The end of green washing in events
The European Parliament has given the green light to a revolutionary directive on green washing, imposing on the Member States of the European Union the task of incorporating it into their legislation in the next two years.
This regulatory change redefines how companies can label and promote products and services with an ecological focus.
What exactly is green washing?
Green washing is a marketing strategy used by companies and organizations to give a false impression of environmental commitment and sustainability.
This tactic seeks to take advantage of consumers' growing environmental awareness by presenting products, services or business practices as environmentally friendly when, in reality, they are not.
Green washing affects customer relationships and also erodes trust in companies. When sincerity and transparency are compromised, customers may turn away.
Examples of green washing
"Greenwashing" refers to practices in which a company or entity tries to present an image of respect and commitment to the environment without this being really true. Here are some examples of greenwashing:
Misleading labeling: A company may use labels such as “eco-friendly,” “green,” or “environmentally friendly” on its products without certification or testing to support these claims.
Misleading advertising: Some companies may highlight a small environmentally friendly action to distract attention from more harmful practices. For example, promoting a product as eco-friendly while ignoring larger environmental issues in their supply chain.
Use of natural colors and symbols: The association of natural colors and symbols in advertising, even when the product or company does not have genuine sustainable practices, can be indicative of greenwashing.
Lack of transparency: If a company does not provide clear and verifiable information about its environmental practices, it may be trying to hide less sustainable actions.
Using unsupported green jargon: Using terms and phrases such as “carbon neutral” or “sustainable” without providing data or evidence to support these claims may be indicative of greenwashing.
Superficial makeover: Renaming products or changing packaging to make them appear more eco-friendly without making any real changes to company practices.
Ads that highlight small actions: Centrarse en pequeñas acciones que pueden ser positivas pero no abordar problemas ambientales más amplios, creando la ilusión de un compromiso más profundo con la sostenibilidad.
These examples highlight how some companies may attempt to capitalize on growing environmental awareness without adopting genuinely sustainable practices.
End of Greenwashing. Transparency is the new rule.
From now on, no entity will be able to claim that its products are ecological or reusable without third-party certification.
The era when carbon offsetting could be claimed to qualify an event as sustainable is over.
This change seeks to eradicate deceptive practices and promote transparency in environmental advertising.
Sanctions for Non-Compliance
The legislation establishes significant penalties for companies that do not comply with the new regulations.
Those that do not comply could face fines representing up to 4% of their annual turnover. However, companies with fewer than 10 employees and an annual turnover of less than 2 million euros are excluded from these penalties.
Transformation in Environmental Communication
This European directive, years in the making, prohibits any use of vague or misleading environmental claims.
Its implementation marks the most significant change in half a century in the way products are marketed and communicated to consumers and prescribers. This covers, of course, all marketing and communication strategies, including events.
At The Brand Company we are happy about this great news because we have always been strongly committed to the sustainability of events.
If you are organizing an event and need a supplier of sustainable corporate gifts, do not hesitate to contact us!
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