8 Shades of Greenwashing

Feb 4

3 min read

Did you know there are many different types of greenwashing?

Some companies intentionally mislead consumers, while others may unknowingly overstate their sustainability efforts. Let’s break down the different types of greenwashing so you can spot them.

Which type of greenwashing have you encountered the most? Drop your examples in the comments!

What is Greenwashing?

Greenwashing is the umbrella term to use when companies are claiming or creating the perception that activities, products and services are more environmentally friendly or sustainable than they actually are.

Let's focus on 8 different types of greenwashing:

Greenhushing

Definition:

Staying silent or choosing not to disclose to avoid scrutiny and potential backlash.

Example:

BlackRock and HSBC have downgraded their sustainable investment funds, also known as Article 9 funds, to Article 8. Article 8 funds should consider environmental or social factors but do not need to target a sustainable outcome.

Greencrowding

Definition:

Hiding behind groups, instead of taking responsibility for a company’s own actions.

Example:

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) claims its mission is “to end plastic waste in the environment and protect the planet”. However, AEPW members include oil and chemical giants who have done little to recycle their plastic waste with five firms making 1,000x more plastic than they cleaned up.

Greenshifting

Definition:

Blaming the consumer to divert attention from the company.

Example:

In November 2020, oil giant BP asked what consumers would individually do to reduce their carbon footprint. Some viewed this as a branding strategy to shift attention away from their own environmental impact.

Greenwishing

Definition:

Hoping for a sustainable future without action.

Example:

At COP26 car manufacturers signed an agreement to cease the construction of diesel and petrol engines by 2040 with a plan to phase out the use of these engines starting in 2035. It is unlikely that the automobile industry will be able to phase out the use of diesel and petroleum based engines that quickly.

Greenbotching

Definition:

Well-intentioned environmental actions or practices end up backfiring or are poorly implemented.

Example:

A study of the Greater Bay Area revealed 23% of public charging points did not work properly last year due to payment failures, dodgy screens and other various glitches. Another 5% uncovered that the cables were too short to reach the car’s charging point.

Greenlighting

Definition:

Focusing on other topics to distract from bigger environmental harms.

Example:

Toyota pushed its “Beyond Zero” sustainability campaign with captions such as “The future looks electric.” Yet, zero emissions vehicles made up just 0.2% of its total sales in 2021 - the lowest proportion amongst the top 10 car manufacturers worldwide.

7. Greenlabelling

Definition:

Using vague or misleading certifications with no third-party verification.

Example:

Shein has promoted its "Sustainable Collection" and occasionally labels certain items as “eco-friendly” or “sustainable fashion.” While Shein makes these claims, the brand lacks clear and verifiable third-party certifications like Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) or OEKO-TEX. Surprisingly, Shein shoppers say they're more environmentally conscious than the average consumer (52% vs 47% of overall respondents), according to a report by The New Consumer and Coefficient Capital, which surveyed more than 3,000 US consumers.

Greenrinsing

Definition:

Changing sustainability targets before meeting them.

Example:

Unilever, well-known in the field for its sustainability targets set by CEO Paul Polman, had previously promised to halve its use of virgin plastics by 2025. Instead, it will now aim for a reduction of a third by 2026. The company also abandoned a pledge to pay direct suppliers a living wage by 2030. Although Unilever did announce these changes openly, critics believe that scaling down its plastic reduction and living wage signals that financial priorities outweigh previous environmental and social promises.