What Is Greenwashing In Marketing? How To Avoid It + What To Do Instead — Minna Studio

Green paint swirling with white, looking like an oil spill

We’ll get right to it: there’s a climate crisis going on. It’s more important than ever for brands to not only be conscious of their environmental impact but also take real action toward reducing it.

While many brands are making meaningful strides in the sustainability department, greenwashing remains a problem—particularly around Earth Day (though it’s equally disappointing year round).

Environmental responsibility is a focus for many of our clients, so we do our part to educate ourselves on the greenwashing trap and how to avoid it. In the process, we’ve learned how to spot misinformation like hawks and craft more transparent messaging, so we’re sharing our notes.

Whether you’re a brand leader or someone who creates content for one, here’s how to check yourself for greenwashing—and what to do instead.

What is greenwashing, exactly?

Greenwashing is when brands portray themselves as more sustainable than they really are. It looks like slapping buzzwords like “sustainable,” “clean” and “eco-friendly” all over your marketing without giving clear insight into what that actually means (or without telling the whole story).

Greenwashing is false advertising. It can make customers lose trust in your brand and even get you into legal trouble. (And obviously, it’s just, like, ethically not cool.)

We all know those brands who use greenwashing very strategically, spotlighting a few small good things they’re doing to distract from big, bad environmental harm (side-eyeing you, Zara). But we’re writing this post because it’s often done with the best of intentions but a lack of awareness about what’s truly impactful.

Oh no. Am I doing it?

Well, let’s see. Here are some common examples of greenwashing:

making claims about your company or products (sustainable, carbon-neutral, ocean-friendly, responsibly sourced, etc.) without showing 👏 the 👏 receipts 👏
talking about your sustainability values or goals without sharing how you plan to achieve them
emphasizing one environmentally positive aspect of your business without acknowledging other impacts
misleading people with imagery that suggests sustainable practices but isn’t an accurate representation of your brand—think solar panels, plants everywhere, illustrated icons of the earth, majestic nature landscapes! (note: this kind of greenwashing even sometimes permeates brand identity itself)

What to do instead

1. Use clear, specific language.

Instead of throwing out vague, hard-to-substantiate terms like “green,” “eco-friendly” and “sustainable,” get concrete. Give people the facts. Is your packaging made from 80%+ post-consumer recycled content? Are your ingredients sourced locally to reduce carbon emissions from transportation? Are you certified by a reputable third party?

As an FYI, the FTC also enforces these guidelines when it comes to environmental marketing and language:

Packaging and advertising should explain the product’s green claims in easy-to-understand terms.
Environmental marketing claims should specify whether they refer to the product, packaging or both.
Marketing claims should not overstate, directly or indirectly, an environmental attribute or benefit.

If you’re cleaning up your language, keep in mind that certain buzzwords will still have a place in your SEO strategy—people type keywords like “sustainable coffee,” “eco-friendly cleaning products” and “non-toxic cookware” into the search bar.

Infographic showing Shelter Architecture's guiding principles. — *Shelter Architecture* *(a Minna client) breaks down exactly how it prioritizes sustainability by backing up its values with actions.*

2. Cite your sources, and make sure you’re using reputable ones.

Reputable sources include organizations and publications like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Energy Information Administration, National Geographic, World Health Organization, The New York Times, NPR, Bluebird, Rainforest Alliance and so on.

Screenshot of a Bluebird sustainability report for Dieux product. — *Dieux* *shares an official sustainability report from Bluebird for each of its products.*

3. Put your money where your mission is.

Saying “We care about the planet” on your mission page is nice and all, but what are you doing to show you care?

Could you invest more in reducing your impact or making more responsible choices? Could you direct your company giving efforts toward a reputable non-profit?

Screen of Subset's recycling program website page — *Subset* *has a recycling program that rewards customers for sending in their pre-loved items.*

4. Show proof (and stay accountable) with certifications.

Getting certified by a reputable third-party organization (Leaping Bunny, 1% for the Planet, The Green Business Bureau, etc.) helps you stand out in a sea of “green,” so to speak—as well as build trust with customers and hold your company accountable.

Screenshot of Avocado's sustainability website page — *Avocado* *gives clear details about each of its environmental certifications.*

5. Acknowledge imperfections.

Transparency builds trust. If you’re not the most sustainable brand, don’t pretend to be! Get real with your community about the challenges, research and reasons behind your choices, where you’re making progress and where you stand to improve.

Screenshot of Versed's impact website page — *Versed* *is upfront about where it’s doing well and what it still need to work on.*

Need help finding the right words? Learn more about our brand messaging and content strategy services and all the other things we can do for you.

Greenwashing Is Dirty. Here’s What To Do Instead.