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Companies increasingly employ environmental compensation claims in their advertisements. This practice, however, has been criticized as being a form of greenwashing. In two studies, we examined associations between the exposure to abstract and concrete compensation claims, consumers' perceived greenwashing, environmental boycotting and buycotting intentions, and brand evaluation as well as purchase intentions. Further, we investigated the moderating role of consumers' environmental knowledge. In Study 1, findings from a two-wave panel survey (NW2 = 511) indicated that exposure to abstract compensation claims was positively related to perceived greenwashing, whereas exposure to concrete compensation claims was not. Environmental knowledge did not influence perceptions of greenwashing in either claim. Using experimental data, Study 2 (N = 423) showed that concrete compensation claims can also lead to perceived greenwashing but to a lesser extent than abstract ones. Furthermore, environmental knowledge helped consumers detect greenwashing in both claims. In both studies, perceived greenwashing positively predicted consumers' intention to join environmental boycotts but not buycotts. In addition, Study 2 showed that perceived greenwashing was negatively associated with purchase intentions. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine whether and how managerial attention to environmental protection (MAEP) affects firms' green innovation. Using a sample of Chinese public firms in heavily polluting industries, we find a positive association between MAEP and green innovation. We further find that firms have better green innovation performance when managerial attention is directed towards specific environmental issues rather than broad ones. In mechanism analyses, we find evidence that MAEP promotes green innovation by making more environmental investments and by cultivating environmental awareness within firms. Moreover, MAEP's impact on green innovation is more pronounced when firms have few financial constraints or high-quality internal information environments. Finally, we demonstrate that MAEP promotes firms' high-quality green innovation, that MAEP-induced green innovation can lead firms to lower pollutant discharges in future, and that MAEP's effect on green innovation exists in firms with fewer greenwashing incentives, thus ruling out the greenwashing explanation. Overall, our findings document that increasing managerial attention to environmental protection is vital for non-green firms to initiate successful green practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since its launch in January 2021, Ki Culture's Waste and Materials Ki Book has been downloaded over 5,000 times by practitioners of cultural heritage worldwide, establishing the online sustainability manual as one of the leading guides for mitigating the environmental burden of materials we encounter in conserving cultural heritage. The sustainability manual initially focused on finding alternatives to reduce waste and lessen the environmental impact of the plastic materials we encounter in collections care and transport. This led to exploring emerging alternative materials such as bioplastics as potential replacements for petroleum-derived plastics. Terms such as 'biodegradable', 'compostable', 'green', 'environmentally friendly', and 'sustainable' are commonly used in the marketing strategies for bioplastics and biobased materials. However, the question arises: are these alternatives better options for the environment and cultural heritage than their plastic counterparts? Some of the materials highlighted in the Waste and Materials Ki Book showed evidence of greenwashing. What constitutes a sustainable material, and how do we identify and trust the 'green' alternatives available? By honing our criteria for environmentally responsible materials and examining the terminology associated with bioplastics, we can identify greenwashing. This paper critically evaluates so-called green alternatives in conservation, with a focus on greenwashing associated with polylactic acid (PLA). Emphasizing the need for informed decision-making, the study directly reflects the ongoing revision of the Waste and Materials Ki Book. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is increasing concern regarding the influence corporations have over the global food system. The extent of this power is so great that it is described as a defining feature of the current global food regime. In this paper, I explore the case study of regenerative agriculture, a growing transnational sustainable agriculture movement which has received increasing interest from corporate actors. Existing literature has highlighted the risks of corporate co-optation in regenerative agriculture but has failed to explore these patterns in any great depth. To address this gap, I analyse 21 multi-national corporations with regenerative agriculture programs and policies. Combining food regime theory with a three faces of power framework, I document the nature of corporate involvement in regenerative agriculture and how it reflects a broader attempt by agri-food corporations to legitimize their power in the global food system via the corporate environmental food regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The registration-based initial public offering (IPO) system is a pivotal initiative in China's comprehensive capital market reform, but little is known about its effectiveness. Our study aims to explore the impact of the registration-based IPO reform on enterprises' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) greenwashing behaviors. Drawing on data from 2,490 enterprises listed on the Chinese growth enterprise market and the main board of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange during 2012-2022, we find that the registration-based IPO reform significantly aggravates ESG greenwashing