What is green hushing and is it a problem?
A new report has brought the practice of “green hushing” back into the spotlight and raises questions about its long-term effects on business climate strategies. The term was created by consulting firm Tree Hugger in 2008 when recognising that many companies they met were reticent about publicising sustainability initiatives. It’s resurfaced with publication of a study by Swiss carbon finance consultancy South Pole – Net Zero and Beyond – which unveils that 72% of the 1,200 private companies surveyed in 12 countries and 15 sectors have set emissions targets in line with global climate goals, yet nearly 25% of the companies were not planning reveal their plans. Instead of bragging to the point of mistruth about eco-friendly actions and plans, many companies are hiding away the best of their climate mitigation strategies and practices.
Green hushing stems from a fear of falling foul of regulations, and/or being called to account by climate activists, so being viewed by customers as overstating eco activities, with a significant impact on profitability. Companies that green hush also run the risk of missing out on attracting new investment from investment groups that rely on extensive, accurate ESG reporting to guide where they place their funds. Businesses unsure of how to start their net zero journey or seeking guidance on best practices can get help to plan a way to a leaner, cleaner strategy for sustainability with SaveMoneyCutCarbon, Britain’s leading sustainability and money saving platform, who are offering a free 30-minute Carbon Mentor call to to give expert guidance on where to start, what ROI to expect, budgets and what could be achieved through green initiatives.
Across the board, the energy crisis is already eating into a majority of businesses’ profit margins, with SMEs across the country facing an average bill increase of over 250% in the last year alone, according to Cornwall Insight. In addition, a report by the Federation of Small Business found that 53% of small businesses will stagnate, decline or fold in the next 12 months. This is even more concerning when you consider that 53% of SMEs in the UK are not doing anything to monitor their energy efficiency, and are likely spending far more than they may need to on energy costs. Britain’s leading sustainability experts, SaveMoneyCutCarbon, explain that shopping around and switching tariffs to reduce energy bills has become obsolete.
The British Chambers of Commerce project that less than half (43%) of UK firms are expecting profitability in the next 12 months, whilst 1-in-4 hospitality and leisure businesses fear closing this year due to the inability to afford energy costs, according to eEnergy. In the wake of this setback, a new study from SaveMoneyCutCarbon has found that over half (51%) of employers in the UK still don’t know where or how to start reducing their carbon emissions. This is supported by research from Ecologi, which found that 42% of SME owners in the UK believe that it’s important to be sustainable, but struggle because of a lack of guidance.
