Sustainability has become a non-negotiable business imperative. Unfortunately for companies, greenwashing has become increasingly prevalent as consumers base their procurement decisions on environmental performance.

Greenwashing occurs when companies, organisations, or businesses deceive consumers into believing that particular products or services are more environmentally friendly. For example, greenwashing can be done through deceptive wording or other environmental claims made without evidence to support the environmental claims or concerns.

Greenwashing misleads consumers and businesses into making choices less beneficial to human health and the environment than what is being marketed. It also creates risk and an uneven playing field for companies genuinely investing in sustainable development practices, slowing environmental progress.

Sustainability certifications have emerged in recent years as crucial tools to combat greenwashing and provide transparency to consumers. International organisations, such as the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), play a pivotal role in developing these certifications. Environmental NGOs collaborate closely with these organisations to promote and implement sustainability certifications, ensuring they serve as effective tools for promoting sustainability and holding businesses accountable for their environmental impact. These certifications validate a company’s environmental commitments and practices, helping consumers make informed choices and holding businesses accountable for their sustainability claims.

This article provides tips on marketing strategies for spotting and combating greenwashing in commercial cleaning and explains how to choose products and marketing strategies that align with your ESG strategy.

The Rise of Environmental Sustainability in Commercial Cleaning

The commercial cleaning industry has traditionally been associated with many concerns. However, as businesses and consumers have prioritised environmental impact, cleaning companies and organisations are adopting greener and more sustainable practices and products. This shift in practices is driven by regulatory pressures and market demands to provide consumers with sustainable solutions.

For example, greener cleaning, which focuses on reducing environmental impact while maintaining cleanliness and hygiene standards, has gained traction among consumers. This sustainable approach emphasises eco-friendlier and more sustainable cleaning products, energy-efficient equipment, and waste-reduction strategies. Additionally, by integrating these practices, businesses can contribute to the reduction of energy consumption in buildings, aligning with building-based sustainability certifications that evaluate the sustainability of buildings, including their energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, thereby supporting human health, wellbeing, and environmental sustainability.

How to spot greenwashing in commercial cleaning

1. Check for vague language:

Greenwashing often employs vague terms like "eco" and “sustainable” without explaining, for example, what makes the manufacturing process sustainable or the product environmentally friendly. Be wary of greenwashing and environmental claims from companies that lack specificity or detailed explanations of environmental benefits.

2. Look for lack of proof:

Companies committed to sustainability will provide evidence and data to support their environmental claims. If environmental claims about a product's greenwashing, claims or greenwashing certification credentials are not supported by clear, accessible information, it may be a sign of greenwashing.

3. Evaluate information transparency:

Environmentally friendlier products with genuine environmental benefits have detailed information about their ingredients and the environmental impact of their production and disposal. Companies that are vague about the contents and lifecycle of their products might not be as green as they claim.

4. Analyse the company's overall behaviour:

A company’s commitment to environmental sustainability should be consistent across its entire life cycle, product range, and business practices. If a company advertises some environmentally friendly products but neglects sustainability in its entire life cycle and overall operations, this could be a red flag.

6. Seek third-party certifications:

GECA and Global GreenTag provide independent certification programs that comply with international standards relating to product environmental performance. Such certifications provide additional assurance that environmental claims have been verified.

Greenwashing diminishes consumer trust and undermines genuine company international organisations' and companies' efforts to maintain and contribute towards environmental sustainability to combat greenwashing. Sustainability certifications are crucial to address the importance of this issue and combat greenwashing.

The role of certifications in combating greenwashing

As environmental awareness grows, so does the role of third-party certifications in raising awareness and combating greenwashing. These certifications are not just marks of approval for companies but crucial tools that validate sustainability and environmental claims, combat greenwashing, and demonstrate a genuine commitment to ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) initiatives.

Here’s why they matter:

Verify claims:

Third-party certifications can help companies ensure compliance and transparency by rigorously assessing compliance risk and verifying business claims, offering companies a layer of credibility essential in today’s sceptical market. Certifications are backed and granted by reputable organisations based on scientifically rigorous criteria, factors which contribute more importance to companies and certification schemes ensuring credibility and reliability.

