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Purpose: This study critically explores the phenomenon of corporate greenwashing within global supply chains, aiming to dissect the ethical dilemmas corporations face when their environmental claims do not match their practices. It seeks to understand how corporations navigate the tension between appearing environmentally responsible and implementing sustainable practices. Design/Methodology/Approach: Employing a qualitative analysis framework, the study analyses notable instances of corporate greenwashing case studies. It applies ethical theories such as Utilitarianism, Deontological Ethics, Corporate Responsibility (CR), Global Economic Inequality, stakeholder and shareholder theories, short-term gains versus long-term sustainability, Ethical sourcing, and Economic Realism to evaluate the decisions and behaviours of corporations. This approach allows for a comprehensive examination of greenwashing practices' motives, strategies, and outcomes. Findings: The research uncovers that greenwashing is often a result of the complex interplay between market pressures for environmental responsibility and the challenges of genuinely implementing sustainable practices. Corporations frequently use greenwashing to meet consumer expectations without substantially changing their operations. Research Limitations/Implications: The study acknowledges limitations, primarily due to the selection of case studies and the subjective interpretation of ethical theories. Future research could expand the range of case studies and explore additional ethical frameworks for a more nuanced understanding of greenwashing. Practical Implications: The findings highlight the need for stricter regulatory frameworks and transparent reporting standards to discourage greenwashing. It suggests that corporations adopt a more integrated approach to sustainability, aligning their environmental claims with actual practices. Social Implications: By shedding light on the discrepancy between corporate environmental claims and actions, the study calls for greater corporate accountability. It emphasises the role of informed consumer advocacy in demanding transparency and genuine sustainability efforts from corporations. Originality/Value: This paper contributes to the business ethics literature by providing a detailed analysis of greenwashing within global supply chains through ethical theories. It offers a novel perspective on the ethical considerations involved in corporate environmental claims, enhancing our understanding of corporate sustainability challenges. Plain Language Summary: This research analyses companies that make themselves seem more environmentally friendly than they are – a practice known as greenwashing. By examining real-life examples and using ethical principles, the study reveals why companies do this and how it can mislead consumers. It suggests that to stop greenwashing, there should be stricter rules and more transparent reporting about companies' environmental actions. The research also encourages people to demand truthfulness from companies about their environmental efforts, highlighting the importance of genuine sustainability over mere appearances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the drivers of green growth is important for designing policies to support sustainability goals. This article reports the findings of a cross-country empirical analysis of the role of innovation, fintech and financial transparency in promoting green finance using regression analysis based on a general-to-specific approach. Results show that green finance is significantly and negatively associated with fintech and financial transparency and positively associated with innovation. These results suggest that fintech may be diverting resources away from green finance, whereas greenwashing may undermine the effectiveness of green finance strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the environmental and socioeconomic dimensions of domestic cycling tourism in Slovenia, focusing on "double pollution" and "greenhushing" practices. The aim is to evaluate the sustainability of cycling tourism by examining its indirect environmental impacts, particularly emissions from ancillary travel behaviours such as car usage to reach cycling destinations. Utilizing data from 2011 to 2021, this research employs factor analyses using the principal component analysis (PCA) extraction method and vector autoregression (VAR) modelling to explore relationships between key socioeconomic, environmental, and tourism-related variables. This study identifies three common factors influencing cycling tourism: (1) socioeconomic and urban dynamics, (2) tourism-driven environmental factors, and (3) climatic sustainability challenges. Results highlight that cycling tourism contributes to emissions due to associated car travel, counteracting its eco-friendly image. Findings reveal that favourable economic conditions and urbanisation drive tourism demand, while increased tourist arrivals correlate with higher emissions. This study also uncovers greenhushing, where stakeholders underreport the environmental costs of cycling tourism, leading to mistaken perceptions of its sustainability. This study concludes that, while domestic cycling tourism supports economic growth and health, its environmental benefits are compromised by ancillary emissions. Transparent environmental reporting, enhanced public transport, and local bike rental systems are recommended to mitigate these challenges and align cycling tourism with Slovenia's sustainability goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers' increasing awareness of sustainability is reshaping consumption patterns, prompting fashion