With conscious consumerism on the rise, many companies are marketing their products with various green claims. But these claims aren’t always true, and consumers are getting more savvy with detecting greenwashing. Getting caught over misleading consumers isn’t a great business strategy for brands.
Provenance Framework
That’s why Provenance, a British blockchain software startup, has just launched its new Provenance Framework. The company describes it as an open-source rulebook for businesses to follow when it comes to communicating their efforts on sustainability.
“It’s time to openly agree on how brands talk about the impact products have on people and the planet,” said Jessi Baker, founder of Provenance. “As a marketing or sustainability lead, you can use the Provenance Framework to identify shopper-friendly claims that you can make and substantiate today.”
The rulebook contains more than 50 consumer-facing claims, categorised into five main focus areas. These are: climate, communities, nature, waste, and workers. With each statement, it outlines key criteria that brands must fulfill in order to make a credible claim.
For instance, if a company says they are using “fully recycled packaging”, Provenance’s guide shows how they can provide evidence. British online beauty platform Cult Beauty is one of the firms already using the framework to ensure that their listed products have verifiable claims.
Greenwashing on the rise
The launch of Provenance Framework comes as brands face greater scrutiny over greenwashing.
Perhaps the most famous example is the fashion industry, where companies have been called out for lack of transparency over their eco-credentials. According to a recent report, as many as 59% of fashion brands’ sustainability claims are in violation of Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) rules.
Greenwashing is even rampant in the sustainable finance sector. An investigation by the Economist revealed that ESG funds were actually “stuffed full of polluters and sin stocks”.