Greenwashing - how not to fall into a pseudo-green hole?

Greenwashing is a very common phenomenon, and although new regulations are supposed to prevent it, we still have to deal with it, and on a pretty large scale. The media has recently been writing more and more about large, popular companies in a not very friendly context. Why? Because they have allowed themselves to be blindly swept up by the eco-current, basing their marketing strategies on it unjustifiably. Perhaps often even firmly believing that what they communicate is true. Unfortunately, as everywhere - knowledge, concreteness, precision and, above all, moderation are the key. So how not to get caught in the pseudo-green trap both as a consumer and a businessman? About it below.

Greenwashing - what is it?

It would seem that greenwashing is a fairly new concept, but nothing could be further from the truth. The name was first coined more than 35 years ago. In 1986, journalist Jay Westrvell published an article in the New York Times in which he described the seemingly environmentally friendly practices of hotels that encouraged their guests to change their towels infrequently. Officially, they argued this with concern for the environment, while in reality it was all about finances, or more precisely, the savings they were generating by doing so. That's when the term "greenwashing" first came up in public. How to define it then? Greenwashing is, in the simplest terms, a marketing ploy designed to mislead consumers and convince them that a product does not harm and even supports the environment. The customer is convinced that by buying this product or service he or she is making his or her contribution to the preservation of natural resources, although in reality this is total nonsense.

Consumer, don't be an eco-frader!

So how not to get caught in the greenwashing trap? The advice is simple - let's not be manipulated by "round green" words, and let's read labels and try to check what standards and certificates a product or service should meet in order to advertise itself as environmentally friendly. Let's also check whether the beautiful "green" graphics pretending to be "eco" with which products are labeled are actually worth something. It's also worth considering whether the activities of the company whose product and service we are purchasing actually harm the environment? Can an "ungreen" company offer a "green" product? Not really. Yes, it can carry out activities that compensate for or minimize its negative impact on the environment, but it is a long way from being fully "green". Let's read what entrepreneurs write about their sustainable activities in their annual reports - it's mandatory for large companies to publish them, and increasingly for smaller ones as well. In them information s (or at least should be) reliable. Let s read, let s find out, let s educate ourselves, and if we have trouble getting the information we are interested in, after all, we can always write to the manufacturer and ask them a question that concerns us. There are plenty of ways not to become an "eco-freak". All it takes is a little creativity and a willingness to act. Remember that the more aware we are, the less susceptible we become to manipulation. Seemingly this is obvious and everyone knows it, but in practice it is sometimes different. I myself also sometimes get caught in the trap of ignorance.

Entrepreneur, don't be an eco-liar!

Companies are eager to use various forms of promotion. Often based on fashion or trends. And since sustainability, often still associated mainly with eco-friendly activities, is now on everyone's lips it has become a tasty morsel for marketers, who, tempted by the rightness and catchiness of advertising based on the eco current, persuade entrepreneurs to be dishonest. The worst part is that entrepreneurs are often unaware of this. They themselves become victims of the "eco-church" , which is pressed on them by marketing agencies. They allow themselves to be seduced by pretty words, nice-sounding advertising slogans that have nothing to do with reality. Another interesting aspect is that awareness of where "greenwashing" already begins is very low even among marketing agency employees. Without delving into regulations or the whole concept of sustainability themselves, they are sometimes unaware that they are going too far, dragging their, also unaware, clients into the swamp. Of course, it's not always the case that the parties are unaware, because, unfortunately, these are often still typical, intentional scams. But let's focus on those that don't always "know what they're doing" and would like to do the right thing. What, then, is worth paying attention to?