companies to adopt environmentally friendly initiatives. Certain fashion companies opt for brand extensions, whereas others create entirely new brand lines. Some companies even turn to greenwashing, conveying unsubstantiated claims about the eco-friendliness of their products. This study explored the combined influence of brand strategy (brand extension versus new brand name) and the presence/absence of greenwashing claims on a fictitious fashion brand company's website on consumers' purchase intentions. The results of our 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment show a significant interaction effect, highlighting that greenwashing significantly and adversely influences purchase intentions when fashion companies choose to use a new brand name for their innovative sustainable fashion clothing line. This study contributes valuable insights into consumer responses to different brand strategies and greenwashing in the pursuit of sustainable fashion choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Scientific Annals of the 'Al. I. Cuza' University, Iasi. Sociology & Social Work / Analele Stiintifice ale Universitatii 'Al. I. Cuza' Iasi Sociologie si Asistenta Sociala is the property of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Although acting sustainably is crucial for brands — as is being seen to act sustainably — navigating this incredibly complex topic can be challenging for business leaders. Therefore, a business case action must be articulated in financial terms in order for the benefits of sustainability actions to be made more tangible. The current authors found that millions of dollars of brand value can potentially be gained from enhanced sustainability actions and effective communication. However, there are also millions of dollars at risk, either from misallocated or excessive investments in sustainability communication, or from insufficient action leading to poor perception of sustainability actions, which can in turn lead to accusations of greenwashing. This paper aims to frame the business case for sustainability action by articulating it in financial terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to address environmental and climate change in a sustainable manner, it is necessary for corporations to make commitments in accordance with sustainable principles, which can be communicated through the use of indicators. Many indicator-based sustainability assessments neglect the supply chain stages by reporting results with incomplete and misleading information. Indicators are sometimes manipulated to the benefit of companies, a strategy known as "greenwashing". One method of misleading is to transfer the non-sustainable activities of one company to other related companies. With such practices, the question of how to measure sustainability remains unclear. This paper proposes and defines the sustainability meta-indicator ( S m I ) which can serve as a tool for the assessment of misleading sustainability claims. Its value depends on the sustainability indicators of the other collaborating companies where the company in question pays money, and the corresponding amount of paid money. The results of using S m I on synthetic data demonstrate that the proposed meta-indicator facilitates the evaluation of misleading sustainability claims. The aim of the S m I is to satisfy consumers' need for information about the sustainability of a company's products or services. In addition, it can be used as a communication mechanism to enhance the value of companies and support new partnerships and business strategies. For policymakers, this meta-indicator serves as a tool to support measures against misinformation and misleading consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a critical analysis of the 2023 sustainability reports of five major ICT corporations: Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. It scrutinises how these organisations use sustainability data, particularly within the context of their actions, their planned initiatives, and visions for the future to report on three overarching sustainability narratives: 1. Reducing the climate footprint of their own operations; 2. Influencing and reducing the climate footprint of their supply chain and consumers; and 3. Financing innovation for climate change. Despite all five corporations expressing a commitment to sustainability and confronting climate change, their specific actions and planned initiatives differ, influenced by their core businesses and existing sustainability practices. This becomes more apparent in their choice to use their own intricate measuring infrastructures for self-tracking and self-reporting environmental data. Such infrastructures, although purportedly aimed at showcasing progress towards sustainability goals, face scrutiny due to their lack of transparency and the potential for manipulation and greenwashing, especially given the lack of standardised reporting protocols within the sector. This analysis highlights that, despite these companies' claims of commitment to carbon neutrality, their climate pledges and sustainability goals are rarely achieved. In this framework, this paper suggests that a critical approach is essential when evaluating Big Tech's often deceptive sustainability narratives and underscores the need for more rigorous regulatory frameworks and independent third-party audits to ensure genuine progress towards a sustainable future and true accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenwashing, defined as the dissemination of inaccurate or misleading information regarding the environmental performance of products, services, or brands, has become increasingly prevalent in the construction industry. This study examines the