Sustainability Yes, Greenwashing No
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Sustainability is almost a must these days. But how do you act sustainably without being suspected of greenwashing?
Everything seems to be green today. On posters and in other forms of advertising we increasingly come across such slogans as “Drop for Drop, Good for the Planet” (plant-based milk) or “Shopping? Eco-logically!” (strapline for a Berlin shopping centre). It is modern to be sustainable. Companies want to make users feel good when buying a product – while this has always been the case they now also want to give them ecological peace of mind at the same time. Does this result in products becoming more and more sustainable? Maybe in the long term – might be nice! In the short term, however, this results in an increasingly urgent need to communicate about sustainability. After all, producers do not want to lag behind their competitors. And this fuels the notorious greenwashing, i.e. a form of marketing spin where green PR and green marketing are deceptively used to persuade the public that an organisation’s products, aims and policies are environmentally friendly. (Wikipedia definition).
There is greenwashing lurking everywhere …
We encounter greenwashing – and this is the perfidious thing – not only in the form of outrageous scandals such as automotive producers that equip their allegedly eco-friendly vehicles with software that conceals their real emissions, or apparel manufacturers who make almost entirely wrong claims about their purportedly green collection (find more information on this here). No, we also find greenwashing in everyday products that feed on the so-called halo effect: one ecological benefit of a product is emphasised so strongly that its many drawbacks remain hidden behind this.
… also in the hospitality industry
One example from our industry: if a company issues “green stars” to food service providers with particularly sustainable operations but itself is a mega emitter of micro-plastics and heavy metals as the world’s biggest tyre producer, this is greenwashing. How about a spirits manufacturer who holds a cocktail competition dubbed sustainable but has the winners of the regional contests flown in to the finals from all over the world? Well, this is definitely not sustainable. It is about truthfulness. And this is based on verifiability. How do bar operators act sustainably and avoid blundering into greenwashing traps? Let us give you 5 tips.
1. Check whether the current status is sustainable
The more precise and accountable the sustainability in a company is, the lower the risk of greenwashing. Therefore, Step 1 is a “current status” analysis. The company is put to the test regarding its current sustainability status. Where is work already done in an ecological and resource-saving way? Where is there catching up to be done and room for improvement? The closer you look at documents, the more precise the analysis – invoicing, consumption volumes, receipts, previous year’s figures and so on. By counting, measuring and weighing – the “green inventory”, so to speak – you get exact values. These reflect whether the company is already on the right track in a certain area or whether there is need for adjustments – and provide verifiable figures (see Points 3 and 4) in case of questions. Needless to say, this analysis is a team effort: everybody needs to contribute, share their observations and ideas and so on; and the analysis also requires a holistic approach: everything needs checking – from the ingredients of the drinks (which garnish is dispensable, which ingredient can be replaced by a regional product etc.) to the energy-saving potential – which is also of commercial relevance, today more than ever before. This joint effort then results in a list of issues and individual aspects to address in the next stage.
The 17 “sustainable development goals” of the UN can be used as guidance here. Even better suited to our industry are the Sustainability Criteria of greentable.org, the initiative for sustainable food service.
2. Agree a sustainable target
Once the status quo is known after carrying out this “green inventory”, you need to look at strategy: What tasks arise for the company out of this? What goals do you want to achieve? What is attainable in the short or medium term and what is your long-term goal? The keyword here is commitment: as a result of a team meeting on the sustainability strategy a written target agreement should be drawn up. For instance: “We want to reduce our logistics-related emissions by 10% annually” (the emissions caused by your own transport and/or delivery trips can be retrieved from the logbook). This agreed target then serves for internal orientation and can even be used for external communication.
Good inspiration for agreeing on a target like this can be found in the “Code of Conduct” of the Berlin Initiative “Clubtopia” that several city clubs and bars are already involved in.
3. Set up/make available an in-house sustainability charter
On the basis of the current status analysis as well as the agreed target it is relatively easy – and above all credible as backed up by facts – to create an in-house sustainability charter. This presents the company’s commitment in compact form, on one page, for example:
“We use 100% genuine green power certified with the Green-Power label/Ok-Power quality seal.”
“We use fresh, 100% organic fruit.“
“We only buy certified fairtrade tea and coffee.”
“We donate X% of our sales to the Y initiative.”
“We reduce waste by only using re-usable straws, stirrers, mats and the like.”
“We forego citrus fruit and use our in-house produced lemon water instead.”
The charter can and should be self-critical and reveal the weaknesses and things that need to be improved. It can even involve customers:
“We want to reduce our annual energy consumption by 5% by …”
“We have not found a good alternative for Z but we are working on it – if you have any ideas please let us know!”
Here, too, the rule applies: make the charter as concrete and understandable as possible; and make it accessible to your customers – on your website, on the menu (if it fits your concept) and when talking to customers if asked about it.
4. Use selected measures for communication
Those really committed to sustainability and able to prove it (and only if they really can), should also leverage this for marketing purposes and/or communication. How, to what extent and in what way this is done is a personal and conceptual decision. Informal and humorous approaches are also welcome. Bars, as you all know, are places where people go to enjoy, meet friends and leave the daily grind behind. “Nobody wants to be bombarded with sustainability information on a Friday evening when you actually want to relax,” said Louisa Dodd of SRA putting it in a nutshell when we spoke to her in the run-up to BCB 2021. Selected aspects, on the other hand, are great when liaising with your customers: you can give/reveal to your customers the recipe for your home-made lemon water (see Item 3). You can share your tricks with customers and colleagues from other bars, provide them with insights and swap experiences with them. Those bars getting involved in society beyond simply operating their bar are welcome to demonstrate this on their channels and motivate others to join the fray.
The “ökologische Handabdruck”(ecological handprint) provides a blueprint for communicating sustainable messages more easily.
5. Use external impulses
Good communication also means being open to criticism and accepting ideas and tips. Constant exchange with bar stakeholders – customers, co-workers, suppliers, field service staff – helps you to also develop your sustainability credentials. After all, sustainability is an on-going process. Here it is key to also “digest” these impulses internally. Louisa Dodd recommends in her BCB talk to appoint a “green champion” for the team – a person passionate about sustainability who not only ensures agreed sustainability criteria are complied with but who also takes charge of “green” communication thereby keeping the exchange alive.
More ideas for sustainable commitment and its communication can be found in the BCB lecture by Louisa Dodd (video here, from 4:35:50).