with an effect of 0.1696. Building upon this evidence, we explore the underlying mechanism. Peer competition and retail investor sentiment play a partial mediating role and become two channels through which the registration-based IPO reform may aggravate enterprises' ESG greenwashing. Analysts' attention can alleviate the impact of registration-based IPO reform on enterprises' ESG greenwashing while management myopia intensifies it, and they both play a moderating role. Moreover, the aggravating effect of the registration-based IPO reform on ESG greenwashing is more pronounced in enterprises belonging to heavily polluting industries, in the Western region, and with low information transparency. Thus, our findings offer new insights into enterprises' ESG greenwashing behaviors in the context of the registration-based IPO reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilizes data from Chinese A-share listed companies from 2014 to 2022 to theoretically analyze and empirically test the governance effect of ESG assurance on corporate greenwashing behavior, as well as the role played by the legal environment and management shareholding in this context. The impacts of ownership and the governance mechanism of ESG assurance on corporate greenwashing behavior are also explored. This study employs text mining, OLS, PSM, IV-LIML, treatment effect models, feasible generalized least squares, placebo tests, bootstrap methods, etc., to conduct empirical analysis and conclude the following results: ESG assurance has a significant inhibitory effect on corporate greenwashing behavior, playing a crucial role in resource allocation, particularly in non-state-owned enterprises. The legal environment has a certain substitution effect on ESG assurance in inhibiting corporate greenwashing behavior, meaning that when the legal environment is weak, ESG assurance is more effective in curbing such behavior. Management shareholding also has a certain substitution effect on ESG assurance in inhibiting corporate greenwashing behavior, indicating that when management shareholding is low, ESG assurance is better at curbing such behavior. Further research reveals that corporate ESG performance plays a mediating role between ESG assurance and corporate greenwashing governance. This article provides policy references and empirical evidence for strengthening ESG assurance and enhancing corporate ESG performance and greenwashing governance to promote high-quality corporate development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital technology has the function of information governance, and digital transformation of enterprises may be the key way to identify and restrain ESG greenwashing. Based on the theory of digital empowerment, this study analyzes the influence and mechanism of digital transformation on restraining corporate green washing behavior from the perspective of internal and external factors. This study takes A-share listed companies in 2012–2022 as research samples and tests the effectiveness of digital transformation. Research has found that (1) digital transformation can significantly suppress corporate greenwashing behavior, and this conclusion still holds after a series of endogeneity and robustness tests. (2) In the context of high environmental awareness among executives, the inhibitory effect of digital transformation on corporate ESG greenwashing is more pronounced. (3) Mechanism analysis shows that digital transformation has inhibited the company's greenwashing behavior by increasing the attention of investors. (4) Heterogeneity analysis shows that in state-owned enterprises, non-heavily polluting industries, high-tech industries, and enterprises located in the eastern region digital transformation has a more effective inhibitory effect on corporate greenwashing behavior. This study examines the impact of digital transformation on corporate ESG greenwashing, expands the research on the non-economic effects of digital transformation, and may provide empirical evidence for improving the quality of ESG information disclosure and sustainable development of enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between climate policy uncertainty and corporate greenwashing behavior using data from Chinese A‐share listed companies from 2009 to 2021. The results indicate that the increasing climate policy uncertainty significantly and robustly strengthens corporate greenwashing behavior, particularly among firms located in regions with weaker environmental regulations, within high‐polluting industries and with shorter‐term management perspectives. Additionally, the development and widespread adoption of digital technologies, along with enhanced external regulatory pressures, can inversely moderate the positive relationship between climate policy uncertainty and corporate greenwashing. In summary, this study contributes to our understanding of corporate behavior under climate risks and provides insights for achieving social sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

John Pabon is chair of The Conference Board's Asia Sustainability Leaders Council, on the board of advisors to the US Green Chamber of Commerce, and author of The Great Greenwashing: How Brands, Governments, and Influencers Are Lying to You. In this article, he discusses the concept of "greenwashing" and the ways boards can protect their organizations against it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal 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.)

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal 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 focuses on the Green Claims Directive (GCD) and its role in shaping the legal framework for advertising environmental claims. Topics include the integration of the GCD with the UCP Amending Directive 2024/825, the need for clearer substantiation and verification of green claims, and recent amendments made by the European Union Parliament and Council.