extent and consequences of greenwashing in the sector, focusing on how exaggerated sustainability claims influence stakeholder trust and decision-making. Employing a mixed-methods approach - incorporating content analysis of corporate sustainability reports and surveys of industry experts - the research identifies common greenwashing strategies and evaluates their effects. Findings reveal that overstated environmental claims are pervasive, contributing to a significant decline in stakeholder trust. The discussion addresses the ethical implications of greenwashing, the challenges associated with its detection, and offers solutions to enhance transparency and accountability. This study advances the understanding of greenwashing within the construction industry and provides actionable recommendations to mitigate its negative impact on sustainability initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction industry's increasing environmental impact has led to the widespread adoption of sustainability claims, yet the prevalence of greenwashing—where organizations make misleading environmental claims—threatens genuine sustainable development efforts. Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) have emerged as a potential solution, particularly in the New Zealand and Australia construction sectors, where recent government climate regulations have accelerated their adoption. However, the effectiveness of EPDs in combating greenwashing and their practical implementation remain understudied. This research addresses this gap through a comprehensive analysis of EPDs in construction, employing a systematic literature review of 82 articles from 2010 to 2024 across major databases. Using ATLAS.ti 9 software, this study makes three key contributions: (1) develops a novel framework for evaluating EPD programs and their effectiveness in preventing greenwashing, (2) establishes a standardized methodology for assessing the completeness and accuracy of life cycle assessment information in EPDs, and (3) provides evidence-based recommendations for improving EPD implementation in the construction industry. The findings reveal critical shortcomings in current EPD practices, including inconsistent assessment methodologies and incomplete life cycle data. This study proposes specific reforms to enhance EPD reliability and transparency, offering practical guidelines for industry stakeholders to verify environmental claims. These contributions advance both the theoretical understanding of environmental certification systems and practical implementation of sustainable construction practices by developing regulatory frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenwashing has become an important strategy for enterprises to cope with the intense pressure on environmental sustainability and to gain environmental legitimacy. Digital transformation has an important impact on enterprise decision‐making and environmental management. Based on panel data of Chinese A‐share listed enterprises from 2011 to 2021, we empirically examine the relationship between digital transformation and greenwashing using a fixed‐effects model. The results show that enterprise digital transformation can significantly inhibit greenwashing behavior. Second, the impact of enterprise digital transformation on greenwashing exhibits heterogeneous effects at the regional, industry, and firm levels. Furthermore, enterprise digital transformation suppresses greenwashing by alleviating financing constraints, improving information transparency, and enhancing internal control. In addition, we also find that there is an effective boundary to the impact of digital transformation on greenwashing. Specifically, digital transformation exerts a mitigating impact on enterprise greenwashing when the digital transformation level is lower than 10.2163 or higher than 15.7763. Our findings provide references for managers and policy makers to understand digital transformation and its impact on greenwashing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Gênero e Interdisciplinaridade is the property of Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa Periodicojs and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article presents the state of research on the greenwashing. Greenwashing is a popular research trend; recently (especially, 2020–2023), more and more systematic reviews have been published. However, unlike other reviews, the article presents the broadest possible research perspective, without highlighting any research trends. The original approach is expressed in the article as a review of literature reviews. As a result of the research conducted using correspondence analysis in the years 2007–2023, 112 publications were isolated and grouped into six clusters presenting publications according to groups of enterprises, the geographical context of the study, entity that can use the research results, and factors negatively correlated with greenwashing. The obtained results show that greenwashing is an increasingly popular research trend; various stakeholders, including governments and financial institutions, can use research results. Articles related to Africa have their characteristics and constitute a separate research motive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Question/Issue: We examine the effect of multiple environmental, social, and governance (ESG) scores on institutional investor ownership of firms and investor portfolio weightings. We are also the first to analyze the three individual components of ESG rankings to estimate the relative preferences of institutional investors. Research Findings/Insights: Using a unique panel dataset covering US companies and institutional investor portfolios over the 