It’s Not Easy Being Green – But So Worth The effort To Get It Right

Cathy Osmond (pictured below) is an associate director at Sydney-based Horizon Communication Group. The mandate of Horizon’s dedicated division Green Horizon is to help people, projects and brands work towards the sustainable development goals. In this guest post, Osmond says brands need to show their green credentials in a credible and authentic way…

“We urgently need every business, investor, city, state and region to walk the talk on their net zero promises. We cannot afford slow movers, fake movers or any form of greenwashing.” – UN Secretary General António Guterres

The title of the high-level report released at the COP27 climate talks in Egypt this week says it all: INTEGRITY MATTERS. Aimed at non‑state actors including corporations and financial institutions, the much-anticipated report by a UN expert group is intended to draw a “red line” around greenwashing, or bogus claims of progress in the fight against global warming.

The stakes are high – and all businesses, large or small, are stakeholders. UN group chair Catherine McKenna stresses in the report that smaller entities play a critical role in getting the world to net zero emissions by 2050. “They will either help scale the ambition and action we need to ensure a sustainable planet or else they strongly increase the likelihood of failure,” she said. “They will need support and assistance to align with the objectives of our recommendations… The planet cannot afford delays, excuses, or more greenwashing.”

It turns out that businesses can’t afford more greenwashing either. Exaggerated claims confuse consumers, investors and policymakers and undermine confidence in sustainability messaging, but they are also now attracting the serious attention of Australian regulators. The ACCC has been conducting a sweep of hundreds of company websites in a search for misleading claims in sectors ranging from energy and motoring to household appliances, food and drink packaging, cosmetics, clothing and footwear. And this week it was revealed that corporate watchdog ASIC is investigating a new round of companies and financial institutions for over-the-top claims regarding supposedly climate-friendly investment and products. In October it issued its first such fine, slapping an energy company with a $53,280 ticket for unsupportable claims around the production of carbon-neutral electricity.

The ACCC says it will use data from its internet sweep to update its guidance for business and information for consumers on environmental claims. In the meantime, businesses unsure whether a properly verdant makeover is worth the effort might take note of a slew of major surveys in the past year showing that a clear majority of Australians are concerned about climate change (the 2022 Lowy Institute poll goes further, with 60 per cent of respondents saying “global warming is a serious and pressing problem” about which “we should begin taking steps now even if this involves significant costs”).

On a positive note, it’s an exciting time for organisations that want to make a difference. More and more are taking up the challenge to act on sustainability; they understand the need to mitigate climate risk, says McKenna, and are “seized with the multi-trillion dollar economic opportunity that accompanies this transition. We need these leaders to inspire their colleagues to do the same.”

But credibility and authenticity are key, and those of us who advise on messaging need to be at the top of our game in the green space: good intentions come cheap and slogans need to stand up to scrutiny, especially in highly regulated markets.

For those entities dedicated to the Sustainable Development Goals (adopted by the UN as a universal call to action on poverty, the environment, peace and prosperity), the journey will be anything but straightforward. “Sustainability”, at least as defined by the SDGs, pertains to climate, affordable and clean energy, responsible consumption and production but also the fight against hunger, slavery, poverty and inequality. Whether our clients are invested in this big picture, deep in the weeds with ESG reporting and investigating supply chain credentials, or only just embarking on their transition to sustainability, there are some basic principles that apply. According to Alice Johnson, Head of Sustainability at Green Horizon, the first step for businesses wanting to communicate about sustainability is to get a proper sustainability strategy in place.

“Sustainability communications can’t operate in a bubble or as an after-thought,” says Johnson. “Customers are too savvy and regulators too diligent for these comms to wash without a proper plan in place. Do your research – what accreditation schemes should you be part of and what targets should you be working towards? Get across the correct terminology and be precise with environmental claims like ‘biodegradable’, ‘carbon neutral’ and ‘recyclable’.

“Recognise the true environmental impact of your product or service and get to know your wider supply chain. When you’ve got an evidence-based roadmap under your belt, then it’s time to start taking your staff, customers and stakeholders on the journey with you.”

In the 25 years since we first helped get the message out to “Keep Australia Beautiful”, we have participated in this space and watched it evolve. We’ve helped hundreds of organisations navigate issues ranging from litter prevention, recycling and sustainable packaging to renewable energy, food waste and conservation. For ourselves and our clients, we know that having a vision is a huge advantage when working in challenging and ever-changing environments – and that integrity matters, always.