TSA instigates removal of greenwashing

Global initiative promoting paper and print Two Sides is reporting a 73 per cent success rate in having misleading environmental claims removed by Australian corporates.

Two Sides says it has been researching, checking and exposing giant corporations including banks, utilities, telecoms and insurance companies.

Kellie Northwood, director, Two Sides ANZ says, “It is our responsibility as an industry, but also as part of broader environmental education, to challenge misinformation about the impact of communication channels. Greenwashing is a threat to our industry and we work very hard to ensure companies making the wrong claims correct their communications. Of the companies we have contacted in Australia, 73 per cent have altered their anti-print messaging, and the remaining we continue to engage with.”

Two Sides Australia is ahead of the global success rate, with 61 per cent of corporations around the world removing their greenwashing. Corporates everywhere have been mis-using environmental concerns in order to reduce their print and mail costs

[Related: NSW bans fees on energy bills]

Martyn Eustace, chairman of Two Sides UK says “We are 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, comments: “Some 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.

“Our discussions with chief marketing officers, chief sustainability officers and others, have been productive and we are pleased with the collaboration of North America’s leading organisations. Thanks to an overall better understanding of the usustainable features of paper products, go green - go paperless and save a tree claims are gradually disappearing from the marketplace.”

TSA says 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. Internationally, Two Sides teams are continuing to tackle greenwash in their respective countries, and this has yielded positive results.

TSA campaign branch Keep Me Posted also recorded a big win this month with NSW putting a state-wide ban on fees for energy bills, with Northwood hoping this move will set a precedent with other state governments to do the same.