The fear of not being Eco-Friendly in a conscious market

In today's world, where sustainability has become a buzzword for companies seeking to attract eco-conscious consumers, it's increasingly challenging to distinguish genuine environmental efforts from marketing strategies. In fact, 68% of executives in the United States admit that their companies engage in greenwashing.

Greenwashing, as this practice is known, represents a barrier to sustainability itself, eroding trust between brands and their consumers. According to Forbes, "Greenwashing occurs when companies promote their brand, services, products, or practices as more environmentally friendly than they really are."

But... how is this applied? How do we detect it? The answer is that the practice ranges from claims without evidence and omission of information to exaggerated emphasis on minor eco-friendly aspects. Companies like Zara, Coca-Cola, BP, Starbucks, Nestlé, among many others, have been strongly criticized and even legally challenged for using strategies that create the illusion of greater environmental responsibility than they actually practice, while hiding or ignoring their less sustainable practices.

Perhaps this is why 88% of Gen Z does not trust the claims that brands make about their environmental practices, social responsibility, and governance (ESG).

So, what do we do to stay relevant while making internal changes?

The first step is to understand that if you start lying to the consumer before making changes, you are already violating the first rule to truly be sustainable. It's not bad to not have everything resolved or to be further behind than we want... we're all in the same boat. What really matters is to start and communicate progress, but REAL progress.

• If the brand is starting its transformation, be direct and communicate the objectives in the short, medium, and long term.
  

• When communicating, make sure that sustainability claims are backed by data and evidence, and share it transparently.
  

• Avoid terms like "green" or "eco-friendly" if objectively they cannot justify these terms with concrete actions and information that validate them.
  

Joining experts in the field can serve as a guide in the process, regardless of where you are in it, to ensure a coherent and authentic transformation. A sustainability and brand consultancy firm offers the ideal balance between business needs, market demand, and the attention to detail required for a proper transition to a responsible brand.

At Livable Brands, we understand the urgency of generating sales and brand recognition. However, we work with brands (partners) as if they were our own, being demanding, examining every angle, guaranteeing transparency, and aiming for more, seeking to make an impact and create long-term connections with those we serve.