Two Sides research into more than 600 of the world’s leading corporations, including banks, utilities, telecoms and insurance providers, has shown that a total of 460 of those companies have been using misleading and unsubstantiated environmental statements, despite specific advertising legislation to protect consumers in many countries. To date, 278 of those companies have removed such statements as a result of ongoing engagement by Two Sides.
“We’re really pleased that Two Sides is having such a significant effect on some of the world’s largest and most influential organizations. But there is no room for complacency, and there is still a great deal of work to do with the remaining companies that continue to mislead their customers,” says Martyn Eustace, Chairman of Two Sides UK.
Internationally, Two Sides teams are continuing to tackle greenwash in their respective countries, and this has yielded positive results.
North America
Phil Riebel, President of Two Sides North America, comments: “Over 88 major corporations, including many of the Fortune 500, have now changed or removed misleading environmental claims about print and paper to comply with country-specific environmental marketing guidelines. Our discussions with Chief Marketing Officers, Chief Sustainability Officers and others, have been very productive and we are pleased with the collaboration of North America’s leading organizations. Thanks to an overall better understanding of the unique sustainable features of paper products, “go green – go paperless” and “save a tree” claims are gradually disappearing from the marketplace.”
Australia & New Zealand
Kellie Northwood, Executive Director, Two Sides Australia and New Zealand, comments, “It is our responsibility as an industry, but also as part of broader environmental education, to challenge misinformation about the impact of communication channels. Greenwashing is a threat to our industry and we work very hard to ensure companies making the wrong claims correct their communications. Of the companies we have contacted in Australia, 73% have altered their anti-print messaging, and the remaining we continue to engage with.”
Brazil
“This year Two Sides Brazil has chosen the fight against greenwashing as a number one priority,” says Fabio Arruda Mortara, Country Manager for Two Sides in Brazil. “Reaching an agreement with the public sector, towards the withdrawal of several instances of misleading content on websites or public declarations, was probably our best achievement in 2017. Brazil has just become the second largest pulp producer in the world, showing the importance for widespread environmental education in such a large country. Everyone in the world has the right to know that print and paper are not hostile to the environment and add immense value to our civilization.”
much more at: http://www.twosidesna.org/US/Two-Sides-Global-Anti-greenwash-Campaign-278-leading-companies-remove-misleading-go-green-claims?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Two%20Sides%20Global%20Anti-greenwash%20Campaign%20278%20leading%20companies%20remove%20misleading%20go%20green%20claims%202017-09-19%20120912&utm_content=Two%20Sides%20Global%20Anti-greenwash%20Campaign%20278%20leading%20companies%20remove%20misleading%20go%20green%20claims%202017-09-19%20120912+CID_16f1a6746f30d1f7eeb80cbc31395911&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=Read%20the%20full%20press%20release