Greenwashing Checklist

Who wants a Marketing Manager who doesn’t think their product is great?

It is natural for people to have an over-inflated view of their brands, products or services, especially if they work in the marketing department.

There are certainly many examples of premeditated and well-orchestrated greenwashing. But are the marketers always the villains here? Or is it sometimes simply a case of over-enthusiasm, grabbing at claims and terminology that their customers want to hear?

As custodians of a brand’s reputation, marketers need to be wary, and not become complicit – however attractive a claim may sound. Some simple cross-examination early on can flush out the dubious, the doubtful, and the delusional.

This framework can help anyone interrogate a proposed marketing claim. It encourages communicators to look at it from a legal perspective (Legally, can we say this?) and a moral perspective (Okay, but morally, should we say this?)

If in any doubt, you need to:

• Check the facts.
• Clarify the details.
• Challenge like your greenest customer.
• Change where necessary.