This paper explores the emergence of sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs) as an innovative instrument to finance sustainability objectives. SLBs are any type of bond instrument for which the financial characteristics vary depending on whether the issuer achieves predefined sustainability objectives. SLBs were launched in 2019, represent 7% of labeled bonds, and now exceed USD 250 billion. In the context of the growth of sustainable finance and concerns of greenwashing, this paper asks whether SLBs are an effective mechanism to attract sustainable finance. Drawing on a complete revision of the literature and interviews with practitioners, the findings highlight the potential of SLBs to contribute to sustainability financing, especially in hard-to-abate sectors. Recommendations include defining standardized KPIs based on a materiality assessment, requesting SPTs to be supported by science, and tailored step-up mechanisms. The academic literature and experts converge in their description of greenwashing risks posed by SLBs, their signaling effect, and the lack of sophistication in SLB pricing, in particular the optionality represented by step-ups. The literature differs from the practitioners' perception on the existence of an issuance premium. Enhancing the design of SLBs represents an opportunity to add rigor to sustainable finance and better price externalities, where material topics have an explicit impact on the cost of funding. [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.)

Corporate greenwashing has become a focal point in the academic realm. However, there has been limited research exploring the factors influencing corporate greenwashing, particularly from the perspective of pollution emissions. This study uses data from listed companies from 2011 to 2021 and employs a two‐way fixed‐effects model to unveil the correlation and mechanisms between carbon emissions and corporate greenwashing. Additionally, it examines the restraining effects of internal and external pressures on this relationship. The research reveals a significant positive correlation between corporate carbon emissions and greenwashing. Second, internal controls, audit regulations and regulatory regulations reversed this positive relationship. Third, the study finds that reducing risk tolerance and increasing employee compensation are pathways through which carbon emissions promote corporate engagement in greenwashing. Finally, this study indicates that the spillover effects of carbon emissions prompt other companies in the same city to engage in greenwashing. In conclusion, this study provides rich empirical evidence for the greenwashing literature and offers novel theoretical insights into promoting substantive green practices and carbon neutrality, particularly in developing countries such as China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Filosofija, Sociologija is the property of Lithuanian Academy of Sciences Publishers 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.)

Tree decline is described as the loss in tree vigor and increased mortality initiated by climate change events, and also involves pathogens and pests. Stem bleeding and bark canker of oak (Quercus castaneifolia) were observed in Mazandaran and Golestan forests during summer 2020–2021. Symptoms included cracks in the outer bark, stem tissue necrosis, bleeding, dark exudate and dark brown lesions in the inner bark. Eighty-nine strains with a metallic green sheen pigment were isolated on eosin methylene blue agar. The pathogenicity of all strains recovered in this study was assessed on oak seedlings and acorns. Forty-four strains produced rotting on oak acorns 2 weeks after inoculation. Inoculation of six representative strains on oak seedlings resulted in twig dieback of the plants after 4 weeks. Strains were negative for Gram reaction, oxidase and levan formation from sucrose. The gyrB and infB gene sequence similarity values of strains were 98.87–99.57% with the type strain of Gibbsiella quercinecans, 98.66–98.86% with the type strain of Gibbsiella greigii and 99.46–99.64% with the type strain of Dryocola boscaweniae. In the phylogenetic tree based on concatenated sequences of gyrB and infB genes or each gene individually, the strains were divided into three clusters containing the type strains of G. quercinecans, G. greigii and D. boscaweniae, each with high bootstrap support and confirming their identity as belonging to these three species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of oak bacterial canker caused by D. boscaweniae, G. greigii and G. quercinecans in Iran and the first report of D. boscaweniae associated with oak decline symptoms. [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.)

The rise of sustainable investing in fixed-income markets has led to a variety of special types of bonds. In addition to green bonds that are predominantly used to provide capital for the energy transition, social, sustainability, and sustainability-linked bonds have also appeared recently in financial markets. We explain the differences between each of these bond types, the developments, and the composition of the markets. Because yield differences between sustainable and conventional bonds are small and correlations high, the risk and return profile of the portfolio is unlikely to change much when certain conventional bonds are replaced with sustainable bonds with similar characteristics, whereas portfolio sustainability may improve. The lack of clear rules and standardization for these new bond types risks leading to greenwashing by bond issuers. Consequently, investors aiming to avoid greenwashed portfolios are required to set up their own sustainability frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal 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.)

