Greenwashing — UPSC Prelims PYQ 2022

Which one of the following best describes the term “greenwashing”?

Conveying a false impression that a company’s products are eco-friendly and environmentally sound
Non-inclusion of ecological/ environmental costs in the Annual Financial Statements of a country
Ignoring the disastrous ecological consequences while undertaking infrastructure development
Making mandatory provisions for environmental costs in a government project/program

Greenwashing, or Green Sheen, occurs when a company falsely presents itself as environmentally conscious for marketing reasons while lacking substantial commitment to sustainability. Instances of greenwashing encompass the promotion of food products as healthy solely based on the use of natural ingredients, regardless of whether those natural sugars or fats are genuinely considered healthy. This deceptive practice extends to areas like alternative medicine and natural remedies. The term was coined by environmentalist Jay Westerveld in 1986.
Types of Greenwashing:
- Greenhushing: Companies withhold information about their sustainability goals and progress.
- Green-crowding: Hiding in a group to avoid scrutiny of unsustainable practices.
- Greenshifting: Shifting the responsibility of adopting sustainable measures onto consumers or individuals instead of taking meaningful corporate action.
- Greenlighting: Highlighting specific sustainability initiatives to distract from harmful activities.
- Greenlabelling: Using labels that suggest products are green or sustainable, which, upon closer examination, are misleading.

Blue-washing refers to the practice of companies promoting themselves as socially responsible or ethical by associating with reputable organizations or initiatives, such as the United Nations Global Compact, without implementing substantial changes or reforms
There are two primary contexts in which bluewashing occurs:
- Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Companies may sign on to initiatives like the UN Global Compact to appear responsible and improve their public image, but they may not actually adhere to the principles or make meaningful changes in their operations.
- Digital Ethics and Security: Companies may use vague or misleading claims about their digital ethics, data privacy, or AI security to create a false impression of being more secure and ethical than they actually are.
In both cases, bluewashing involves a discrepancy between the company’s stated values or commitments and its actual practices.