Australian companies have joined hundreds of global corporations in removing misleading ‘greenwash’ claims after pressure from Two Sides, the global initiative to promote the sustainability of paper and print.
“Greenwashing is a threat to our industry and we work very hard to ensure companies making the wrong claims correct their communications,” said Kellie Northwood, executive director, Two Sides Australia and New Zealand. “Of the companies we have contacted in Australia, 73% have altered their anti-print messaging, and the remaining we continue to engage with.”
Research into more than 600 of the world’s leading corporations, including banks, utilities and telecoms, found that 460 companies have been using unsubstantiated environmental statements. About 278 of those companies have now removed the misleading statements.
Two Sides, the global initiative to promote the sustainability of paper and print, reports a 61% success rate in removing misleading environmental claims made by some of the world’s biggest corporations as they seek to replace paper-based communications with lower cost electronic alternatives, the paper and print lobby group said in a statement.
Major global corporations are still using inaccurate and misleading environmental claims to encourage consumers to ‘go paperless’ and switch from paper-based to digital communication. This is despite legislation being introduced in many countries to protect the consumer from being misled.
“It is our responsibility as an industry, but also as part of broader environmental education, to challenge misinformation about the impact of communication channels,” said Northwood.
Martyn Eustace, chairman of Two Sides UK said: “We’re really pleased that Two Sides is having such a significant effect on some of the world’s largest and most influential organisations. But there is no room for complacency, and there is still a great deal of work to do with the remaining companies that continue to mislead their customers.”
Phil Riebel, president of Two Sides North America added: “Over 88 major corporations, including many of the Fortune 500, have now changed or removed misleading environmental claims about print and paper to comply with country-specific environmental marketing guidelines.”
Two Sides is a global initiative by companies from the Graphic Communications Industry including Forestry, Pulp, Paper, Inks and Chemicals, Pre-Press, Press, Finishing, Publishing, Printing, Envelopes and Postal Operators. Our common goal is to promote the sustainability of the Graphic Communications Industry and dispel common environmental misconceptions by providing users with verifiable information on why Print and Paper is an attractive, practical and sustainable communications medium.