What is Greenhushing?

Many of you may be familiar with "greenwashing" - when companies exaggerate their sustainability commitments. But have you heard of its quieter cousin, "greenhushing"? This concerning trend refers to companies downplaying environmental achievements out of fear of scrutiny or backlash.

As highlighted in a recent Fast Company article*, nearly 25% of firms with sustainability heads don't publicize efforts beyond the minimum, per a report from Swiss consultancy South Pole. Reasons range from legal concerns to political polarization around climate action.

However, transparency is critical to drive collective progress. When sustainability leaders share goals and wins, it demonstrates what’s possible and pushes others to aim higher. Staying silent means lost opportunities to inspire systemic transformation.

So, how can we encourage more openness? Stricter mandatory climate disclosure policies will help on the regulatory front. But we also need "truth-seeking" - constructive discussion exploring where companies can improve rather than just accusations of greenwashing. And "safe harbor" provisions may reassure companies that good-faith efforts won't be unfairly penalized.

Ultimately, we must recognize progress while pushing for more. With smart policy and balanced public pressure, we can shift norms to make sustainability reporting standard practice rather than something to hide.

What do you think is the best way to combat #greenhushing? Share your perspectives below on driving #transparency and #accountability.

Full Article: https://lnkd.in/dGFbNHXr