Anyone else remember 2007, when one of the hot topics among corporations--besides these new-fangled social media--was sustainability? In October of that year, I reported from a conference for "corporate responsibility officers," a burgeoning role for many corporate communicators.
The mood at the conference was optimistic, although many people admitted they were unsure how sustainability would play into their business models. There was an eager presenter at the conference--Scott Case from the sustainable marketing company TerraChoice--who bended my ear about the possibilities of "green" marketing and the dangers of "greenwashing."
Greenwashing, he explained, is the act of misleading consumers about the environmental practices of a company or product.
On Tuesday, Case and TerraChoice--which is now owned by Underwriter Laboratories--were in the news for its study warning consumers that "green" labels might be untrue.
The study, titled The Sins of Greenwashing: Home and Family Edition, found that more than 95 percent of more than 5,000 consumer products in the U.S. and Canada that claim to be green are committing at least one sin of greenwashing.
Among the seven greenwashing sins, "no proof" and "vagueness" are the ones that are most committed, the report said. No proof involves a claim that cannot be substantiated by easily accessible information; vagueness means that marketing language is so poorly defined or broad that its actual meaning is likely misunderstood.
"The scary thing is that manufacturers are not providing independent proof of these claims," Case, who is now a market-development director for Underwriters Laboratories Inc., told The Wall Street Journal. "The same verification we expect from accounting records, we should expect from BPA claims."
BPA is a controversial chemical used in some products.
WSJ noted that TerraChoice and Underwriters Laboratories "offer green-certification programs and could benefit if more manufacturers seek third-party verification of the eco-claims."
The study did strike an optimistic tone, noting that greenwashing has declined slightly since 2009. This year, 4.5 percent of products were "sin-free," compared to just 2 percent last year.
Scott McDougall, president of TerraChoice, said this increase, however slight, is "early evidence of a positive and long-lasting trend."
And even though corporate responsibility is not as widely discussed today as it was in 2007, studies suggest it's still important to many corporations. Newsweek reported in June that 96 percent of CEOs worldwide regard sustainability as important to their companies' success.
I dug up a video interview I shot with Case at the conference in 2007. I'm behind the camera, not the one asking the questions. Apologizes for how raw the video is; this was before Ragan had an actual video department. Instead, it was just a couple reporters running around with consumer-grade cameras.
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Posted by asics shoes | April 9, 2013 3:03 AM
Posted on April 9, 2013 03:03
Am I just cynical or were other peoples' reaction to this study "duh". I kindof assume most of these claims are phoney baloney.
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Posted on March 24, 2013 01:13
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Posted by Coach Bags On Sale | April 26, 2011 1:11 AM
Posted on April 26, 2011 01:11
Terrachoice is a for-profit company that created a bias marketing campaign to push Ecologo (the logo they manage). My wife bought some Ecologo products a while back and noticed greenwashing on the labels. What a farce; that makes Terrachoice and Ecologo sinners! This prompted me to check out Ecologo standards. I was surprised to learn that they are so old they cannot really represent environmental leadership anymore?! Others only have a single criterion statement (another sin); where is the life-cycle approach they promised on their website (another lie)?! Check out their website and download the standards and see for yourself... Shame on Terrachoice for pointing the finger at others, when they cannot deliver. Most eco-labels are not worth paying extra money, because we have no idea of the real environmental savings. All we have here is hypocrisy, marketing spin, and a very bad marketing campaign. It’s all a scam. Beware!
Posted by fr33energy | November 22, 2010 9:56 PM
Posted on November 22, 2010 21:56
Amanda,
Please see the posts right below yours from Anonymous 3:16 and Anonymous 11:58. They appear to address all of your concerns.
Posted by Anonymous II | October 28, 2010 3:16 PM
Posted on October 28, 2010 15:16
This post is very interesting. I believe that we need to raise public awareness about the issues of 'false?' advertising, and misplaced claims. I think this reaches far beyond claims regarding environmental responsibility at the corporate level, as well - even daily consumption patterns are associated with 'greeness'. Many companies advertise their products as 'all natural', and consumers often make assumptions that this would mean that the food is completely free of added preservatives or artificial flavors. However, we know that this is not the case. It is always important to be critical listeners, engaging with what is presented to us.
Posted by Amanda | October 27, 2010 5:24 PM
Posted on October 27, 2010 17:24
The study helps TerraChoice position itself as the sanctioning body for green claims, giving it a purpose and a likely revenue stream. The green here is about money and TerraChoice's concern it's not making enough by getting paid for green "indulgences." The last thing we need is yet another bureaucracy to prove what we already know - greenwashing is a marketing technique in line with how cars are sold on the promise of improving our status, and how soft drinks are sold to make us "cool."
Posted by Anonymous | October 27, 2010 3:16 PM
Posted on October 27, 2010 15:16
Am I just cynical or were other peoples' reaction to this study "duh". I kindof assume most of these claims are phoney baloney.
Posted by Anonymous | October 27, 2010 11:58 AM
Posted on October 27, 2010 11:58