For a Truly
Sustainable Future.

Apply to become a certified Anti-Greenwash Charter signatory, adopt a Green Claims Policy detailing your responsible marketing approach and with your support, we can help to eradicate the harmful effects of greenwashing.

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Why sign the Charter?

Greenwashing has been a problem in the built environment industry for some time. Back in 2012, the AECB’s Annual Members’ Conference was even branded “Never Mind the Greenwash”.

Sadly, the problem is still widespread ten years later, despite the Grenfell Tower disaster in 2017. Research by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that up to 40% of green claims made online in 2021 could be misleading, and the built environment industry is not immune.

According to the UK Green Building Council, the built environment is responsible for approximately 40% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, the 2022 Climate Change Committee report highlighted significant inaction in the industry.

Given this reputation, all eyes are on the industry to improve standards and is why honest, substantiated messaging must be encouraged to disseminate critical information to all decision makers throughout the industry.

And it is definitely on the CMA’s radar too: last year, the CMA consulted several organisations in the industry on draft consumer protection law guidance for businesses making environmental claims.

In the built environment, greenwashing mainly involves overpromising or misleading clients, homeowners and stakeholders as to the beneficial green effects of products and services. It is not always done intentionally or maliciously but can have real-world consequences.

This is why it’s encouraging that numerous product manufacturers, architects, trade associations, developers and many other types of organisations in the built environment industry, have already taken proactive steps to address the issue of greenwashing, by becoming certified signatories of the Anti-Greenwash Charter.

By doing so, they have made a public commitment to adhere to our Charter’s Standards and at the same time, better inform their stakeholders about how they implement responsible marketing practices within their organisation.

“Ensuring the accuracy of our environmental claims has always been important to us but in putting together our Green Claims Policy we were prompted to think more deeply about the ways in which we communicate our claims and whether they are presented in a way that is clear and comprehensible by all.

It has helped us identify some key areas where we can improve and has given us a way to both drive and record our progress.”

JONATHON BARNETT, ISOQUICK

If you decide to join our campaign, you will be offered expert support and guidance in how to create your own Green Claims Policy, which is required to achieve signatory status.

Supported By.

THE CHARTER’S STANDARDS

1.

Transparency.

You will commit to clear communication of what sustainability benefit your product or service offers and won’t conceal or omit information.

2.

Accountability.

You will substantiate your sustainability claims with accurate, and regularly evaluated empirical evidence. You’ll commit to sharing facts, figures and statements that can be checked.

3.

Fairness.

You will commit to using fair, clear and unambiguous language when providing comparisons with other products or organisations.

4.

Honesty.

You will ensure you make specific statements about your organisation’s sustainability efforts and that your actions match those promises.

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Certified Signatories.

Here are just some of the growing number of businesses, trade associations and professional and educational institutions that have joined us and made a public commitment to uphold responsible marketing practices.

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How it Works.

The following outlines our simple, three-stage process to become a certified Charter signatory. Once completed, and your license fee is paid, you will receive assets to promote your certified status.

Complete the Questionnaire

Start your journey to becoming a certified Anti-Greenwash Charter signatory by completing our marketing practice questionnaire. Next, we will review your responses, before confirming your suitability as a prospective signatory.

Create a Policy

Following a successful review of your questionnaire, we will help you to create your own unbiased Green Claims Policy, detailing your responsible marketing approach to using defined terms and communicating valid claims. Upon approval and publication, you will be confirmed as a certified signatory and provided with a logo to share your verified status across your collateral.

Allow Independent Reviews

Our periodic reviews of your marketing activities will verify ongoing compliance with your Green Claims Policy. Non-compliance may result in your certified signatory status being revoked. We will also remind you to review your policy annually or in the light of legislation changes.

MARKETING PRACTICE QUESTIONNAIRE

Apply to Become a Certified Signatory.

Take the first step towards becoming a certified Charter signatory, by completing the following, brief questionnaire about your organisation’s current marketing practices and procedures. We will then complete your Initial Assessment, before getting in touch with next steps.