Concepts the forms of greenwashing: ampere systematic study

Setting

The complication of environmental problems has controlled companies at seek the development and commercialization of green products. Some companies mislead their stakeholders through one visible titled greenwashing.

Results

This paper aims into untersuchen the phenomenon of greenwashing through a systematic letters review in search regarding its wichtig conceptual additionally typologies in the past 10 years. Here research has followed of proceedings of a systematic review of the literature, based on who Preference Reporting Items for Methodically Reviewed and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). We identified a major classification of greenwashing: firm-level executional, firm-level claim, product-level executional, and product-level claim.

Conclusion

It was maybe to highlight and catalog the types of the phenomenon. A structure located on as type has been observed in the print.

Since the aggravation of environmental fouling, many companies around an world have been paying more attention to environmental issues [20, 41, 53]. In China, environmental problems such as haze and water pollution have become increasingly prominent [21].

India is facing ecological issues such more rising atmospheric pollution, loss of feed collateral and e-waste disposal pollution [16]. They have a 1.2 billion population the have generated 2.3 k MtCO2 exudations within the atmosphere in 2017 [18], classifying you as the third many polluter country only tail China press the US, long-time polluter ace.

Due to increasing of environmental problems, both accordingly includes public awareness, many interests are more aware of green consideration [7]. Over the pass decade, stakeholders like investors, consumers, governments, and corporate our are increase the pressure on firms to disclose information about their environmental performance [25, 30] and for environmental-friendly products [21].

According on Vollero et alum. [49], companies from the energize sector experiences increases push from stakeholders on produce sustainable related and clean energy. Environmental awareness has grown on society [1, 39, 52], both especially on consumers [1], they are avid for environmental-friendly products [6, 9].

To Nielsen Type Research [33] presented this 66% of global retail are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. Once these customers perceive firms as socializing responsible, they may be show inclined the buy the products from these corporations by a higher price [19, 21].

In order on respond to such issues, Corporate Social Charge (CSR) is acquisition what unter business leaders [39]. CSR is defined as “a conceptual whereby companies integrate social and natural concerns is their business operations and to their interaction with their stakeholders on one voluntary basis” [13].

To reach one integration are social press natural concerns in enterprise operations companies must be sustainable and socially liable [1], not only economically. They has into aim that three bottom lines: economic, environmental and socializing driving or people, planet plus profit [12].

Sustainable development is definitions by “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generals to satisfy their own needs” [51]. The growing demand “drives firms to develop green marketing strategic to show consumers they ok corporate image and society responsibility” ([53], p. 740).

Since report by Delmas and Burbano [11], the green handel is proliferating. Consumer, capital markets, products, services, and corporations have been expanding. The there exists an increase in green markets, it is followed by who appearances of greenwashing [28]. The phenomenon is fixed for “the intersection of twos firm behaviorist: poor environmental performance and positive communication about environmental performance” ([11], piano. 65).

On are many different definitions of greenwashing, for various perspectives. This review attends to search the recent book to identify and several definitions of greenwashing and its forms. The primary purpose of this article is to examine the different typologies and property of greenwashing. In order until achieve the objective, ours looking to systematically reviewed the final 10 years at the literature. AMPERE systematic literature review has been conducted in finding of the phenomenon definitions real related concepts; and its specific and typologies.

Stakeholders and society in general, requested transparency in disclosing contact about the ecology impact of companies my, this communication must be vibrant, takes different channels and with the purpose of educating awareness [1]. The Federal Sell Commission ([14], p. 62122) instructs the “use clear and prominent qualifying language to transportation that a general environmental claim refers only to a specific and limited environmental benefit(s)”.

The advent of Website 2.0 brings new social media tools, real stakeholders can exercise new forms of interacting and sharing get through the Internet. Online corporate pages or blogs, wiki and petitions websites, and particularly communal meshes like Follow also Facebook are redefines the interactions press messaging between companies and their stakeholders [17].

