It’s become the norm for almost every company out there to commit to being sustainable. Sustainability is an elusive word holding much promise and has become a requirement for brands the world over. The problem is when this becomes greenwashing, or slapping a label on to simply meet the requirements, versus true sustainability that protects the environment? Let’s investigate.
Worries regarding pollution and more recently, climate control, have become buzzwords. The UN has a list of Sustainable Development Goals to achieve by 2030, and many companies have had to adapt and find ways to make their practices and products greener too. An example of this is the war on plastic straws - an exemplary item that has by and large been banned as a means of curbing single-use plastics.
In an effort to raise awareness regarding environmental issues and a means to preserve wherever possible companies engage in green and sustainable marketing. These terms go hand-in-hand, which the former focusing on keeping the environment clean and sustainable referring to an umbrella ideal of social, economic, and ecological justice.
For some businesses, sustainability is purely marketing speak and a way to falsely gain the trust of their consumers to sell to more producers and avoid the wrath of cancel culture. When it’s all talk, the reality is that these companies do next to nothing to implement truly sustainable operations. Consumers have woken up to this, holding brands to account for their claims.
So what exactly does a company need to do to be truly sustainable? This of course depends largely on the industry and business itself, but the overall goal of achieving societal good is to have a holistic aim of being as ‘clean’ as possible by reducing harm to the environment - and people. Unsustainable labor practices have also come to light in recent years, from poor factory conditions to burnout in the workplace.
Companies need to also extend their efforts beyond their internal business as well by taking a closer look at their partners and suppliers. Other efforts include minimizing the carbon footprint by working with companies that are closer to you. The problem is, that sustainable practices are often costly for a business. For many, the goal is to have a CSR initiative that won’t cut too deeply into their profit margins. In other cases, these environmental measures are simply in place to reduce costs (like hotels saving on the cost of cleaning bedding masked as a bid to reduce water usage). And the fact is: that consumers are willing to pay more for greener products.
The fact is, some brands aren’t willing to do that. And in these instances, it is best for them not to virtue signal about imagined efforts to go green. Instead, they should be transparent with consumers and let people decide which brands they want to support. When the lies creep in, there are legalities to face, and a lot more to potentially lose if people catch on. It really only takes one whistleblower to put a brand’s reputation at risk.
Greenwashing has been in effect for half a century. The difference is that consumers today are conscious of their impact on the world and have access to information in ways that they didn’t before. This generation has also seen the effects that irresponsible business practices have had and wishes to play their role in making a difference, no matter how small.
To avoid deceptive techniques about how you’re mining your impact on nature, run through this checklist and see how your company levels up:
So, what does it mean for products to be clean and green? It means they have produced sustainability and are free from toxic or endangered ingredients. The packaging should be recycled or recyclable.
However, it’s easy for green marketing to translate to greenwashing in practice when an organization doesn’t live up to the standards of sustainable business practices. “Eco-friendly,” “organic,” “natural” and “green” are just some of the widely used labels that can be confusing and misleading to consumers.
If your brand is not part of the green movement, should be, or is and you just don’t know how to market it properly, Nexa is here to help.
It’s time to wash away the superficial sustainability claims and get your brand on board with the type of accountability that will enhance its essence for employees, the community, and idealistically, the world at large. Avoid catching on to trends that lead to no real change. Market your business in the best possible way, with green leading the way. It’s time for businesses - mega corporations especially, to take true accountability for their impact on the environment. In a time where much is uncertain, this is not: we won’t get anywhere by collectively faking it.