A perceived pressure to be ‘perfect’ is causing brands to stay tight-lipped on their social and environmental progress, leading them to under-report or ‘greenhush’ their sustainability efforts as a result.
According to PR agency Alfred and Sensu Insight, over two-thirds (70%) of marketing and PR professionals say that the brands they represent are ‘staying quiet’ on their progress across complex issues such as the environment, society and governance.
Close to two-thirds of respondents believed that brands were placed under unrealistic pressure to be ‘perfect and never make mistakes’.
The fear of causing offence or being held up to scrutiny can inevitably lead to brands under reporting their progress, with 28% of PR professionals and marketers saying they had been asked to ‘greenhush’ work. A further 37% said that they saw greenhushing happen frequently or regularly.
As a result, 86% of industry professionals surveyed agreed that greater transparency was needed about the challenges that brands and businesses face, while over half (51%) added that fear of consequences is holding such progress back.
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Additionally, close to half (49%) of respondents said that they would like extra training and resources in order to feel confident pushing back against colleagues in matters of transparency and greenhushing.
“We were struck by the very real pressure that brands and businesses feel to be perfect, and the paralysis this creates when it comes to communicating their social and environmental progress in an open and transparent way,” Alfred founder and managing director, Dan Neale said.
“Significant numbers of brands and businesses are still choosing to stay quiet or underreport, and in many ways it’s completely understandable – regulatory scrutiny is rightly increasing, and consumers, stakeholders and the media are holding brands to account like never before.
He added: “But there’s a huge lost opportunity in staying quiet. Being more open and honest about a brand’s setbacks and challenges can build trust with stakeholders. And just as importantly, it inspires and guides other brands and businesses towards more responsible business behaviour.
“By embracing a mindset of progress over perfection, brands can become true catalysts for change, earning the trust of their peers and stakeholders, driving commercial success and leaving a lasting legacy.”
