What is greenwashing and how can we help your business avoid it?

July 23, 2025

In 2025, consumers and stakeholders demand transparency – plain and simple. This represents a growing trend towards authenticity and trustworthiness, and ‘spin’ is most definitely out. 

At Pitch, we’ve always adhered to the same stringent principles we did in our past lives as journalists, but the same can’t be said for many of Australia’s more ‘general’ copywriting and marketing agencies.  

In the age of social media misinformation, deep-fake AI videos, even politicians declaring that major news outlets can’t be trusted, consumers are increasingly skeptical…and for good reason. 

Authentic, trustworthy and transparent copywriting is a must. In fact, it isn’t just your customers demanding the truth – Australian Consumer Law requires it, too. 

What has this got to do with greenwashing?

At the forefront of this misinformation crackdown is a hardline stance from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), prohibiting what it calls ‘greenwashing’.  

As society becomes more environmentally aware, consumers are looking to purchase ‘greener’ options. This could mean opting for biodegradable bin bags, paper straws or buying a car that claims reduced emissions.  

This rise in eco-consciousness has brought with it a deceptive marketing practice that positions products, services and even companies as environmentally friendly in a bid to capitalise on consumers that want to buy green.  

You’ve probably heard the term thrown around, but let’s take a deep dive into exactly how you might be (accidentally) greenwashing, what legal requirements you have as a business, and how we can help take the guesswork out of your communications strategy.  

The lowdown on greenwashing

While somewhat of a buzzword, greenwashing broadly constitutes misleading or unsubstantiated claims about the environmental benefits of a product, service, or business. Greenwashing is also a critical consideration for businesses reporting on their ESG results. 

At its core greenwashing creates an exaggerated or false impression of environmental friendliness, which not only deceives consumers but undermines genuine efforts by companies doing the right thing.  

This can range from outright lies to subtle deception, vagueness, or selectively focusing on minor positive attributes while ignoring significant negative ones – the latter being a common, but unethical, approach to marketing.  

One common form of greenwashing that we encounter all too often is the use of vague language, employing terms like ‘eco-friendly’, ‘sustainable’, or ‘natural’ without providing clear definitions or supporting evidence. Another is highlighting a true attribute while overlooking a more significant issue – for instance, claiming a product is BPA-free when it instead contains a harmful alternative like BPS or BPF. 

The danger of greenwashing is that it erodes trust. When consumers feel deceived, it damages not only the reputation of the offending business but also undermines legitimate sustainability efforts across the market. 

If you’re reading this, the good news is that it’s completely avoidable – especially if you think your business might have accidentally partaken in greenwashing. It all starts with accurate, transparent copywriting, but we’ll get to that! 

Your legal requirements in Australia

In Australia, greenwashing falls under the purview of consumer protection law, primarily the Australian Consumer Law (ACL). The ACL strictly prohibits misleading or deceptive conduct in trade or commerce, and this is enforced by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). 

The ACCC has been increasingly active in scrutinising environmental claims in recent years, and their guidance makes it clear that businesses must be able to substantiate any and all environmental claims they make.  

Firstly, claims must be accurate, truthful and not misleading in any way. Secondly, businesses must have a reasonable basis for making environmental claims and be prepared to provide concrete evidence to support them. 

Clarity is also essential, meaning claims should be clear, specific, and easily understood by consumers, avoiding vague or broad terms that can confuse or mislead. Many businesses don’t realise they’re being vague and, in our experience, this is often the result of inexperienced copywriters or the use of AI.  

Relevance is another critical principle, and all claims should be specific to the product or service being promoted, rather than acting as a distraction from any environmental impacts that may be associated with the business, service or product.  

Aspirational claims are also a point of concern, which is when a business makes a claim that is not yet possible or achievable. For example, suggesting that a product is ‘100 percent recyclable’ when the facility to recycle the material is not yet available.  

Lastly, and arguably most important of all, transparency is a must. Businesses should be open and honest about the limitations of their environmental claims, providing a complete picture rather than simply highlighting positives. It really comes down to ‘calling a spade a spade’ and being upfront with your customers and stakeholders.  

Breaching the ACL can result in significant penalties for businesses, including substantial fines, injunctions to cease misleading conduct, and orders for corrective advertising. The reputational damage incurred, however, can often be far more costly.  

Are you accidentally greenwashing?

Highlighting your sustainability initiatives and achievements is not just good practice, it’s often a commercial requirement for a business. On the flip side, if your product offers genuine environmental benefits, which can be substantiated, you have every right to shout it from the rooftops. 

For Australian businesses, understanding what constitutes greenwashing, the legal implications, and how easily you can accidentally partake is critical. This is where the expertise of a specialised communications partner like Pitch comes in.  

Even with the best of intentions, it’s surprisingly easy for businesses to inadvertently greenwash – and we see it all the time. 

Quite often enthusiasm outstrips accuracy, and excitement about a new environmental initiative, achievement or claim leads to businesses ‘jumping the gun’. A lack of understanding can also contribute, particularly when marketing teams or communications professionals don’t fully grasp the nuances of environmental science, supply chains, or the impact of their claims. 

For example, a company might proudly state that their packaging is recyclable, which might be true in a laboratory, failing to mention that the specific type of plastic used is not accepted in kerbside recycling programs available in Australia. While this might seem like an innocent mistake, it’s misleading and easily avoidable.  

Another increasingly common case of greenwashing involves making future-dated claims, such as promising to be ‘net-zero by 2030’, without providing a publicly accessible plan outlining the steps and strategies that will be taken to achieve the target. 

How can Pitch help?

Given the complexity of environmental claims and the stringent regulatory environment in Australia, partnering with a specialised communications agency like Pitch PR is your ticket to a good night’s sleep. We make sure you’re covered with clear, concise and transparent communications.  

Our team of experienced communications specialists are across the latest ACCC guidance, so we can ensure that your communications are impactful but also compliant with current standards. 

Of course, you can expect us to challenge your environmental claims, playing devil’s advocate when necessary and asking that you ‘walk the walk’. Beyond crafting engaging communications, our specialists put their ‘journalist hats’ back on to identify potential weaknesses or gaps in your messaging. We stay one step ahead, so you don’t have to. 

Once the team has gone over your existing communications strategy with a fine-toothed comb, they will craft clear and engaging copywriting that resonates with your target audience and sets your business apart from the competition. 

In most cases, we have been able to establish more impactful strategies to promote a company’s environmental claims, while ensuring transparent communication with customers and stakeholders. 

Our ongoing work in specialised sectors spanning resources, renewables, manufacturing and property development highlights our deep understanding of all things greenwashing, operating at the highest level of industry communications. 

We can help you craft and share your sustainability story in an authentic and compelling way, focusing on genuine progress, acknowledging challenges faced, and highlighting real-world benefits. The more nuanced the story, and the greater your communications challenges, the better. 

At Pitch, we’re all about building and maintaining credibility with your target audience. This goes beyond your customers, too, with the ability to tailor communications for various stakeholder groups. Whether you’re targeting customers, investors, regulators or the local community – we’re your secret weapon. To enquire about our PR and storytelling services, click here.