Greenwashing is more virulent than ever. A profusion of environmental, social, and governance and net zero commitments are becoming fraught with questionable and misleading claims. At the same time, we are no closer to solving the pressing environmental and social issues of our time. In this review, we seek to examine this shift and summarize changes in greenwash research into three key phases: (a) 1.0 Static Communication; (b) 2.0 Dynamic Management; and (c) 3.0 Narratives about the Future. We analyze current key areas of developing literature and point to numerous open questions for future research. Next, we go beyond much of the published work to examine emerging tactics and lay out a forward-looking agenda for future research. We also propose a model of Corporate Miscommunication, integrating various streams in greenwash research. In doing so, we seek to lay a pathway for greenwashing researchers to finally find that elusive "end" to greenwashing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nachhaltigkeitsrecht is the property of Verlag Oesterreich GmbH 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.)

Purpose: Two closely related research objectives have been constructed, aimed at exploring scientific studies dealing simultaneously with the issues of greenwashing and the green economy. The first objective is to identify the most frequently undertaken research areas in the indicated area. While the second objective of the study is to identify the green research areas highlighted by researchers through the author's keywords. Design/methodology/approach: The study used two research methods (systematic literature review and classical literature review). The bibliometric queries created allowed the exploration of two databases (Scopus and Web of Science). The result of the exploration carried out in the research procedure was the selection for analysis of 37 scientific papers that simultaneously dealt with the issues of greenwashing and the green economy. Findings: The analyses carried out showed that the issue addressed is a relatively new research area, and thus further development of research in this area can be expected in the future. Conclusions of the analysis lead to the conclusion that greenwashing is a very unfavorable phenomenon that contributes to the problem of correct verification of the scale of greening the economy. Hence the need to expose this type of practice. Research limitations/implications: Conducting research based on other databases can lead to different results in terms of the green research areas identified. This issue is because the various bibliometric databases do not overlap. The indicated aspect is shown in the article by presenting the issue of Scopus and Web of Science databases. In the study, however, universal bibliometric queries were used. They can be applied to various bibliometric databases after their proper syntactic adjustment. The queries used (Q1 and Q2) can be reused in the future for comparative purposes of changes over time. Originality/value: Promising future research directions around greenwashing and the green economy were identified. Such areas could be, especially, the question of the impact of greenwashing practices on the creation of quality green jobs, or the issue of the green skills gap. The article is aimed primarily at researchers addressing the issues of greenwashing and the green economy in their deliberations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

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]

Using a sample of 21,628 firm-year observations from the Chinese stock market during the period of 2008–2017, this study finds that the divorce–marriage ratio, the proxy for marital demography, is significantly positively associated with corporate greenwashing. This finding suggests that higher divorce–marriage ratio is associated with stronger individualistic social atmosphere, lower conformity to social norms, and more unfavorable attitude towards environmental conservation, abets firms to talk the talk rather than walk the walk, and foments corporate greenwashing. Moreover, China's Environmental Protection Law attenuates above positive relation. Lastly, our conclusions are robust to sensitivity tests using the divorce rate, alternative proxies for greenwashing, and individual-level divorce data, and further our findings are also valid after addressing the endogeneity issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the intricate correlation between environmental, social, and governance (ESG) information and the financial performance of companies, with a focus on the fundamental nature of ESG and its influence on the choices made by investors. This study examines available literature and data analysis to uncover how disclosing ESG information impacts investment optimization. Additionally, it clarifies the relationship between greenwashing and the advancement of green financial products. The study employs the XGBoost ensemble learning method, using non-financial features of ESG combined with financial features to construct a prediction model, achieving a prediction accuracy rate of 71.26%. Furthermore, applying this model aims to further utilize it in stock selection and constructing a stock pool. By analyzing the financial performance of companies predicted by the model, we will select potential high-performance stocks to build an investment portfolio. Then, we use the Markowitz portfolio theory to optimize the weight combination of stocks in the pool to maximize expected returns and minimize risk. After backtesting the investment portfolio using the closing prices in 2021, its annualized return was a positive 5.76%, significantly higher than the benchmark portfolio. Additionally, this study provides theoretical references and practical guidance for insight and addressing the potential large-scale greenwashing behavior under the trend of increasing ESG information disclosure in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines mechanisms and effects of greenwashing on corporate reputation and credibility. We define greenwashing as the perception of a discrepancy between what an organization claims to do in terms of protecting the environment and what the organization actually does in this respect. In two