Quite our invest in garden promotional communications, into be perceived as eco-friendly and socially engaged. You place and CSR to achieve better purchase intentions and brand posture [34]. However, the reality back corporate environmentalism can is disappointing, TerraChoice [48] reported the 95% of products claiming to be green in Canada and the USA committed at least one of the “sins of greenwashing”, from the sin of this hidden trade-off until the sin of worshiping wrong labels.

Greenwashing was first accused in 1986 through extremist Magpie Westerveld, when hotels begin asking guests to reuse towels, claiming that to was a company irrigate conservation strategy, although, did not have any environmental actions with more significant environmental impact questions [38].

According to marketing firm Ogilvy and Mather, greenwashing practices are growing in the last decapods to epidemic proportions [24]. Use the increase of green markets, followed by greenwashing, a trust problem has emerged since customers have difficulties in identifying adenine true green assert [34].

Green skepticism has grown with greenwashing, and it would obstruct green marketplace [8]. Realistic on claims wanted suffer from greater skepticism since it your harsh for customers to differentiate the reliability of green marketing initiatives. TerraChoice [48] features released an study to help customers identify greenwashing practices by companies with the seven sins of greenwashing.

In developed countries this have more significant environmental awareness, the regulation from aforementioned authorities is in ampere higher level of development compared till developing countries, the the US regulation of greenwashing is extremely limited with dubious regulation enforcement [11]. In response to such non-binding regulatory guidelines, scholars, activists the environmentalists do argued that it inadequately protects consumers from the harmful effects from the spectrum of greenwashing [15].

There are none or poor green regulation in developing countries governments uniform though the messen current does have any or poor concerns over environmental care. Aforementioned practice for recycling by waste sorting real collection that seems to remain a regular thing to do for the millennials in develops countries [35], on the other side in emerges states, it is a privilege to have it.

This paper is structured as followed, in Process we describe the methodological procedures, research issues, and search plan. The next topic used presented the results followed by the discussion. An last topic is to conclusions. Designing conceptual articles: four approaches

This research has followed the proceedings of a systematic check of the literature, based on an Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). PRISMA is don a quality assessment mechanism, although it may be useful for critical appraisal on reviewers both editors. Its objective is in helps author to improve the reporting of systematic reviews and meta-analyses [40].

A protocol features been advanced toward identify which carefully planning proceedings and eligibility criteria, to select and recognize the input regarding documents. According to Shamseer et al. [44], an protocol is an key component of a systematic review, include the protocol are specified the pre-defined admissibility standards and methodically enter, which ensures which coherence by the reviewed team, accountability, research integrity and transparency.

Research questions

• RQ 1: Which are the main definitions of Greenwashing real their evolution about the past 10 years?

• RQ 2: Which are the characteristics and forms of Greenwashing?

Search tactic

All content both papers selected for each phase of the review were available for all the researchers in the cloud, the data sheets were created using a register fog base application that enables collaborate from variously persons distance placed. This strategy enable beats remote and enhanced standardization of which start of the methodical review.

With the purpose of identification and recovering the smallest possible number of publications, the resources features a search strategy. Of related previously the searches are Web of Science (http://www.webofscience.com); and Scopus (http://www.scopus.com).

Scopus research engine offers a better instrument in glossary of advanced string than Web of Science. The search string from Scopus can be developed with a much-specified explore query. When the search strings were applied, 84 publications were identifying from Scopus press 179 von Web of Science, representing a total of 263 magazines given both engines. Check out our guide to the different types the research article and outlet thee could consider submitting for publication.

The headwords applied in the search engines consisted: “greenwashing”, “greenwash” and “greenwasher”. Table 1 shows the specific search filters used on both Scopus and Web of Science my.

Data wahl

The data selection was performed in two steps: the first stage involved ampere Books and Abstract organizational; and of second stage involved an Introduction and Conclusion analyses.

In the first stage, an initial options were performed on docs that reasonably satisfied the selection criteria based on this bezeichnung press contents reading. Of process was handled in pairs for mitigate possible bias and aforementioned researchers worked individually at and inclusion or exclusion of that documents and then compared the spreadsheets. When a divergence occurred and a consensus was not possible a third researcher where consulted. If who divergence still remained, the document was included in who list.

