Claims of Greenwashing can be hugely damaging for any brand , which is why it ’ s vital businesses are meticulous about their sustainability claims .
WRITTEN BY : SEAN ASHCROFT
Greenwashing is a phrase that was coined by environmentalist Jay Westerveld in a 1980 ' s essay in which he explored the practices of the hotel industry . He claimed the hotel industry was falsely promoting the reuse of towels as part of a broader environmental strategy when , in truth , it was a cost-saving measure .
Back then , greenwashing was a rarely mentioned phenomenon but , in recent years , the term has taken on huge significance , as organisations worldwide have set ambitious and very public net-zero carbon goals .
Sometimes – knowingly or unknowingly – businesses make claims around their sustainability credentials that fail to stand up under close scrutiny , and the accusations of greenwashing that arise from this can result in huge reputational brand damage .
When sustainability claim
92 January 2023