Market Differentiation

Certifications distinguish brands that require companies that genuinely prioritise environmental sustainability from those that engage in greenwashing. Companies can differentiate themselves in the market by showcasing their commitment to green certification standards.

Build trust:

These certifications help organisations establish, maintain and differentiate companies' sustainable brands, reinforcing stakeholder confidence in the company's sustainable practices and enhancing the positive impact of sustainable doing on the company's brand image, social performance and corporate reputation social performance. They are particularly valuable for international organisations' sustainability officers and ESG risk managers.

Consumer Empowerment

Certifications empower consumers to make informed choices by providing transparent information about a product's environmental and social impact.

Promote ESG objectives:

Embracing certified products signifies a serious commitment to ESG goals, inspiring industry-wide environmental improvements and a better world.

Key sustainability certifications in the cleaning industry

Sustainability certifications are crucial tools for combatting greenwashing in the commercial cleaning industry. These certifications independently verify a company's environmental practices and help consumers make informed choices. Here are some key certifications that are making a difference:

GECA Certification:

The GECA certification process ensures products meet strict environmental and social performance standards across their lifecycle—from raw material extraction and manufacturing to disposal—making them appealing choices for sustainability-focused companies. The full certification process is part of the Global Ecolabelling Network’s Internationally Coordinated Ecolabelling System (GENICES) certification, one of the leading global certification schemes. Other key ecolabelling certification companies and certification schemes worldwide mutually recognise it.

Global GreenTag:

Global GreenTag evaluates products based on environmental, health, and social impacts, adhering to rigorous scientific methods and international standards, including ISO 9001, ISO 14024, and ISO 17065, and is a leading global green certification program. These certifications provide a transparent framework for transparency that helps businesses and consumers navigate claims around sustainability.

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC):

FSC certification ensures consumers that products come from responsibly managed forests, addressing deforestation risk and biodiversity conservation concerns.

By meeting these rigorous criteria, certified companies can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability with tangible evidence. This transparency helps consumers make more informed and environmentally conscious decisions and fosters greater transparency and accountability within the supply chain and the business community.

Enviroplus’s commitment to sustainability

Key Enviroplus products proudly hold either or both GECA and Global GreenTag HealthRATE certifications, underscoring the importance of our commitment to sustainable development practices and health standards. These certifications provide substantial social responsibility and environmental benefits both to our company and our partners. Furthermore, Enviroplus is dedicated to incorporating renewable energy sources into our operations, aligning with our certified sustainable practices to enhance consumer willingness to pay for products that support a greener future.

Enhanced brand reputation:

Our certifications elevate Enviroplus in the name certification marketplace, distinguishing our brand among eco-conscious consumers and businesses.

Competitive advantage:

Meeting the stringent certification criteria of these certifications allows Enviroplus products to stand out, driving preference in a sustainability-conscious market.

Trust and transparency:

These certifications assure customers and clients of genuine environmental compliance and certification claims.

ESG recognition:

Using certified products aids businesses in providing their commitment to meeting ESG goals.

Market access and incentives:

Certified products often meet the criteria for government procurement and can open doors to new markets and incentives.

Sustainability regulations and certifications empower companies and consumers to align their purchasing decisions with their values. By choosing products from companies with recognised certifications, companies and consumers signal the demand for sustainable practices and drive market-wide change. Moreover, regulations and other sustainable practices and certifications promote accountability by holding businesses accountable for their environmental claims through regular audits, certification and compliance checks.

Ultimately, by partnering with or using Enviroplus products, businesses can operate responsibly and effectively in an increasingly environmentally conscious and eco-conscious global market, ensuring that their sustainability efforts and positive environmental impact are genuine and positively impact the environment for a better world.

Through collective efforts and a commitment to transparency, the commercial cleaning industry can combat greenwashing and misleading marketing to promote the importance of genuine sustainable environmental progress and a better world to leave a more positive impact.

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