A New Guide to Understanding and Avoiding Greenwash
August 12th, 2009 - A new report on greenwashing was published by Business for Social Responsibility and Futerra Sustainability Communications, serving as an overall guide to available research and best practices for mitigating risk. Here's the breakdown on what the 41 page report includes:
What is Greenwash
Describes why it's bad for business, 3 types (misguided, unsubstantiated, noise), a brief description of effective environmental communications, 8 guidelines for making environmental attribute claims, 10 signs of greenwash, and 5 growth drivers.
Stakeholder Perspectives
On an individual basis, the degree of perceived greenwash is a function of that person's level of trust in corporations, their criteria for what entails environmental responsibility, the core message being delivered, the company's reputation, the business environment and current events, and the tone of voice (ex: humble v. boastful). In detail is then discussed perspectives from 4 stakeholder groups: customers, enforcers, media, and activist NGOs.
Framework for Alignment, Impact, and Communication
Includes a 14 point questionnaire checklist that assesses a company's degree of being at risk, common dilemmas and solutions, and 7 example practices for reducing risk alongside how an identified company is implementing it.
For more information, download the full report here
CC image by velo city on Flickr
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