Hush

Contributed by Green2Sustainable

Escaping much public attention, some companies have become more discreet or reluctant to discuss their sustainability and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) accomplishments.

They have adopted a strategy called "greenhushing."

According to a survey reported in The Washington Post involving 1,200 large private companies that have set climate targets, it found that 1 in 4 of these companies do not plan to publicize their targets or progress. 

Among the reasons these companies are adopting greenhushing strategies are the following:

• Added scrutiny (and lawsuits) by stakeholders about a company's ESG and sustainability actions, claiming the company is not ambitious enough regarding its sustainability progress.

• Added scrutiny (and lawsuits) by stakeholders about a company's ESG and sustainability actions, claiming the company is going too far or moving too fast in these areas.

• Concerns about possible political repercussions from both the "right" and the "left."


However, according to Steve Ashkin of Green2Sustainable, the professional cleaning industry's leading advocate for sustainability, not reporting ESG and sustainability progress can have several negative implications.

He points to the following:

Inspiration. Organizations need to be inspired to act. Fewer companies reporting their ESG/sustainability progress results in less incentive for other organizations to follow suit.

Knowledge. Companies learn from each other. By reporting their ESG/sustainability progress, companies can share lessons learned, disappointments, best practices, and innovative ideas with other companies.

Discussion. Greenhushing blocks discussion. For ESG/sustainability initiatives to move forward, we need transparency, which can only come from open discussions and conversations.

Delay. Silence around ESG/sustainability initiatives may stall all the progress made in the past few years. Publicizing successes keeps these initiatives alive and moving forward throughout the business community.

Ashkin also offers a different perspective on greenhushing. He argues that many companies are merely taking a moment to pause and reflect on their sustainability efforts. This is a vital part of their journey. “This reflection will ultimately lead to greater achievements that they will be eager to share.”