experiments, we vary a company's promises of green engagement. Afterward, participants are confronted with the company's actual green engagement. The studies show that if a company claims to be green, its reputation and credibility are assessed more positively. However, the experiments also demonstrate that false green promises backfire: If the green promises are not kept, participants assess the company's reputation and credibility more negatively as opposed to a group that evaluates a company without any false promises. Furthermore, both experiments provide insight into the underlying mechanisms responsible for these effects: Participants' expectations are violated which leads to a perception of greenwashing and, in turn, worsens the perception of the company's reputation and credibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental disclosure is a crucial method for companies to demonstrate their environmental efforts. However, in some institutional contexts, companies may be inclined to "greenwash" their environmental disclosures, strategically seeking social rewards. Anchored on impression management theory, this study delves into the relationship between environmental disclosure and corporate value. The research substantiates the premium effect of environmental information while shedding light on the adverse impact of "environmental disclosure greenwashing" (EDG) on corporate value. Moreover, EDG leads to a further devaluation in the premium effect of environmental information. A more profound analysis reveals that the market trust acts as the mediating mechanism in the premium devaluation effect caused by EDG. Notably, when information user capability and media attention are scrutinized as distinct groups, the impact of EDG displays pronounced heterogeneity. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for verifying the authenticity of corporate environmental disclosures. Additionally, they offer valuable policy insights for rectifying EDG practices and enhancing environmental disclosure mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyrcanian forests comprise a long strip along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea in northern Iran. Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis) is one of the most valuable forest tree species in the Hyrcanian forests. Bark necrosis and bleeding spots of oriental beech were observed in Savadkuh forests in Mazandaran province during summer 2021. Ten samples were collected from symptomatic oriental beech trees. The bark canker symptoms included stem tissue necrosis, dark brown to black spots on the trunk, bleeding with dark exudates and dark lesions in the inner bark. Twenty‐six strains of culturable bacteria were isolated from the samples which in culture were predominantly round, convex, smooth with entire margins on nutrient agar and a metallic green sheen pigment on eosin‐methylene blue (EMB) agar. Fourteen strains induced necrosis and browning of the tissues around the inoculation sites on acorns after 2 weeks. Five representative strains also caused dieback in twigs of oriental beech 3 weeks after inoculation. These bacteria were Gram‐negative, catalase positive and oxidase negative. All strains produced colonies with a green metallic sheen on EMB agar. Strains were negative in tests for starch and gelatine hydrolysis or production of levan. A phylogenetic tree based on concatenated sequences of gyrB and infB genes, of representative strains well as in each of the single gene‐based phylogenetic trees, indicated that these strains clustered with Brenneria alni NCPPB 3934T with high bootstrap values. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of B. alni associated with bark necrosis and bleeding spots on oriental beech. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Environmental, Social, and Governance ("ESG") disclosure movement is expanding both voluntarily, as businesses choose to disclose this information, and mandatorily, as government agencies impose disclosure requirements. As ESG disclosure expands, so do the litigation risks. "Greenwashing" refers to presenting false or misleading environmental or sustainability (i.e., "green") qualities of products, services, or practices. Businesses may greenwash consumers as well as investors with false and misleading ESG disclosures in advertising, securities filings, or other public statements activating greenwashing litigation from investors and consumers. This Article addresses (1) the laws and regulations that cover consumer and securities greenwashing litigation, (2) how these forms of greenwashing litigation are evolving, and (3) the synergistic relationships that do, and should, exist between these forms of litigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complex relationships between humans and AI-empowered machines have created and inspired new products and services as well as controversial debates, fiction and entertainment, and last but not least, a striving and vital field of research. The (theoretical) convergence between the two categories of entities has created stimulating concepts and theories in the past, such as the uncanny valley, machinization of humans through datafication, or humanization of machines, known as anthropomorphization. In this article, we identify a new gap in the relational interaction between humans and AI triggered by commercial interests, making use of AI through advertisement, marketing, and corporate communications. Our scope is to broaden the field of AI and society by adding the business-society-nexus. Thus, we build on existing research streams of machinewashing and the analogous phenomenon of greenwashing to theorize about the humanwashing of AI-enabled machines as a specific anthropomorphization notion. In this way, the article offers a contribution to the anthropomorphization literature conceptualizing humanwashing as a deceptive use of AI-enabled machines (AIEMs) aimed at intentionally or unintentionally misleading organizational stakeholders and the broader public about the true capabilities that AIEMs possess. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of GWP: Gesellschaft Wirtschaft Politik is the property of Verlag Barbara Budrich GmbH 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.)

