New research published in the journal Scientific Reports has flagged an unlikely group of greenwashing victims: corporate buyers.
“The findings reveal no statistically significant differences in willingness to pay (WTP) for products with greenwashed claims versus those backed by stringent certifications,” the academics wrote.
The scientists from Italy and Finland, with help from experienced purchasing executives, designed a number of product images and descriptions using real-world (but anonymised) products including laptops, safety gloves and copy paper.
One group of purchasing managers was then exposed to greenwashed products (with increasing levels of complexity) while the other one had sustainable products (with increasing levels of certification complexity). So from mild green claims that might not cause suspicion to bold assertions without proof, and from lesser-known certifications to industry-specific ones from reputable organisations.
They found that the corporate purchasing managers had trouble distinguishing vague sustainability claims from certified eco-friendly products. Perhaps more worrying was the finding that they’re willing to pay the same premium for credible green products as they are flaky ones.
“This study challenges the widely held assumption that professional expertise shields decision-makers from greenwashing,” the authors wrote. They now want to look at greenwashing vulnerability in industry-specific procurement to assess which sectors are most exposed. There is also a “pressing need for clearer, standardised certification systems, enhanced corporate training programmes, and stronger regulatory frameworks”, the said.
“If organisations want their ESG [environmental, social, and governance] strategies to be truly effective, they must invest in better tools, clearer certifications, and stronger evaluation frameworks for procurement teams,” Owais Khan, from Venice School of Management and lead author, told Anthropocene Magazine.
Regulators in the UK and the EU are certainly keen to clamp down on dodgy green claims. At a recent Footprint roundtable, held in association with law firm DWF, food and hospitality companies making environmental claims were warned that falling foul of new regulations could now result in hefty fines.