2010–2019 period, we find that while investors are driven to add high‐quality ESG companies to their portfolios, there is a negative relationship with ESG when it comes to taking large ownership stakes. Furthermore, ESG scores are negatively related to the portfolio weightings of institutional investors, which raises concerns of greenwashing. Our analysis of individual ESG scores points to significantly larger effects of G scores in terms of holdings, and G is the only score with no negative impact on portfolio weightings. Finally, in support of systematic stewardship theory, top institutional investors allocate higher proportions of their portfolios to firms with high‐ESG ratings. Our results are robust to the use of a difference‐in‐differences analysis addressing endogeneity concerns. Theoretical/Academic Implications: The findings in this paper offer important policy implications for institutional investors, managers, and policymakers. Given the ongoing debate on ESG scores, this paper shows the importance of examining greenwashing for investors who have a concern regarding the extent to which the valuation of assets might be influenced by unsupported sustainability claims. In addition, our study adds to the debate regarding ESG investing and stewardship theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of REUNIR: Revista de Administração, Contabilidade e Sustentabilidade is the property of REUNIR - Revista de Administracao, Contabilidade e Sustentabilidade and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Many countries have initiated specific regions dedicated to Green Finance to enhance environmental sustainability. This paper examines the influence of these zones on corporate greenwashing practices, using data from Chinese listed companies. Greenwashing is assessed by comparing corporate environmental, social, and governance disclosures against their actual performance in these areas. We find that the establishment of Green Finance Pilot Zones, which means experimental zones, significantly increases greenwashing behavior. These zones reduce actual performance in environmental, social, and governance aspects without altering disclosure practices. Additionally, the impact of these zones on greenwashing is more pronounced in companies with higher debt ratios and when environmental subsidies expire, indicating that financial incentives drive greenwashing. Conversely, stricter government regulations can mitigate this negative effect. The detrimental impact of these zones is notably observed in non-state-owned enterprises, non-heavy polluting companies, and industries with lower market concentration. The findings provide a foundation for further international studies and collaboration in the pursuit of global environmental sustainability, aiding the design and implementation of more robust and transparent Green Finance programs that can be adapted to various economic contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Transfer: Zeitschrift für Kommunikation & Markenmanagement is the property of Deutsche Werbewissenschaftliche Gesellschaft and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the field of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) today, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors play a fundamental and increasingly central role in the evaluation of corporate performance worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the recent phenomenon of ESG issues has given rise to a new form of greenwashing in a broad sense, not limited to the environmental sphere, but also extended to social and governance issues. The paper examines whether companies engaged in the transition to sustainable and in particular to circular models are actually focusing on concrete sustainable actions and less on distorted communication. Specifically, ESG performance measures were collected for 366 companies from the most impactful industries in different countries around the world to test the relationships between ESG performance, adoption of circular economy models and 'washing' practices related to stakeholder communication. As the transition to sustainable and circular models requires not only substantive action but also transparency, further research and efforts are needed to better understand the relationship between these elements in corporate behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents a clear overview of greenwashing practices in the food industry, along with instances in the academic literature. In this work, a bibliometric analysis covering over 711 articles from the Scopus database was carried out. According to the findings, research on greenwashing in general has expanded dramatically in the previous ten years, indicating an increasing importance for the upcoming years. While greenwashing is an established phenomenon in the food industry and an emerging topic among consumers, relatively few research papers are available on the subject; this review identified 16 papers that met the inclusion criteria. The review offers a detailed analysis of these papers. Key factors contributing to greenwashing practices in the food industry include advertising, access to information, transparency, knowledge, trust, and labelling. The review also identifies six major subtopics that significantly influence the food industry: retailers, corporate social responsibility, consumer research, food supply chain, and stakeholders. This study aims to serve as a valuable reference for policymakers and scholars who are determining the future path of greenwashing research. This review also aligns with the focus of the research agenda of several nations, and the EU, to act firmly against greenwashing practices and deceptive environmental claims.