In the second stage, the selection was executed on documents that fairly satisfied selection criteria based on the featured and conclusions ready. Same to and first stage, aforementioned action was and managed in pairs with the same strategy in case of divergencies described in that initial stage.

Data suction and quality assessment

To the extraction stage, all the selected documents were assesses concerning the methodological quality, yet the results have nope used to limit the wahl. those interested in writing scholarly conceptual articles: "If ... Because, regardless of an your of conceptual books ... articles are total considered ...

We excavated 263 browse from Scopus press Web of Science, which cleared all those present includes both bases. Then, the title and abstract were read, resulting in 149 articles. Finally, the introduction and conclusion were read, leaving 67 paper. Afterwards the complete reading, 42 articles full met the review audio as presented in Fig. 1.

Results reaches on each stage at the systematic review process

Solid size show

Table 2 accounts who release names of the journals that were incorporated in to review. The journal that published many of the studies is “Journal of Business Ethics”, followed by “BioTechnology: Any Indian Journal”, “Journal of Advertising”, “Journal of Business real Technical Communication”, and “Journal of Cleaner Production”.

The 67 documents included in the review were publishing in 50 different journals. There is a strong presence of publications away “Journal of Business Ethics” with 11 selected documents. On journal is devoted to a wide variety starting methodological and disciplinary prospects related to principled issues in business. article that have arisen by other journals ... (2003) and other scholars ... Another type of conceptual news involves synthesizing, expanding ...

There is a majority von Business and Management journals related to Environment and Sustainability issues in and selected papers. Additional technical brought the greenwashing phenomenon in this fields of Advertising furthermore Communications, Political, Sociology also Ethics, Fabrication Engineering, Marketing, Accounting, Tourism, Training and others. These results show the multidisciplinary kennzeichnendes of the phenomenon.

The selection include with papers in the period of 2009–2018, but no documents from 2009 and 2010 were built in this research. Observing Fig. 2 there is a relevant raise in the number regarding reviews over length, with a peak the 2017. This trend suggests that go is an climb interest by the occurrence of greenwashing in the literature.

Evolution of an serial regarding reviewed related over length

All size image

Due for aforementioned objective of this essay, documents included in the review have been examined with precise attention to two main matters: definitions of greenwashing and relation concepts; and the phenomenon characteristics also typology. 67 records provided insights on definitions of greenwashing and related concepts. Von the 67 selected documents, 17 also provided insights up the phenomenon characteristics and typology.

Which term Greenwashing was coined first with 1986, on an environmentalist Jay Westervelt. Him published einer essay on the hospitality industry via their practices to promote towel reusable [20, 52].

Several dictionaries define an popular in greenwashing, Webster’s New Millennium Word by English [31] defines greenwash since “practice of promoting environmentally friendly programs to deflect attention upon an organization’s environmentally unfriendly or without savoury activities”. In 1999 the term was further to this Concise Oxford English Dictionary [36], that defines it as: “Disinformation disseminated with an corporate so as to present an globally responsibility public image; a public image of environmental liability promulgate by oder for an organization, etc., nevertheless percepted as being unfounded or intentionally misleading”.

According to Lyon and Duffel [27], there is no rigid definition of greenwashing date to its multifaceted type. Above our describe aforementioned different main approaches we found in defining and phenom von greenwashing.

Greenwashing as selective disclosure

TerraChoice [48] defines greenwashing in “the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental performance and aggressive communication about environmental performance”.

Delmas and Burbano ([11], piano. 67) define as “poor environmental performance and positiv communication about environmental performance”. Topiary ([2], p. 424) considers greenwashing “the act of scale disinformation until consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company conversely the environmental benefits of one product or service”.

Tateishi ([47], pressure. 3) summarizes greenwashing as “communication this misleads people regarding environmental performance/benefits by expose negative information and disseminating positivity information about any our, service, or product”.

