Greenwashing: The Misleading Strategies Underlying Environmental Claims
摘要
At a time when environmental accountability is a crucial demand from customers, investors, and regulators, firms are progressively striving to link their branding with sustainability values. This increase in environmental marketing has also led to greenwashing—the act of presenting a misleading or inflated perception of ecological responsibility. This chapter rigorously analyzes the misleading methods inherent in greenwashing, classifying the diverse ways utilized by firms to deceive stakeholders regarding their environmental effects. The topic incorporates viewpoints from marketing, corporate governance, environmental ethics, and regulatory policy in a multidisciplinary approach. Empirical case studies demonstrate how greenwashing compromises authentic sustainability initiatives, diminishes public confidence, and skews market dynamics. This chapter examines new frameworks and legislative measures aimed at addressing greenwashing, emphasizing the necessity for enhanced disclosure mandates, independent validation, and more openness. Ultimately, it necessitates a systemic transformation toward authenticity and accountability in corporate environmental assertions, promoting educated stakeholder vigilance and strong regulatory intervention to mitigate deceptive sustainability narratives.