Greenwashing Beyond ESG: Reputational Risk Under the Microscope
Karla Andrić led the workshop Greenwashing Under the Microscope at the Conference on Sustainable Development addressing greenwashing not merely as an ESG reporting issue, but as a broader reputational and strategic risk. Greenwashing is frequently framed as a compliance problem. In practice, it is a governance and communication challenge that emerges when sustainability narratives move faster than operational reality.
Greenwashing Is a Reputational Risk, Not Just an ESG Topic
In many organisations, greenwashing is discussed primarily within the ESG framework. While regulatory alignment is essential, reducing greenwashing in ESG reporting oversimplifies the issue.
“Greenwashing occurs when sustainability claims lack measurable evidence, communication exaggerates incremental improvements, marketing presents limited initiatives as systemic transformation and responsibility is shifted to consumers instead of structural change.”
Such misalignment creates reputational risk. When stakeholders identify inconsistencies between narrative and operational practice, trust deteriorates quickly. Sustainability communication must therefore be grounded in verifiable data, operational consistency, and proportional claims. Without that alignment, even well-intentioned campaigns can undermine credibility.
Workshop Outcomes: Evidence of Relevance
Post-workshop evaluation data demonstrates strong engagement. 94.4% of participants would recommend the workshop and 94.4% expressed interest in further education on greenwashing. For a topic positioned at the intersection of ESG strategy, sustainability communication, and reputational risk, these results indicate that organisations recognise greenwashing as a strategic concern rather than a peripheral communications issue.
Tailored Greenwashing Workshop for Organisations
The greenwashing workshop is designed for communication teams across PR, marketing, brand strategy, and sustainability who want to critically examine how claims are developed and how reputational risks can be identified early in the communication process. For tailored sessions and advisory collaboration, direct contact is welcome.
Photography: Sanjin Kaštelan