Do good - and communicate correctly!

"Greenwashing in the vacation brochure" when there is a garbage dump behind the supposed dream beach!FROM HEINZ URBEN*Companies respond to this group of buyers and present the image of a sustainable and socially responsible company with their ecological and social showcase projects. This positive corporate image may only be based on partial aspects of the overall market performance. The message is only credible and thus sustainable if the customer can be shown transparently and unambiguously which offers actually provide added value in the form of a socially and environmentally compatible product. It must not be the case, for example, that the CO2-neutral printing process for a printed matter is praised, but the origin of the paper used is not defined.The correct communication of "green" arguments means that all statements must be consistent with actual actions and that elements must not be omitted that could negatively influence the overall picture.The seven greenwashing sinsGreenwashing is the term used to describe statements and methods in advertising and public relations that aim to give a company or product an environmentally friendly image without comprehensively fulfilling the relevant criteria. The boundaries between well-intentioned and deliberately misleading information are not clearly defined, so even honestly intended environmental statements can be interpreted as greenwashing by critical interest groups. The seven sins of greenwashing summarize what to look out for in environmental communication in connection with printed products:

1st Sin: Lazy Compromise(Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off)

No product advantage should be emphasized in order to conceal a negative product characteristic. This would be the case, for example, if the CO2-neutral printing process for a book production is emphasized, but the paper for this comes from undefined origins.Therefore, the production of ecologically responsible printed matter begins with the careful selection of raw materials and semi-finished products. Climate-neutral production can only be considered an argument in connection with certified virgin fiber or recycled papers.

2. sin: Unverifiable Statements(Sin of No Proof)

Claims that cannot be verified must be avoided at all costs. For example, the statement: "printed on FSC paper" without using a corresponding label with certification number is not verifiable and therefore not tenable. Statements such as "printed on climate-neutral paper" are problematic, especially if the consumer has no way of verifying the statement using a label or number.Environmentally relevant statements must be verifiable at all times. If asked, it must be possible to provide proof of their accuracy. The greatest certainty exists when corresponding certificates are available that are clear and unambiguous. In the case of FSC-certified or climate-neutral printed matter, a label with a number should be printed on it to ensure easy tracking. Printers and paper suppliers can assist in obtaining the certificates.

3. sin: Unclear Statements(Sin of Vagueness)

Unclear and vague formulations confuse and often leave more questions open than they answer. Typical phrases such as "wood from controlled sources," "produced in an environmentally friendly manner," "climate-friendly," or "natural printing inks" do not provide tangible information. Such statements often have a counterproductive effect on consumers, even if they do not have to be intended to be misleading.Therefore, all environmental claims must be formulated in an understandable, factual and unambiguous manner. "Recycled paper, produced with 100 % waste paper from collected materials according to the criteria of the Blue Angel eco-label" is a permissible statement. Terms such as "sustainable", "environmentally friendly", "natural" or "green" are generalities and should not be used.

4. using unrecognized or false labels (Sin of Worshiping of False Labels)

The use of unrecognized fantasy labels leads to unnecessary confusion in the label jungle. In order to achieve a positive effect, it makes sense to only use labels from recognized organizations and to adhere to the respective guidelines for use. A brief explanation of the label on printed matter is worthwhile, because this reinforces the message and makes it credible. Caution: Most labels may not be used without the consent of the respective organization.

5. irrelevant statements (Sin of Irrelevance)

Correct but irrelevant product properties should not be highlighted. Example ECF (elemental chlorine free bleached pulp): There are almost no papers left on the market in Europe that are not bleached without chlorine. Therefore, the designation ECF is no longer relevant for a particularly ecological production of the paper fibers. Likewise, statements such as "the paper was produced according to standard ISO 9001" are misleading in connection with environmental claims, because this certification does not necessarily have to do with ecological aspects.It makes sense to present labels or text information according to their importance! Only labels and information that are concise and contain clear, helpful information should be communicated. It is not always easy to separate relevant from irrelevant information. For example, paper is always recyclable, that is common knowledge. Nevertheless, it makes sense to point this out in order to permanently promote the idea of recycling and to present paper as a material that has a high recycling rate.

6. sin: False Statements(Sin of Fibbing)

False statements and misuse of labels are the most obvious variants of greenwashing. This does not necessarily have to be done with bad intentions. The flood of partly contradictory information and at the same time increasing demands of consumers for transparent information do not make orientation easy.It is important not to use labels of unknown origin! Information must be obtained from the label owner or the supplier as to whether and how a label may be used, in order to have certainty. This also includes checking whether the respective statement about the product used can be properly substantiated. In case of doubt, communication should be avoided, because an incorrect label can have a negative effect.

7. sin: Emphasize the Lesser Evil(Sin of Lesser of Two Evils)

It is misleading to emphasize positive individual aspects of a product so strongly in order to distract from the greater evil. This is the case if a producer reports low CO2 emission values for its production, but does not provide any information on other emissions (water, air), especially if these are perhaps particularly bad.It is all the more important to make holistic environmental statements. Ideally, these should describe the origin of the raw materials and the production process and be verifiable and verifiable.Honesty and transparent communication pay off!"Greenwashing" is not a trivial offense - it can severely and permanently damage a company's reputation. "Do good and talk about it" has not lost its justification. A socially and ecologically well positioned company should advertise its advantages on the market. The decisive point in communication is that here, too, less is more. It is better to communicate only clear, comprehensible arguments united with a customer benefit. The customer benefit may well be immaterial or not direct, the consumer likes to get a good feeling and pay a little more for it.This elation, however, must necessarily be based on an honest, solid and verifiable basis, otherwise a "shitstorm" detached from consumers can have devastating consequences for the corporate image.Further information:http://www.sinsofgreenwashing.org/*Heinz Urben, Copywriter and specialist journalist Wegpunkt GmbH, Birrwil, www.wegpunkt-gmbh.ch, [email protected]