust from consumers is by being open and truthful. On your website, packaging and other marketing assets, clearly describe your business operations, manufacturing process, plan for achieving sustainability goals, etc.

• Be mindful about the claims you make. Any claim you make, whether it’s about your industry, customers or business practices, must be supported by reliable data and/or action from your company. If you cannot substantiate a particular claim via data or action, remove it from your website, packaging, talking points, etc. 

What is Green Marketing?

Green marketing happens when a company’s branding and messaging focuses on the sustainable or eco-conscious aspects of their products. Unlike greenwashing, green marketing promotes a company’s level of sustainability accurately, without exaggerations or lies.

A green marketing strategy can encompass one or many elements of sustainability. Those elements might include products made with biodegradable and shipped with minimal packaging. Another green marketing tactic is implementing a give-back program where the company creates a duplicate product for every product purchased and gives it to underserved populations.

A famous example of a company that participates in green marketing is Patagonia. Patagonia is renowned for using green marketing. The company famously powers its retail stores and offices with renewable energy, ensures human workers’ rights and manufactures its clothing with 87% recycled materials.

Ben and Jerry’s is another company that famously prioritizes sustainability. On their website and other marketing materials, the Ben and Jerry’s team is transparent about their participation in climate marches, sustainable sourcing practices, and concrete steps for reducing carbon emissions. How do we know this is true green marketing? Because all of their claims are substantiated by reliable data, action, and even analyses from third parties.

Key Takeaway

Promoting the sustainable aspects of your business and products will likely result in more interest from consumers. With the rise of consumer research and virality of information online, greenwashing is getting easier and easier to spot, call out, and cause damage to your brand.

Green marketing, on the other hand, informs consumers about your brand and products that actually are sustainable. To successfully promote your brand’s sustainability, you must put in the work, embrace green efforts, and have the proof to back up your claims.