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Increasing numbers of organisations are being “outed” for their greenwashing claims. Greenwashing is the process in which a company or organisation will convey a false impression or provides misleading information about how environmentally friendly their service or product is.
For example, companies and organisations involved in greenwashing might suggest that their products are made from recycled materials or have energy-saving benefits, and although there may be some environmental benefits, companies engaged in greenwashing typically exaggerate their claims or benefits.
44% of Centrica’s Carbon Offsets considered ‘junk credits’
A new report by Open Democracy, accuses British Gas of misleading their customers by selling ‘green energy’ that may have no environmental benefits. This relates directly to British Gas claims that it has reduced its climate footprint by using “carbon credits”. However, almost half the carbon offsets held by British Gas owner Centrica are considered junk credits that were issued under a discredited scheme. An international probe found that Shandong Dongyue Chemical Co Ltd were “gaming the system”.
44% of Centrica’s carbon offsets came from Shandong Dongyue Chemical Co Ltd, which produces a type of greenhouse gas used in fridges and air conditioning. Centrica operates under the trading names of Scottish Gas in Scotland and British Gas in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
BBC News Arabic produced a documentary ‘Under Poisoned Skies’ which investigated flaring near the city of Basra. Flaring is the process of burning off gas as part of the oil production process. This produces clouds of acrid smoke and releases methane and dangerous chemicals like benzene. In consequence, exposure to these chemicals contributes to high rates of leukaemia and other cancers among those living in nearby villages and towns. BP, and other international oil companies working within this region, are earning millions while being fully aware of the situation. Loopholes in Emissions Reporting Rules mean BP and other oil companies can hide this from their shareholders and the wider public. Greenpeace Unearthed have produced an extensive report into oil fields within this region and how BP and other oil companies report on their carbon footprint.
“We cannot afford greenwashing”
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres said net-zero commitment must be ambitious and credible. Clean energy, such as wind-power, is a key element in reaching net-zero emissions.
H&M, the fast-fashion giant, showed customers misleading, and in many cases, outright deceptive environmental scorecards for their clothing, a new report by Quartz reveals. More than half the scorecards claimed that items of clothing were better for the environment when, in fact, they were no more sustainable than comparable garments made by the company and their competitors. The findings add to mounting scepticism and new regulatory scrutiny of the fast-fashion industry’s attempt to self police its environmental record. Only a few weeks ago, we wrote about how human rights and modern slavery violations in Leicester were impacting the fast-fashion industry.
In a recent survey by Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, 19% of the 300 procurement professionals surveyed did not know how sustainable their products were, whilst almost 50% did not believe their organisation was being sufficiently transparent with consumers, clients and regulators about sustainability.
Procurement professionals today play a vital role in helping their organisation to achieve their sustainable objectives, supporting them to deliver net zero emissions, reduce and reclaim waste materials, create diverse supply chains, and encourage their suppliers to do the same, as well as deliver social impact in their communities and achieve compliance. Evaluation of suppliers must consider the overall value that can be delivered throughout a contract in addition to commercial benefits and this value must be locked into contractual obligations and delivery managed through the whole contract lifecycle.
The Procurement Bill doesn’t factor legal environmental considerations which is why we’re currently supporting a petition to amend the Procurement Bill to enshrine positive environmental obligations that create a legal obligation on Contracting Authorities to ensure all specifications and contractors have a net positive impact upon the environment. Sign the petition here.