Is It? Or Isn't It? Green.

As consumers increasingly scrutinize business actions on climate change, they want to see transparent, more credible information on what companies are doing to reduce their environmental impact. Labeling a product or service with "eco awareness" just doesn't cut it. Research shows that 70% of consumers do not feel confident that they can clearly identify which companies are environmentally responsible. Six in ten consumers (59%) are skeptical about the environmental claims companies make, and 44% of consumers would like more information on what companies are actually doing to be environmentally responsible.

As a professional consultant in the role of building business sustainability, this information is viewed as an indicator of the impact of consumer perception on corporate reality. If consumers don't know about corporations' sustainability initiatives, those efforts will not be fully realized.

But, as I've blogged previously, Sustainability is Two Sides of the Same Coin. Just as much as businesses are responsible for communicating a clear and authentic message regarding their green products and services, consumers are becoming equally responsible by leveraging their financial dollar to support credible and sustainable businesses.

With the green landscape continually evolving and eco label guidelines lacking in universal application, how does both a business and a consumer evaluate and distinguish true sustainable business claims? A few stress tests of business sustainability claims might include:

Is the topic of the green message a significant environmental achievement?
Has the product/ business already achieved the results of the claim?
Are other activities in the business/ product/ service consistent with the sustainable business message?
What do stakeholders have to say about this product or company?
Is the green claim supported by a credible third party?
Is data available to back up the claim?
Is the message honest and not self-glorifying?

Our sustainability consulting focuses on the propagation of clear information and reporting on sustainable actions. We encourage business to recognize the value in providing transparency into the implementation of sustainability concepts into their core business functions as well as encouraging educating consumers in the green landscape.