Webinar Recap:
How to communicate about sustainability and avoid greenwashing and greenhushing?
Check out our insights and experiences during
the webinar we hosted with De Roos advocaten.
In September 2024, we hosted an inspiring webinar in collaboration with De Roos, focusing on sustainability communication.
Building on the success of our previous workshop at the B For Good Leaders Summit in May, we created this unique opportunity for other businesses to tune in online and learn how to effectively communicate about their sustainability efforts. The turnout was impressive, with professionals from marketing and communication managers to sustainability experts gathering to enhance their knowledge and learn how to share your sustainability efforts with integrity.
The Core of the Webinar
The central question we tackled during the webinar was: how can organisations communicate honestly and transparently about their sustainability policies? Many companies are becoming increasingly hesitant to share their positive impacts due to the risks associated with greenwashing. Therefore, we provided participants with the tools, tips, and strategies they need to avoid these risks and successfully engage in sustainable communication.
Our workshop guided participants through sustainability communication from two different perspectives. Veronique Misteli, communication expert and Laura van Gijn, IP & Advertising partner shared their insights on this as the main speakers.
Legal Perspective
Laura van Gijn, Advertising Partner at De Roos, highlighted the risks of greenwashing using a successful lawsuit they handled against Primark as a case study. She emphasized that misleading claims made by companies should not be taken lightly. Such claims not only deceive consumers but also undermine their trust in sustainable messages and innovations overall. This can have significant systemic repercussions for consumer behavior. With the new and upcoming EU regulations, companies that engage in misleading practices or use symbolic actions to showcase their sustainability may face serious legal consequences.
Storytelling
Veronique Misteli, our Creative Director at Misteli, shared how we helped i-team Global with their sustainability communication. Her presentation on the “story-proofing model” provided valuable insights into creating a genuine and impactful sustainability narrative. Our key tips for creating a sustainability communication for your business:
- Engage your stakeholders from the beginning of the journey
- Set achievable goals and share the measurable steps to get there
- Be specific, detailed, and clear
- Share the good, the bad, and the ugly – honesty is key!
- Create a sustainability narrative to help structure your journey
Active Participation and Breakout Sessions
To encourage interaction, we included breakout sessions where participants worked in groups of six on their own sustainability communication challenges. They were asked to collaboratively answer questions like, “What actions will we take both internally and externally to prevent greenwashing?
We believe that incorporating this interactive part is necessary to make the information we just discussed practically applicable for all attendees. The collective ideas that came out of these sessions empowered participants to apply what they learned directly within their organisations.
Positive Feedback from Participants
Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. On a scale of 1 to 10, they rated their likelihood of recommending the webinar to a colleague an average of 7.5. Many participants expressed they gained valuable insights, particularly about how to frame future claims to be realistic and evidence-based.
There were also suggestions for improvement, such as allocating more time for breakout sessions and providing even more practical examples on effective sustainability communication. We love these suggestions and will take them into account for future sessions!
Communicating about sustainability is a challenge, but with the right knowledge and tools, businesses can stand out and enhance their brand reputation. We are excited to spread these insights further and look forward to our next webinar.
Want to learn more about authentic sustainability communication?
Download our whitepaper ‘How to communicate about sustainability: go-to guide”.
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