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17 September 2021 / Caroline Greenwell , Peter Carlyon
Issue: 7948 / Categories: Features , Environment
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Don’t spin the greenwash

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Caroline Greenwell & Peter Carlyon consider the issue of companies exaggerating their green credentials
  • Looks at extent and impact of greenwashing by companies, reputational damage where they’re caught out and potential regulatory action.

Sustainability and environmentalism are featuring at the core of brands’ identities with increasing prevalence. With environmentally conscious consumers demanding greener products, brands have been under more pressure than ever to publicise their environmental credentials. This pressure looks set to increase with research by data analytics company Kantar in September 2020 ‘Who cares? Who does?’ suggesting sustainability has become a bigger concern for consumers since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

All talk no action?

Hand in hand with this consumer pressure, comes a temptation to exaggerate green credentials, to which some brands appear to be bowing. It is not new for bold, current and memorable marketing to be used to attract consumers to particular products and services but when the headlines include net-zero targets and claims of ‘plastic free’ and ‘recycled materials only’, to what

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NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners

Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.

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