Copyright of Tourism & Management Studies is the property of Escola Superior de Gestao, Hotelaria e Turismo, Universidade do Algarve 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.)

Global nations strategically aim to embrace net-zero transformations that warrant active involvement from tourists to drive radical change (i.e. readiness for net-zero tourism) at host destinations. The present study aimed to clarify tourists' intentional readiness for net-zero tourism by using the costly-signaling theory and the knowledge-attitude-behavior model. The findings based on a representative sample (N = 430) of tourists in Turkiye demonstrated that subjective environmental knowledge and eco-literacy significantly boost intentional readiness for net-zero tourism. This effect intensifies when net-zero practices are perceived as conspicuous. Interestingly, greenwashing perception negatively moderated the influence of subjective environmental knowledge on intentional readiness for net-zero tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Businesses are utilizing greenwashing to beat their rivals along with the growth of green markets. The goal of the current study was to investigate the practice of "greenwashing" and explain how it affects consumers' intentions to purchase environmentally friendly products. The statistical population of this study includes people who bought environmentally friendly food goods in Iran. Due to the statistical population's infinity, Cochran's relationship was used to obtain a sample size of 384, and ultimately 276 valid questionnaires were retrieved by accessible sampling. Then, the data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling method with the help of SmartPLS. The results demonstrated that greenwashing has a detrimental and considerable impact on Iranian consumers' green purchase intention for environmentally friendly food products. Additionally, the association between greenwashing and intention to make a green purchase was validated, with green word-of-mouth and green skepticism serving as mediators. Because greenwashing behavior has not been taken into account in domestic studies in Iran, the findings of this study provide the first theoretical and practical consequences for managers in the food business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study explores the contagion of greenwashing strategies among ESG mutual funds. It investigates how the greenwashing behaviors of peer funds within the same family influence a fund's decision to engage in greenwashing. The research also examines the impact of greenwashing on genuine ESG funds and explores the mechanisms through which greenwashing strategies spread across ESG mutual funds. Design/methodology/approach: This paper employs a two-stage least squares regression model with cross-fund returns standard deviation as an instrumental variable to disentangle the peer effects of greenwashing from family-level characteristics. The analysis incorporates various fund characteristics and introduces four contagion channels through which greenwashing may influence genuine ESG funds. Findings: The study finds greenwashing behavior in ESG funds is positively influenced by similar practices within their fund family. Larger assets under management and older funds with higher management fees show resilience against greenwashing influences, while team-managed funds are more susceptible. Additionally, socially responsible investors struggle to distinguish between genuine and greenwashing ESG funds, which may contribute to the persistence of greenwashing practices. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the literature by delineating the mechanisms of greenwashing contagion within ESG mutual funds. It also examines the demand-side incentives for adopting greenwashing strategies, offering insights into the implications for fund flows and investor behavior. This study is among the first to analyze the contagion effects of greenwashing strategies across an extensive network of ESG funds, enriching our understanding of the broader impacts of greenwashing in the context of socially responsible investing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ESG greenwashing behaviors (GWBs) of firms have become a pressing issue globally nowadays. Combining partial least square‐structural equation model (PLS‐SEM) and FUZZY set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), this article explores the drivers of ESG greenwashing behaviors in China's new energy industry, which provides valuable insight into understanding GWBs. Results show that (1) GWBs present causal asymmetry, with internal factors dominating in high GWBs configurations, while external factors are more critical in low GWBs configurations. (2) There are offsetting or compensating interactions between the variables. (3) "Rationalization" dominates the level of GWBs when it is used as a core factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims at exploring and investigating whether disclosure of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on Twitter signals true CSR performance or merely is a greenwashing tool to conceal and compensate for inferior CSR performance. Based on a sample of 167,908 tweets posted by the constituents of the FTSE 350 Index, topic modelling—a natural language processing technique based on unsupervised learning—is utilized to identify CSR disclosure on social media. Our empirical evidence based on several regression models shows association between firms' CSR performance and disclosure, which supports the signalling story, and hence, casts doubt on the greenwashing behaviour among UK firms on social media. Our findings suggest several implications for researchers, shareholders, and