What do you mean, green?
10 April 2024
The issue of what’s known as greenwashing is being discussed more widely.
As previously mentioned on the blog, greenwashing has been defined as a PR tactic to make a product appear environmentally friendly, without actually reducing its environmental impact in a meaningful way.
Some industry suppliers are frustrated by claims being made by other companies that sound impressive but are not substantiated. For example, just stating that a product by itself is carbon neutral or net zero is meaningless, not least because of the embedded carbon inherent in the supply chain behind it.
And much also depends on the way the machine or equipment is used on site. So when a product or activity is described as ‘green’, what does that really mean? It might be useful as a shorthand description but it’s not specific.
Indeed, issues surrounding sustainability are perhaps like those regarding site safety: nothing is inherently ‘safe’, it depends on other factors, including the operator and the workplace culture. Sustainability, like safety, is an ongoing process rather than a single characteristic.
To cite a broad example, towards the end of last year the UK government announced that the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) is to scrutinise green claims made by a major household cleaning products manufacturer.
The CMA investigation will look at practices such as the use of vague language to describe the environmental impact of products; claims focusing on a single aspect of an item that may imply it is environmentally friendly as a whole; and the use of colours and imagery like green leaves to give an impression of environmental friendliness.
Also, in a separate development last month, the CMA secured undertakings from three major fashion retailers to change the way they display, describe, and promote their green credentials, following an investigation launched by the Authority in July 2022.
The firms must in future ensure all green claims are accurate and not misleading. Key information must be clear and prominent, meaning it must be expressed in plain language, easy to read, and clearly visible to customers.
Amongst other undertakings, the companies must not use ‘natural’ imagery – such as green leaves – logos, or icons in a way that suggests a product is more environmentally friendly than it actually is.
The CMA says that any claims made to consumers about environmental targets must be supported by a clear and verifiable strategy, and customers must be able to access more details about it. Such information should include what the target is aiming to achieve, the date by which it is expected to be met, and how the company in question will seek to achieve that target.
Obviously, just saying a product is ‘green’ or depicting it in a certain way doesn’t make it so: claims must be supported by robust information.
The Code for Construction Product Information (CCPI) suggests that terms like green, low-carbon, eco and eco-friendly, and the prefixes bio and non, should be avoided unless backed up by credible data.
Hirers and others in the supply chain have a key role to play as the construction sector moves towards net zero, by providing clear data about a product’s performance and recyclable characteristics. They can also help by gathering information via telematics and other monitoring technologies to give real-life live insights into performance and emissions reductions.
Indeed, some suppliers and hirers tell me that the need to supply verifiable data on equipment sustainability and carbon emissions is now being written into tender documents.
● The CMA published a Green Claims Code in September 2021. Although general in scope, it aims to help businesses understand how to communicate their green credentials, while avoiding the risk of misleading consumers, and provides examples and case studies.
Photo: rachealmarie/Pixabay