Corporation operations and other anthropogenic activities threaten global biodiversity and ecosystem services. They also raise financial risks for the sustainability of society. International organizations and initiatives have developed guidelines on the disclosure of nature-positive business practices to support the conservation of biodiversity. However, biodiversity-conserving performances of corporations have yet to undergo a comprehensive assessment, either quantitatively or qualitatively. Here, we analyzed the biodiversity conservation activities, or the evolution of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) management, of the top 200 corporations in South Korea based on their sustainability reports covering years 2017 to 2021. The number of corporations issuing sustainability reports doubled in the five-year period, and over 70% issued sustainability reports in 2022. Based on the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15) Global Biodiversity Framework’s directionality and consistency with the targeted ecosystems, 22% of the corporations reported engagement with biodiversity conservation without substantive outcomes. The methodology developed in this paper can guide major corporations on biodiversity-related disclosures, including those required by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).

Life cycle assessment is increasingly used in the healthcare sector to facilitate more environmentally informed supply and medication use. A thorough life cycle assessment comparing the carbon impacts of 10 different single-use anaesthetic drug trays yielded surprising findings. Although life cycle assessment can guide decision-making, results must be interpreted clinically and in light of all available options, including eliminating unnecessary consumption altogether. Effective life cycle assessment in healthcare that is clinically applicable requires expertise from both environmental scientists and clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives In this study, we analyzed the corporation’s current status and issues related to biodiversity and provided insights based on the results for future consideration. Methods We investigated the double materiality analysis, then analyzed whether the activities are valuable enough for the corporation to focus on and whether they have an actual positive impact on the environment. Results and Discussion The corporation placed high importance on the environmental (E) domain among ESG factors and focuses on three activities, which is installing artificial reef, NDPE declaration in palm farm, and endangered species survey. However, post-installation observation is more important than installation of arficial reef, and in palm farms, as the government actively participates in REDD, and farm areas are considered as “biodiversity hotspots”, maximum efforts seem necessary to reduce negative impacts. The reporting of endangered species surveys around the lithium facility in Argentina, surveys over several years are needed. Conclusion Despite POSCO Group's efforts to enhance its environmental performances, some activities show ambiguous or limited impact. The focus should shift from problem prevention to root cause elimination, and efforts should be made to expand activities and improve transparency

The evolving dynamics of the marketplace, coupled with concerns regarding the finite capacity to meet increasing demands, have led to the emergence of new phenomena and practices. These developments, while heralding significant changes in the perception and selection of products and services, also elicit substantial concerns. Greenwashing is defined as the strategic practice by which corporations create a misleading impression of their environmental initiatives. This paper examines the theoretical foundations and multifaceted nature of greenwashing, identifying key deceptive strategies such as hidden trade-offs, lack of verifiable evidence, vagueness, irrelevance, and false labels. It explores the motivations behind greenwashing, which often stem from the pressure to appear environmentally responsible without incurring the costs associated with genuine sustainability. The analysis underscores the broader implications of greenwashing, including its impact on consumer trust, corporate governance, and environmental policy. Additionally, the paper addresses the emerging issue of "machinewashing," wherein companies make exaggerated claims about the ethical aspects of their AI technologies. Furthermore, the concept of environmental vices is explored, illustrating how greenwashing perpetuates unethical behaviors and undermines authentic sustainability efforts. To address these practices, the study advocates for a comprehensive approach that includes stricter regulations, increased transparency, and greater engagement from civil society. By promoting genuine sustainability and holding corporations accountable, it is possible to restore consumer trust and support authentic environmental initiatives, thereby fostering a more sustainable and ethical commerce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jurnal Hubungan Internasional is the property of Universitas Airlangga and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the current market, we find many ecolabels that are used to identify organic products. When the consumer is faced with an ecolabel, they do not always receive the appropriate message, since the