Most people hate green washing. I love it.
Imagine seeing a giant billboard, covered in an advertisement from a major oil company, proudly suggestion that you can fill up your car with fossil fuel and drive CO2 neutral. Just buy planting trees.
True story - and you can image it didn't take long for the general public to ridicule them for green washing, and the campaign stopped very abruptly.
Here's why I love it when companies do that:
- It's usually pretty obvious, and you soon know to avoid the company.
This hurts their short term profits - which is how we hurt them most easily. - Once a company starts with impact washing, they will get found out sooner or later. And then, there will be a public outcry, forcing them to admit that they weren't honest and either stop doing it, or actually make their promise come true. Either outcome is fine by me - as their customer will see their true colours.
- Most importantly, that so many companies are trying to fake it, is proof that creating impact is the future demanded by customers.
Impact washing is either a stepping stone to making better impact, or trap that leads you to fade out of relevance.
Of course, your company would never dream of impact washing, which is great. So start small, show what you really stand for, the achievements you've made and the aspirations you have, and you'll do much, much better than most.
I'm creating the book and podcast series for people who want their small or medium business to make more profit and better impact. Take a look and sign up: https://sixtyminutestoimpact.xyz