The Perils of Greenhushing

Two years ago, there were rampant headlines associated with #greenwashing. Now, it’s about #greenhushing! And new research out from data insights company Connected Impact and data-science consultancy Ringer Sciences in the way of The Transparency Index 2024 punctuates how broadly reaching greenhushing has become!

Indeed, findings highlight that only 2% of US companies over promote what they do in relation to #sustainability, but 58% take the opposite route and understate their activity.

The reality of being in #business #leadership is that one is rather routinely under scrutiny: #leaders are expected to deliver on promises or give account as to why things haven’t gone to plan.

And, tracking to sustainability pledges isn’t easy! As with all goals, these require commitment and the resources that go hand in glove with the promise, even with shifting tides and a dynamic context, and pressures from the range of #stakeholders who bring their individual expectations and interests.

At the surface, greenhushing might seem an innocuous, even ‘sensible’ business approach. However, the practice of it has a potentially very damaging impact, stymieing the corporate #climate agenda and paving way for even more difficult climb back to #sustainabledevelopment.