information in these can be part of what experts call greenwashing. In this research, the perceptions of the average consumer are analysed through a survey designed to assess knowledge of ecolabels and their impact on consumption habits. The survey is aimed at a young audience aged between 20 - 25 years. In addition, the differences between students of the Degree in Environmental Sciences who have not yet received specific training in this regard, and the general public are analysed. The results show that most surveyed do not know the terms "ecolabel" and "greenwashing". In addition, they do not find them completely reliable or visible, with an average of around 3 out of 5, but they do consider that it is more sustainable to buy products with ecolabelling. The most resonant ecolabels among the surveyed are also the most reliable among them, although when compared with other studies, the results do not coincide. An international group is also analysed, where it is found that labels that work very well in some regions, do not work in the same way in others. Thus, in order to solve the problems encountered, a standardized and easy-to-understand label is proposed, of the traffic light type, which would be based on the carbon footprint model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Online Journal of Art & Design is the property of Online Journal of Art & Design and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The European Union aims to be climate-neutral by 2050 -- an economy with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. To fulfill this sustainability transition, businesses are increasingly committing to ambitious sustainability pledges and releasing sustainability plans to reach the targets in the next 20 to 30 years. Committing to these ambitious goals is one thing, but accomplishing them is another matter entirely. In this article, we map long-term goals and define the main problems with the setting, motivation, and tools to achieve net zero without any form of greenwashing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of GeSec: Revista de Gestao e Secretariado is the property of Sindicato das Secretarias e Secretarios do Estado de Sao Paulo (SINSESP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Definition: The concept of nature positive has recently emerged from the widespread recognition of the global scale at which nature is being lost and the threat this poses to the collective survival of the human race. Much of the interest in nature positive reflects the initial commitment to it by conservation organisations and by a number of international political initiatives. However, the pursuit of nature positive approaches by businesses has received little attention in the business and management literature. Building upon an analysis of secondary sources, this entry paper first examines how three international organisations suggest a nature positive strategy could be pursued. This paper then focuses on two multinational companies and how they plan to pursue a nature positive approach to their business activities. This article identifies a number of critical factors in developing a nature positive strategy: incorporating suppliers in this strategy, assessing corporate dependencies and impacts on nature, and reporting on nature positive initiatives and outcomes. At the same time, this article raises concerns that nature positive approaches could be driven more by business imperatives rather than fundamental corporate concerns about biodiversity and that many business commitments to nature positive could be seen as mainly aspirational. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos.info is the property of Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Facultad de Comunicaciones and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

As the climate change crisis has become more evident, a growing number of businesses and organizations have gotten involved in sustainability efforts. But not all corporate sustainability efforts are applauded: sometimes the public accuses companies of greenwashing, i.e., overstating the extent to which the company is environmentally friendly. There is little research on the factors that influence perceived greenwashing amongst the public. Here, we report a replication and extension of one of the few studies of this topic, Experiment 2 in de Vries et al. (2015, https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1327). The original study found that people perceived more greenwashing when an oil company communicated an environmental motive for a sustainability investment (carbon capture and storage), as opposed to a profit motive, d = 0.98 [0.37, 1.59]. The present pre-registered replication (n = 516) did not find support for this effect, with very little difference in perceived greenwashing depending on communicated motive, d = -0.09 [-0.38, 0.21]. As extensions, we included a condition where a mixed motive (both environment and profits) was communicated, tested the effect using a different type of company than the original, included a measure of general attitudes to the company in addition to perceived greenwashing, and included measures of individual differences in attitudes towards corporate social responsibility and belief in climate change. The most noteworthy exploratory finding was that attitudes were more positive when an environmental or a mixed motive was communicated rather than a profit motive.

