Green claims checklist: how to avoid accidental greenwashing

Green claims are everywhere, and so are weak ones. This checklist helps businesses make environmental claims that are clearer, more specific and easier to defend.

What is a green claim?

A green claim is any statement that suggests a product, service, company or activity has an environmental benefit. It might say a product is recyclable, low carbon, sustainable, climate friendly, carbon neutral, plastic free or better for the planet.

The problem is that broad environmental language can easily mislead. A claim can be technically true in one narrow sense but still give readers the wrong overall impression.

Simple test

If an ordinary customer would understand the claim more strongly than the evidence supports, the wording probably needs tightening.

1. Be specific

Specific claims are easier to support than vague claims. “Made with 80 percent recycled aluminium” is clearer than “eco-friendly.” “Plastic-free packaging” is clearer than “better for the planet.”

Avoid broad terms unless you can explain exactly what they mean. Words like sustainable, green, clean and planet-friendly are often too vague on their own.

2. Define the scope

Say what the claim applies to. Is it the product, the packaging, the delivery, the manufacturing process, the company as a whole, or only one part of the supply chain?

For example, “our packaging is recyclable” is different from “our product is recyclable.” “Our office uses renewable electricity” is different from “our company is powered by renewable energy.”

3. Keep evidence close to the claim

Every green claim should be backed by evidence before it is published. That evidence might include supplier documentation, lifecycle analysis, emissions calculations, certification documents, testing reports or procurement records.

Do not wait until someone challenges the claim to assemble the proof. The evidence should exist first.

4. Avoid misleading comparisons

Comparative claims need a clear baseline. If a product says “50 percent lower carbon,” readers need to know lower than what. Lower than the previous version? Lower than a market average? Lower than a specific competitor?

A good comparison should explain:

• What is being compared
• The time period used
• The method of calculation
• Whether the comparison covers the whole lifecycle or only one stage

5. Be careful with carbon neutral claims

Carbon neutral claims are especially sensitive because they often rely on offsets. If a company uses credits, it should explain what emissions were measured, what reductions were made, what credits were bought, which standard issued them and whether the credits were retired.

A claim that depends mainly on offsetting should not imply that the business has eliminated its own emissions.

6. Do not hide trade-offs

Some environmental improvements come with trade-offs. A product may reduce plastic but increase weight. A material may be recyclable in theory but rarely recycled in practice. A lower-carbon option may have other environmental impacts.

Credible communication does not need to list every limitation in an advert, but it should avoid creating a false impression that a product is impact-free.

7. Review claims before publishing

Businesses should have a simple review process for environmental claims. Marketing, product, sustainability and legal or compliance teams may all need to be involved depending on the claim.

For small businesses, the process can be simple:

• Write the claim in plain language
• Identify exactly what it applies to
• Attach the evidence
• Check whether a reasonable customer could misunderstand it
• Record who approved it and when

Green claim examples

The bottom line

A credible green claim is specific, evidenced and proportionate. It says what has improved without pretending the whole product or business is perfect. That may sound less dramatic, but it is much more likely to earn trust.