What does greenwashing consist of?

Greenwashing (or “greenwashing” in French) often refers to a deceptive marketing practice used to promote ecological commitments that are in reality much lower or even non-existent. For a company, the transition to sustainable development can be a tedious journey made up of a lot of complex procedures. To quickly meet consumer expectations, some companies end up using greenwashing.

This can result in packaging that looks “natural”, the use of an uncertified label or simply a lack of transparency on the part of the brand. Businesses engaging in these practices aim to improve their brand image among the general public. However, the opposite effect often occurs and this damages their reputation.

Beyond brand image, greenwashing can also be sanctioned by the DGCCRF (Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control), this can range from a warning to a prison sentence of 2 years. A fine equivalent to 50% of the expenses incurred in carrying out this deceptive commercial practice may also be applied.

Also to read:
The regulatory and legal framework for CSR
The CSRD Directive: What is it?

Despite the company's intentions, the line between a message considered greenwashing and a clumsy environmental message is very fine. We are therefore going to present 10 examples of greenwashing as well as the best practices to adopt in order not to fall into its pitfalls.

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The various examples of greenwashing

The absence of evidence: using vague words to mislead

It is common to see declarations of ecological commitments that use fairly vague expressions. Except that upon closer inspection, you quickly realize that under a very catchy title, there is no explanation. These vague messages such as “Go green with this service”, “Committed by nature”, “This product protects the planet” cause confusion in the minds of consumers who think they are making a more responsible purchase, when in reality, they were misled by company communication.

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Hyperbole: a popular figure of speech among Greenwashers

One of the practices most used by brands is similar to a figure of speech that we know well: hyperbole. It simply consists in exaggerating an idea in order to highlight it and, in this specific case, to accentuate the environmental commitments put in place. Concretely, this means that a product is ecological when only part of the composition is really ecological.

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Distraction: drawing attention to minor actions

This technique is often used by businesses to improve their image when they are not well received by consumers. The objective is to communicate on small commitments made in favor of the environment even as the company continues to contribute to highly polluting activities!

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Disguise: packaging with a “natural effect” for a product that is not natural

Green packaging with symbols such as tree designs and recycling logos are everywhere. However, these elements in no way mean that the product is ecological. These beautiful packaging are designed to influence our perception and give us the impression that we are buying a product that is more natural than others.

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The alleged will: showing a mandatory measure as a virtuous commitment

This practice aims to communicate about an eco-responsible approach that has really been put in place, but only by obligation. In this type of case, greenwashing consists in selling the commitment made as a desire of the company when in fact, it is a constraint imposed by government measures.

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The omission of information: not indicating all aspects of an approach

The omission of information is the failure to mention all the ins and outs of an environmental approach. For example, in the context of an eco-responsible project, it is common not to generate only positive results, but some companies ignore the negative aspects to show the project as a total accomplishment.

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Self-certification: creating your own label without an independent body

Creating your own label without the involvement of a neutral and independent body has no real added value for the product. Indeed, a company that creates a label for its product will necessarily include criteria that correspond to its condition and it is therefore entirely possible that there is no commitment made by the company behind this label.

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The invention: imagining false responsible commitments

This last form of greenwashing is surely the most obvious since it is simply a question of lying to consumers by inventing commitments that do not exist. Communicating about false information is a dangerous practice because, if the imposture is revealed, it is very complicated to justify this fraudulent speech!

You now know the main forms of greenwashing, but how can you avoid it? When a company makes commitments to protect the environment, it naturally wants to highlight them, but successfully communicating these achievements while avoiding greenwashing can seem complex for some businesses.

Discover some tips for communicating transparently about your responsible approaches!

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How do you avoid greenwashing?

Building trust by showing expertise

For consumers to trust you and believe in your statements, it is important that you position yourself as an expert on the subject. How? By making quality resources available to your (future) customers. For example, you can write articles and case studies to show that your commitment is based on a thorough knowledge of the subject and a total mastery of the issues related to the environmental cause.

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Provide concrete evidence of your commitments

Your statements should be accompanied by arguments in order for the message communicated to be understood. What may seem obvious to you is not necessarily obvious to others. Be sure to present telling data such as figures, videos explaining your project and create an annual report on your progress on the subject. This evidence will give you credibility and show that you are taking concrete action for your cause !

Kiloutou, for example, published a engagement report on the actions implemented within the company in 2023.

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Raise awareness internally

If you want your external communication about your commitments to have weight, it is important that the issues are understood and assimilated internally. You must make your employees aware of your project so that it is supported by the entire organization. How can you be credible to the general public if even your employees don't believe in the cause?

Also to read: How to engage your employees in favor of the environment?

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Be realistic about the limits of your project

When we spend a lot of time building and developing a project, we can tend to see only the positive aspects. However, being aware of the limits of our actions in favor of the environment is essential in order to be in a position to challenge them but also to not give false information to the general public. Being transparent about the progress and challenges of the project will be much more rewarding for consumers than statements that can be questioned, so do not hesitate to highlight your difficulties, which are often more representative of reality!

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Obtaining credible certifications

Always in the interests of transparency, show the veracity of your statements with concrete evidence. Obtaining a label from a recognized authority will give additional credibility to your brand. Speaking on your own behalf is one thing, but having an independent and neutral organization confirm your messages is a sign of trust.

For example, Nature & Discoveries got the Bcorp certification in 2015, a label awarded to companies that have demonstrated their commitment to high standards of social, environmental and economic responsibility. The objective of this certification is to encourage sustainable business models that combine commitments and performance.

However, if you do not want to go through a third-party certification system, there is also the ISO 14021 standard which provides guidelines that companies should follow to ensure the credibility and transparency of their environmental claims.

Also to read: CSR labels, statutes and certifications: how to choose?

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Include stakeholders

A project can sometimes have more credibility and impact if it is co-constructed with actors involved in the subject. You can set up your CSR approach with experts in the cause or even ask the needs and feelings of consumers about your actions to know if you are going in the right direction. Indeed, surrounding yourself with people concerned by your project can help you move forward, but it will also allow you to show your interest and your involvement in the success of the operation.

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Becoming a spokesperson for the cause

To prove that the environmental cause is important to you, you also have the opportunity to defend it through activism. You can sign petitions, participate in demonstrations, or denounce abuses to show that your involvement in this cause is real. The important thing is to keep consistent with your commitments and to show that you are not making environmental commitments just for your image.

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And carbon offsetting in all of this?

La carbon offsetting aims to financially support projects to store, reduce or avoid greenhouse gases in order to offset the emissions of an activity. This practice often takes the form of reforestation projects or investments in renewable energies. This is a very controversial subject because of the many issues that surround it.

Its effectiveness is disputed because of difficulties in measuring results and the low cost of carbon emission allowances allocated to companies, which could discourage real reduction efforts. Despite this, carbon offsetting can promote technological innovation and serve as a first step towards a more environmentally friendly activity, with the possibility of having a positive impact if projects are well managed.

This overview of the challenges of carbon offsetting allows us to consider that the ERC approach (avoid, reduce, compensate) is probably the best compromise to follow to ensure the effectiveness of an environmental action plan. This technique is based on three steps: avoid degrading the environment, reduce the attacks that could not be avoided, and finally, compensate for the harmful effects that could not be avoided or sufficiently reduced.

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Komeet supports you in setting up your engagement program!

You now have the keys to communicate with the general public without falling into the tricks of greenwashing. Now is the time to start writing great stories of commitment to the environment!

To do this, you can contact the Komeet teams in order to mobilize your employees around associations working to protect the environment.

Talk to an expert