Sustainable Image vs Greenwash

As we all know, the idea of sustainability is spreading steadily through the business community.

In addition to this we all know that the perception of being a green business has a positive impact on customer loyalty and over consumer purchasing decisions.

The next logical step is to think, as a business, how you can improve your sustainable image through the community. But let it be known that this comes with a big warning!

Beware of greenwashing.

Everyone wants to portray the image of their business being sustainable but let me emphasis the fact that you should not under any circumstances create this image if you aren’t in fact practicing what you’re preaching.

The consequences of being caught out, especially when considering the current speed of information thanks largely to social media and the internet, can be catastrophic for any business.

The reputation hit from being caught out could be hard to recover from and the risk really does outweigh the reward in any case.

When thinking from a consumer’s point of view it also pays to look further into your purchasing decision to ensure you’re not a victim of the greenwashing as well.

The first step is to be vigilant with your marketing and make sure you’re being truthful.

Better yet, create a sustainability policy, practice it, and everybody wins!