greenwashing

" Talking green is easy.
Acting green, not so much. "

 As sustainability becomes a selling point, some companies exploit it without real actions.

The following 6 forms of greenwashing show how misleading strategies can disguise environmental inaction :

1. Green-crowding
Companies hide behind group commitments to appear eco-conscious without real action. They rely on collective efforts to avoid scrutiny and mask their individual environmental inaction.

 2. Green-lighting
A small green initiative is highlighted to distract from larger polluting practices. It’s a PR tactic that exaggerates one positive detail while ignoring the company’s overall environmental harm.

 3. Green-shifting
The company shifts environmental responsibility to the consumer, focusing on personal choices while downplaying its own environmental footprint and role in climate-related issues.

 4. Green-labelling
Vague, unverified terms like “green” or “natural” are used to suggest sustainability. These labels mislead consumers and are detrimental to genuine conformity marks based on evidence and professional assessment by independent 3rd parties.

 5. Green-rinsing
Firms regularly revise environmental goals, often lowering them. This creates the illusion of progress while avoiding real accountability or measurable climate action.

 6. Green-hushing
Companies deliberately stay silent about their sustainability actions to avoid criticism. This lack of transparency limits comparison and slows collective progress toward environmental responsibility.

As a certification body, TÜV AUSTRIA OKcert works tirelessly to combat greenwashing by promoting conformity marks based on facts and analyses carried out by competent experts.