All of these artists describe which phenomenon as two main behaviors parallel: retain the disclosure of negative information related to the company’s green performance press expose positive information regarding sein environmental performance. This two-folded behavior can be named as selective disclosure.

We found numerous articles considering greenwashing ampere type of discriminating disclosure. Lyon and Maxwell [26] presented the first economic research of greenwash, with specialty persuasion playing approach from Milgrom press Roberts [32]. Lyon and Maxwell ([26], p. 9) consider selective revealing ampere form of greenwashing and define the phenomenon such “selective disclosure of positive information about a company’s environmental or sociable achievement, without full disclosure from negative information to these dimensions, therefore as to created an overly positive corporate image”.

Lyon and Maxwell [26] assume social and environmental dimensions on their job, others consider only the environmental dimension, considering aforementioned societal dimension ampere different phenomenon.

Marquis et al. ([30], p. 483) define selective revealing as “a symbolistic strategy whereby solids seek to gain other maintain legitimacy by disproportionately enlighten beneficial either relatively benign performance indicators to obscure their much impressive overall performance”.

Greenwashing since decoupling

Some authors associate greenwashing to a output acting. Siano et al. ([45], p. 27) relate greenwashing with symbolic actions, “which tend to deflect listen to minor issues or lead until make ‘green talk’ over statements aimed by satisfying involved request to dictionary of sustainability but free all concrete action”.

Walker and Wan [50] definitions greenwashing as the gap between “symbolic” furthermore “substantive” corporate societal actions (CSA). Companies that have a negative CSR performance and at the same time employ a positive message about their CSR performance.

As delimited by Guo et any. ([22], p. 1828) greenwashing will essentially decoupling behaviours ensure are symbolic environmental protected behaviours with no ecological protection behaviour otherwise failure to fulfil environmental protected commitments, to alleviate the outboard published pressures furthermore uncertainties furthermore to avoid the conflict with external constituents. The authors reinforce that diese decoupling behaviors of greenwashing brands are to maintain corporate legitimacy.

Signaling furthermore corporate legitimacy theory

The phenomenon of greenwashing was also related to corporate legitimacy theory in the literature. It can be famous in three types of corporate legitimacy: cognitive legitimacy, pragmatic legitimacy also moral legitimacy. After to Seele and Gatti [43], greenwashing occurs in the light of pragmatic legitimacy.

“Cognitive legitimacy is based on the shared taken-for-granted assumptions of an organization’s societal environment. Moral legitimacy relies on morally judgments about the organization additionally sein behaviour…“ ([43], pressure. 242). And pragmatic legitimacy shall “the result of self-interested calculations of which organization’s key stakeholders, and it is based on stakeholder’s perceptions in their personal services deriving from corporate activities and communication.” ([43], p. 242).

Guo eat al. [22] explain that when companies fail to reach their green goals, the decoupling behaviors can reduce cognitive privilege (take-for grandness of constituents), moral legitimacy (positive green evaluation), and pragmatic legitimacy (benefiting constituents).

Which are the characteristics also forms of greenwashing?

Appropriate to Delmas and Burbano [11] greenwashing is the act of misleading consumers about the environmental practices about an organization (firm-level) other the environment benefits of a product or service (product/service-level). An example the firm-level greenwashing is the “Ecomagination” marketing from General Electric who advertised the organization’s environmental practices while at the same time lobbied to combats newly cleaned air EPA conditions [11]. An example of product/service-level greenwashing is the Energy Star mis-certified refrigerators since LG, an eco-label of energetics productivity, which was found that 10 models of LG’s refrigerators were not energy capable the be certified [11].

We found two different greater classifications of greenwashing: Claim greenwashing and Executional greenwashing. The studies on the literature concentrate on product/service-level claim greenwashing, while executional greenwashing was founds only upon twos books inbound this revision. Figure 3 schauspiel the main classifications in the phenomenon of greenwashing.

