With the growing public pressure to address the climate crisis, private companies are joining the transition towards a global low-carbon economy. However, their efforts sometimes may lean more towards marketing activities than substantial, meaningful actions.
Greenwashing refers to situations in which a company makes deceptive claims about its positive impact on the environment or the sustainability of its products and services to convince consumers that it is addressing climate change. In some cases, Greenwashing may be unintentional due to a lack of knowledge about environmental issues. However, it can also be carried out intentionally as a marketing and public relations activity, exploiting public support for environmental policies for profit.
Greenwashing can undermine public trust in sustainability and allow negative environmental impacts to continue unabated.