practitioners as the relation between CSR disclosure on influential, widely reached platforms such as social media and CSR performance carries important indications about the credibility of the content of such disclosure, the extent to which it reflects actual CSR performance, and hence its usefulness for all stakeholders interested in CSR. The true motive behind CSR disclosures can greatly influence how stakeholders perceive such information and the extent to which they can rely on it for decision making purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate greenwashing in response to carbon neutrality strategies has received substantial academic attention. Distinct from previous studies, this paper establishes a differential game model incorporating both green and brown enterprise types. The model compares greenness and total profits under two government scenarios: subsidies for green enterprises and the regulation of brown enterprises. It further analyzes the mechanism behind brown enterprise greenwashing formation. The results show that subsidies alone encourage brown enterprises to engage in greenwashing. However, government regulation inhibits such behaviors, with the inhibition effect positively correlated to regulatory intensity. Consumers' green perception of enterprises also significantly drives brown enterprise greenwashing degrees. Higher green enterprise perception coefficients reduce greenwashing, while higher brown enterprise perception coefficients increase it. Differential game and simulation analyses reveal that greenwashing governance should consider both direct policy effects on brown enterprises and indirect subsidy effects on green enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this viewpoint, we introduce the term 'screenwashing', which describes the phenomenon whereby social media platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram, pretend to be more socially responsible than they actually are. That is, social media platforms pretend to be thoughtful about children's health and the prevention of problematic social media use, but this often turns out to be nothing more than "a lick of paint". We describe how features like the one-hour notification on TikTok and Instagram are considered screenwashing and why we believe so. Screenwashing, an unethical practice, has the potential to mislead parents and young users. Consequently, we advocate for increased government intervention to protect our youth from the potential hazards associated with problematic social media use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human influence on the environment and its protection are subjects of marketing communication, and numerous regulations were issued to control the "green" messages. The popularity of such practices makes it essential to compare the reactions to green marketing and greenwashing in two European societies and to check how "green" awareness of European consumers translates into behavior. The review of literature and decisions regulating green marketing is followed by a CAWI study of the French and Polish young consumers ecological attitudes, intentions, and behaviors. ANOVA and linear regression methods were used to analyze data. The French young consumers are more pro-environmentally focused than Poles and display more robust skepticism toward sustainable claims. The Poles, more than the French, focus on the products' primary functions. Both groups show higher levels of spontaneous awareness of greenwashing than average consumers in those two countries. Our hypotheses about relationships of ecological attitudes with purchase intentions and behavior were supported. Surprisingly, there was a negative relation between French nationality and environmental behaviors. There is a regional market segment of European consumers from Generation Z who react similarly to green marketing claims and reject the greenwashing actions. They are highly environmentally aware, but the relationships between their eco-attitudes and behaviors, albeit significant, are weak. The marketers aiming their activity at the young customer segment should not expect an immediate influence of ecological attitudes on behaviors. This market segment can instead become a powerful influencing group among their societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, in the United States, there are no national standards or guidelines to ensure that companies who claim to be sustainable or socially conscious are accurately reporting their business practices. To that end, in the spring of 2022, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposed rule amendments intended to increase the scope and standardize the reporting requirements and disclosures for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors for ESG-focused investment vehicles. This Comment explores the historical relevance of ESG, these proposed rules, and potential implications and impacts on environmentally efficient economics and corporate social sustainability and responsibility. The proposed rules are aimed at decreasing greenwashing litigation liability, increasing fund transparency for investors and investment efficiencies, internalizing externalities, and creating a widely understood and consistent standard with which all industries can comply. However, critics raise concerns about the impracticability of creating all-encompassing standards, the difficulties for industries to comply and properly report on ESG factors, and most pressing, whether the SEC has the statutory authority to promulgate and enforce these rules at all. This Comment explores the delicate balance between the arguably noble goals the SEC is working to achieve and the potential hardships these rules may impose