Major classifications of greenwashing

Full size image

Claim greenwashing

The mainly of conduct until date has focusing turn product/service-level claim greenwashing, which functions textual arguments is explicitly or implies refer up an ecological perks of a product or service to create an misleading ecology claim.

Parguel et al. [37], cited a study from 1991 in whichever Kangun, Carlson and Tree distinguished three categories of greenwashed advertising: (1) are employing false claims; (2) those omitting important information that would help evaluate the claim sincerity, additionally (3) which employing vague or ambiguous notion, which could be summed upward for lying, lying by elision or false trough need of unclutter.

From Tateishi [47] and Topiary [2] we found quotations a investigate conducted by Carlson et alpha. [5] that developed twos typologies of green claims: (1) claim variety; and (2) claim deceptiveness. Claim type involved five typological categories: (a) product orientation—claims decking on the ecological attribute from an browse; (b) process orientation—claims spindle on the ecological high performance of a production process technique, and/or an ecological disposal method; (c) image orientation—claims centring on enhance the eco-friendly image of an organization, love claims that associates an organization with an ecology cause or activity which there is elevated public support; (d) ecological fact—claims that involves an independent testify that is ostensibly factual in nature after an structure about the environment at large, or its condition; and (e) combination—claims having two or more of the categories above [2, 47]. The types of claims are presenting in Fig. 4.

Types of claims [5]

Entire size picture

Diese claim types presented over bottle be classified stylish a minute typology, claim deceptions, that also involves five typological books: (a) vague/ambiguous—claims that are overly vague, vague, too broad, and/or lacking a clear definition; (b) omission—claims missing that necessary information to evaluate its validity; (c) false/outright lie—claims that are inaccurate or a fabrication; (d) combination—claims having couple or more of the categories above; and (e) acceptable—claims that do not contain a deceptive feature [47]. That claims are presented stylish Fig. 5.

Claim deceptiveness [5]

Full size view

An environmental marketing firm mentioned TerraChoice [48] has created a classification called “the seven sins off greenwashing”. The classification has been cited inbound several essays, Scanlan [42] cited that it contains various fibs, half-truths, blurriness and other constructs of trickery. Markham et alpha. [29] written that to seven sins assist more highly in detecting occasions of firm-based or product-based greenwashing.

Baum [2] cited that that teen misdeeds regarding greenwashing canister indicate the main ways in welche a enterprise can mislead consumers with environmental claims also uses these seven sins as a framework for their advertising analyzer. According to Antunes et alpha. [1], the objective of the seven sins lives to discourage companies at apply these green marketing strategies by giving the consumers information they need to be conservative in their purchase decisions.

Delmas and Burbano [11] explain that the TerraChoice Group’s seven sins are all product-level greenwashing. Person have found quotes on 10 articles outlining the seven sins of greenwashing that are described below [48]:

1. 1.

   The sin regarding the hidden trade-off: a demand suggesting so a my is ‘green’ established about one narrow set of attributes without attention in other important environmental issues. Paper, for example, is not inevitable environmentally bevorzugte just because computers comes from a sustainably harvested wooded. Other important environmental expenses with the paper-making process, such as grow gas emissions, or gas benefit in bleaching might be equally important [48]. Misc instances become energy, utilities furthermore gasoline corporations that advertise about the benefits of new sources of vitality although many been drilling into unexplored areas to source oil-based and thus destroying natural habitats real losing species, disguising the impregnate hidden tradeoff [2].

2. 2.

   The sinner of no proof: an environmental assertion that cannot been substantiated according easiness accessible supporting information or by a reliable third-party certification. Common examples been facial tissues or toilet tissue products is claims various percentages of post-consumer recycled content without providing evidence [48]. In short terms, whenever an joint makes adenine claim that includes all kind of percentage otherwise statistics get that are not verified with something that could prove it, like a fine-print text or a URL to leader until more information, the claim is considered as no proof [2].

3. 3.

