Co-authored by George Basile, Ph.D., and Kristina Skierka, of Bite Communications’ Cleantech Practice, the whitepaper posits that while the threats of being accused of greenwashing in today’s market are very real, developing legitimate corporate sustainability strategies is correlated with positive impact. This represents an opportunity for today’s businesses, but the question corporations must ask today is how they can avoid the stigma of “greenwashing.”

The authors predict that institutions of all sizes will need to integrate operational and sustainability challenges with a new level of expertise and sophistication. Moreover, organizations that undertake sustainable strategies on supply chain, energy use and the like, must engage in proactive, transparent communications to fend off accusations of greenwashing.

Quote:

“To maximize ROI on green initiatives, companies must get ahead of the wave of investigation by becoming authentic, transparent and consistent in their sustainability efforts,” explained Basile. “Essentially, to succeed in the new green era, brands must shift from compliance to leadership.”