Knowledge. It's worth spending some time reading regulations and publications to learn more about what can be considered "greenwashing" and what can't. It's also a good idea to ask for opinions from outside experts from our various stakeholder groups. Next, you should solidly analyze your product or service for the actual possibility of adding "green" assets to it. In doing so, one must not forget what our business is actually about. If it is not environmentally friendly per se, then declaring our products favorable or not harmful to nature may be an abuse. It is also important to analyze the supply chain - whether, by chance, the components used in the production of a given product do not come from a controversial source (e.g., from a country where the aspect of child labor or slave labor is not regulated, or from a supplier that is famous for its environmentally unsustainable activities). It is also worth learning from the mistakes of others. By observing and analyzing the "stumbles" of other players in the market, we gain knowledge based on the experiences of others. As a result, we should no longer duplicate them ourselves. And finally... "ignorantia iuris nocet". - That is, ignorance of the law harms. It is necessary to know the law to know what we are allowed to do and what we can be punished for. Concrete. Information about a company's pro-environmental activities or the "greenness" of a product should be documented. In communication, we should refer to facts, credible studies, documented figures, earned certifications and standards, preferably referring the consumer to places where they can confirm their veracity. That is, we show what in our business or product is environmentally friendly and the facts that support it. Precision. Here to the word "precision" should be added "honesty". The idea is that when communicating the "green" features of our business we should tell the whole truth, not just the convenient part. Thus, it is forbidden to call a product "green" on the basis of its few selected features, while hiding those that are no longer positive at all. That's why it's worth taking care to be precise and accurate in the way we describe a product or service, so that the customer knows exactly what he is buying and what features the product has. For example, we do not write on the package that the product is "natural," although this is true because it contains only natural ingredients, without informing that they are harmful to health or even poisonous. A great deal of caution in communicating their "greenness" must also be shown by companies in certain sectors that, by virtue of their activities, are not environmentally friendly. However, this does not mean, for example, that a company in the oil sector cannot communicate its pro-environmental activities. It can, as long as it is honest. While talking about what good it is doing for the planet, it should at the same time communicate what kind of business it is doing and its impact on the environment. It's not a bad thing to honestly admit that, yes, we are doing harm to the environment, but we are doing everything we can to somehow compensate for this harm. Therefore, precision, reliability and honesty in communication must not be forgotten. Moderation. Here it's all about moderation in communication, because it's really not difficult to "overdo it." We are aware that we do a lot of good things, we conduct a lot of initiatives and actions both for the environment and society, so we want to boast about it. And there's nothing wrong with that, as long as we don't cross the thin line between fact and fantasy. Nowadays, when we are more and more educated and aware beautiful PR talk unsupported by facts no longer works. Let's not indulge in word games that help color reality a little, because it can cost us a lot. Sometimes it's not worth it to flaunt our sustainability too much and saturate the media, mainly social media, with information about every single action, even the smallest ones. Yes, we will then be admired and praised, but we will also be on the so-called "placard", meaning that everyone will be looking at our hands more intensely than at others. Being a leader forces us to be a role model at the same time. But what if we don't check something, something gets out of hand? Then a crisis is ready, and nobody likes that. That's why, before we start communicating, we should carefully analyze what good a particular message will do us and what risks it may entail. It is then easier to decide on its final wording and prepare for a possible crisis. To sum up - the point is not not to not communicate, but to communicate reliably and in moderation.

Greenwashing and regulations

A growing number of EU sustainability regulations aim to minimize greenwashing. Among other things, the Taxonomy, which sets rigid standards for reporting pro-environmental activities, was created for this very purpose. Financial companies are additionally subject to the SFDR, which clearly defines the characteristics that a financial product should meet in order to be called "green." We are also protected from unfair practices by manufacturers by the Act of April 16, 1993 on Combating Unfair Competition (UZNK). It prohibits the misleading labeling of goods or services, the dissemination of false information, or the use of misleading advertising. These are provisions that are already in effect, but more are in the pipeline. It is worth mentioning here that in March 2022. The European Commission adopted a proposal for a directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition. It aims to strengthen consumer rights by amending two directives: the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive 2005/29/EC and the Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU. By clarifying current regulations, consumers will be empowered to make more informed decisions. The new rules are intended to eliminate unfair trade practices that mislead consumers.