on both public and private companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the urgency of the climate change crisis and the emerging greenwashing issue that companies face, greenwashing in companies' carbon reduction is exceptionally important in the progress of global carbon reduction and the achievement of the Paris Agreement goals. Therefore, this study focused on multinational corporations (MNCs) listed on the 2021 Fortune Global 500 list (2001–2020) and used institutional theory to theoretically discuss and empirically test the relationship between MNCs' environmental scores and carbon emissions/intensity, as well as the moderating effect of national culture. Our results demonstrate that the environmental scores of MNCs positively affect their carbon emissions and intensity, meaning that managers tend to use high scores to hide their poor carbon reduction, showing a typical "talk" more and "act" less (i.e., greenwashing) behavior. Meanwhile, the moderating effects of individualism, masculinity, and uncertainty avoidance were negative. These revealed that the balance of MNCs' "talk" and "act" can be influenced by the domestic national cultural characteristics. Further analysis showed that the Paris Agreement did not prevent MNCs' greenwashing in carbon reduction. Such greenwashing behavior has become even worse in societies with power distance characteristics after the Paris Agreement. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate companies' greenwashing in terms of carbon reduction. The goal is to enhance our understanding of why and how greenwashing occurs based on the institutional theory perspective, extend the application of institutional theory, enrich the literature on companies' greenwashing and national culture, and offer insight into interdisciplinary research between national culture and green transition management. Finally, suggestions for policymakers on how to prevent MNCs' greenwashing in carbon reduction, considering national cultural influence, were provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa is one of the most vulnerable continents to climate change. Climate and sustainability-linked bonds can provide funding to African governments and corporations for projects that help to mitigate climate change, combat biodiversity loss, and foster sustainable development. However, less than 0.3% of the global environmental, social, governance (ESG) bond issuance volume is devoted to projects in Africa. Based on the entire universe of 107 African ESG bonds from 42 governmental and corporate issuers over the period 2010–2023, this paper establishes that ESG bonds provide benefits to both issuers and investors in terms of lower spreads and volatility. Our econometric results highlight that greenwashing is a valid concern for investors in African ESG bonds and certification of ESG bonds makes a difference vis-à-vis the self-labeling of green bonds. Non-certified ESG bonds do not offer similar benefits compared to certified ones. Green macro-financial policy and suitable regulation to prevent greenwashing can foster African ESG-bond markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current business scenario, environmental issues play an important role in Business. Most of the country's governments are concerned about the environmental problems.in today's business, sustainable development has become a key issue. Thus, Greenwashing is one of the strategies a firm can adopt to achieve this. Greenwashing is the process of conveying a false impression or misleading information about how a company's products are environmentally sound. Greenwashing is an attempt to capitalize on the growing demand for environmentally sound products. The present paper tries to analyze the awareness of greenwashing and clean beauty greenwashing and analyze the influence of brand claims on the purchase of the product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the existence of greenwashing and sustainable development goal (SDG)-washing processes by comparing ex ante (SDG Compass) and ex post (SDG Compliance) indicators and investigating whether the limitations associated with these indicators encourage companies to engage in washing processes. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use a sample of 1,154 companies included in the S&P Sustainability Yearbook (formerly the RobecoSAM Yearbook). The authors test for the presence of greenwashing by comparing ex ante and ex post indicators for each SDG, whereas to test for SDG-washing, the authors compare the two ex ante and ex post approaches considering the full set of SDGs. Findings: The results show that there is no consistency between the two types of indicators to measure the level of SDG implementation in organisations. This lack of consistency may facilitate both greenwashing and SDG-washing processes, which is due to the design and limitations of these measurement tools. Practical implications: Companies may choose those indicators that paint their commitment to the SDGs in the best light, but they may also select indicators based on the SDGs they want to report on. These two options would combine greenwashing and SDG-washing. Social implications: The shift towards improved standards and regulations for measuring SDG achievement is the result of several social factors such as investor scrutiny, regulatory reform, consumer awareness and increased corporate accountability. Originality/value: Few previous studies have analysed in detail the interaction between greenwashing and SDG-washing. They focus on the use of ex ante or ex post indicators separately, with samples composed of local companies, and without considering the whole set of SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]