The time for half-hearted green actions is over. Climate change is accelerating, nature is suffering, and sooner or later, we will too. Sustainability is not a trend that can be ignored. Some companies respond with token measures, keyword: greenwashing, and this may be good for their image in the short term, but in the long run, it will harm us all, especially the greenwashing companies, when they are embarrassingly exposed by their own customers. We can no longer look away and pretend that everything is fine. It's time for all of us to wake up, take real responsibility, and make meaningful changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Woody biomass energy has exponentially grown in the last decade as a renewable energy alternative to fossil fuels. The growing trend of burning trees amid global climate crisis suggests that the wood pellet industry has been grossly successful in positioning itself as a sustainability leader. What communicative frames and strategies has the industry harnessed to communicate sustainability? What do the frames and strategies leave out? To explore those questions, this paper examines the woody biomass industry's construction of sustainability by focusing on the case of the world's largest wood pellet company, Enviva. Following ecolinguistics and framing theory, the first part of the paper examines the company's website and social media presence to unpack the frames that Enviva engages to communicate its sustainability. Then, the paper turns to the spheres of life that the company omits from its framing but are crucial to the conceptualization of sustainability from an ecojustice perspective. The paper concludes with a call for ecojustice as the framework for evaluating sustainability of life on land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Greenwashing in sustainable finance involves misleading portrayals of investment products as environmentally friendly. This study explores the prevalence of greenwashing, its forms, impacts, and potential remedies. It underscores the need to align investor values with genuine environmental sustainability, emphasizing the pitfalls of greenwashing in sustainable finance. Methods: The study employs a scoping review methodology guided by the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) framework. It involves systematically searching, selecting, and synthesizing evidence from various databases and sources to map critical concepts, types of evidence, and research gaps in greenwashing within sustainable finance. Results: The study reveals diverse greenwashing strategies across industries, including ambiguous language, irrelevant claims, and opacity. It highlights greenwashing's severe consequences on corporate reputation, financial performance, and stakeholder trust. The effectiveness of regulatory bodies, Non-Governmental Organizations, and certifications in curbing greenwashing is discussed, though their effectiveness is debatable. The research also examines greenwashing's impact on investor behavior and decision-making. Discussion: This research contributes to understanding greenwashing in sustainable finance, emphasizing vigilance, transparency, and accountability. It calls for more stringent regulations, international cooperation, and public awareness to combat greenwashing effectively. The study also suggests that businesses should adopt genuine and transparent environmental practices to avoid the risks of greenwashing, including legal repercussions. For future research, the study proposes a deeper exploration of the mechanisms enabling greenwashing and the effectiveness of different regulatory strategies and measures to combat it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While sustainability topics are gaining prominence in the communication strategies of fast-fashion brands, consumers remain sceptical and suspicious of the ambiguous and often misleading sustainable brand content. The purpose of this study is to analyse the perception of greenwashing in fast-fashion brands' sustainable communication and to identify its link to consumers' sustainable behaviour and attitudes. An analysis was conducted on five fast-fashion leading brands, based on a non-experimental cross-sectional analytical design and using an online survey. Research results show that consumers perceive greenwashing in the communication of all fast-fashion brands. Furthermore, the perception of greenwashing is higher when it is associated with the search for information on sustainable fashion, as well as the purchase of sustainable fashion. The study also concludes that the perception of greenwashing increases when fast fashion brands carry out advertising campaigns or disseminate their sustainability content through influencers or on their websites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficiently communicating sustainability initiatives is critical to generating positive attitudes and pro-environmental behavior in hotel consumers. However, research on the combined effect of various message factors to improve environmental message persuasiveness is scant. To fill this gap, two studies were conducted with a sample of onsite and online hotel guests to offer new insights into the combined effect of language design elements that identify connectives and prepositional phrases with message content as essential grounding components of persuasion. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of restriction-based language design on booking intention through nuanced mechanisms involving perceived environmental performance, perceived greenwashing, and environmental concern. This study contributes to the growing literature on sustainability marketing by examining the design and integration of linguistic tools that hospitality managers can use in their sustainability communication campaigns. Additional practical and theoretical implications are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]