With sustainability high on every business agenda these days, it’s vital we do our bit for the environment by lowering our carbon footprint. And none more so than major brands that have the power to sway those lower down the chain.
But are they really doing their bit?
Or are they greenwashing to hide what’s really going on?
In this article, we’re going to focus on three market leaders in different industries:
Three large companies with sustainability built into their businesses.
Tesco’s sustainability plan is called the ‘Little Helps Plan’, which they say:
“Enables us to demonstrate, monitor and improve our performance, both within our own operations and the wider supply chain on the issues that matter. Under the framework’s four pillars: People, Product, Planet and Places, we are making a difference on issues such as diversity and inclusion, healthy, sustainable diets, climate change and food poverty.”
Greenpeace, however, has downplayed Tesco’s sustainability practices with several articles, including how they’re contributing to the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. And funding the world’s largest meat processor, JBS, who are burning Indigenous territories and habitat for rare species in Brazil.
Forget the ‘little helps’. Tesco has bigger issues to fix.
When it comes to sustainability, the Barclays purpose says:
“We believe that appropriate management of environmental and social impacts is not only the right thing to do, but ensures the longevity of our business and our ability to serve our clients.
The scale and scope of the support we provide to our customers and clients means that we can have a significant impact on the world around us.”
Greenpeace, however, questions why they provided $85 billion to fund fossil fuel companies (see our article: The plastic waste epidemic is in the hands of just 20 companies).
And they go further with several exposé articles, including:
All of which highlights how Barclays sustainability purpose has no purpose at all and is clearly greenwashing.
Fashion brand ASOS have a sustainability plan called Circular Fashion, which they say is about:
“Making clothes in a way that reduces the amount of waste they create, both in their production and throughout the rest of their lives. That includes things like using recycled materials, cutting down waste in design and making pieces that can be worn in lots of different ways.”
Admirable?
Sure.
Yet, an Independent article states that just 1% of the 50% of recycled textiles in the EU are made into new clothes, with around 350,000 tons going to UK landfill.
Meanwhile, a Fashion United article picks up on the catch that to be included in the ‘Circular Collection’, a piece of clothing must hit at least two of the three sustainability design foundations. But, really, it should hit all three.
Otherwise, it’ll have little sustainability benefit.
While Greenpeace reminds us how ASOS is still the market leader in ‘fast fashion’ in their article, 9 reasons to quit fast fashion.
All three of these household names appear to be doing their bit for the environment. But look past the PR spin and there’s a lot of greenwashing going on too.
No matter how much you celebrate sustainability, your business will get found out if it’s not being carried out as advertised.
We can all do a lot on a personal level, but what about businesses and corporations?
One of the best things business leaders can do is talk to Certified Sustainable.
Why?
Because we produce comprehensive Sustainability Impact Reports detailing the environmental impact of the day-to-day operations of businesses. We then develop technical solutions and real-world strategies that make a business measurably more sustainable.
No fluff. No PR gimmickry. Just real-world change.