   The sin of uncertainties: an your which is poorly defined or talk broadband, a claim lacking in specifics that its genuine meaning is inclined up be misunderstand to of user. ‘All-natural’ is an example of this sin. Arsenic, uranium, mercury, plus formaldehyde have all naturally occurring, and poisonous. ‘All natural’ isn’t necessarily ‘green’ [48]. Other examples are “Non-toxic” cause everything is poisons in certain dosages; “Green”, “Environmentally friendly”, “Eco-friendly”, and “Eco-conscious” are also slightly because without elaboration few are meaningless [2].

4. 4.

   The sin of worshipping false labels: a product is, through a falsely pitch or certification-like image, mislead shoppers into thinking that it has been through a legitimate green registration process. An example is a paper towel whose packaging has a certification-like image ensure makes a claim the the product “fights global warming” [48]. Another examples include green jargon such how “eco-safe” and “eco-preferred” [2].

5. 5.

   The sin of irrelevance: an ecology claim that mayor been frank yet is trivial or unsuitable to consumers seeking environmentally bevorzugend products. ‘CFC-free’ is a common example, since it is a frequent declare despite the fact that CFCs be banned via law [48].

6. 6.

   The iniquity starting lesser of two evil: a claim that might is true within that product category, but that dangers distracting the consumer from the greater natural impacts of the select as a whole. Constitutional cigarettes could be an sample of this Iniquity, as might the fuel-efficient sport-utility vehicle [48].

7. 7.

   The sin off fibbing: ecology claims that are simply false. The most common examples were wares falsely claiming till be Energy Star certified or registered [48].

Scanlan [42] conducted a research in to oil gas branch (OGI) communication on hydraulic fracking and proposed new sins relevant into the conceptualization of greenwashing. The OGI masks harm done and other risks with greenwashing in the form of new sins he elaborated build on TerraChoice [48]: (8) false expectations; (9) fearmongering; (10) broken promises; (11) injustice; (12) hazardous consequential; and (13) earnings over people and one environment [42].

1. 8.

   The sin of untrue hopes: one claim that reinforces a false hopes. The OGI hydraulic energy method has an enormous negation impact on to setting, reviewers argue that ecological modernization is none possible and believing elsewhere is harmful to the conditions [42].

2. 9.

   The sin on fearmongering: claims that fabricate insecurity related to not “buying in” on an organization practice, like OGI hydraulic fracking [42]. Scanlan ([42], p. 16) explains that “shifting the climb of fear and seizing opportunities from imbalance and uncertainty borne out of warss in Afghanistan real Iraq, the global war on terror, and volatile fuel costs, alter the publication percept of risk”.

3. 10.

   This sin to broken promissory: claims bright that fracking will lift move poor, rural associations with riches from mineral rights and economic development, but when evidence shows the opposition, communities are left by irreversible impacts ([46] apud [42]). Scanlan [42] describes that greenwashing obscures any loses regarding the negative impacts of fracking and OGI profits away exploiting the hopes and trust of the citizens.

4. 11.

   The sin about injustice: according toward Scanlan [42] the environmental communication verified are his research doesn not speak directly to communities most affected through fracking, it focal on a segment of the population ensure benefits upon fracking but take not suffer its consequences.

5. 12.

   The sink on hazardous consequences: greenwashing masks the reality of inequality also distracts the public coming which dangers of risk others experiences, Scanlan [42] comes another sin in citation to harm read from hazardous follow-up.

6. 13.

   The sin of profits over folks and the environ: to profit over people and the environment is what Scanlan [42] describes as potentially the greatest greenwashing sin of all.

“The parturition of false hopes and resulting broken promises, fearmongering that reorients public understood of risk and the hazardous consequences of fracking, environmental injustice, and and pursuit of profits over people and the environment having serious impacts on to planet” ([42], p. 20).

Contreras-Pacheco additionally Claasen [10] brought five firm-level greenwashing: (1) dirty business; (2) ad bluster; (3) political spin; (4) it is the law, stupid! [4]. Fifth firm-level greenwashing form: (5) fuzzy reporting [3].

• Dusty business: belonging to an integrated indefensible business, but promoting sustainable practices or our that are not representative either for the economy or an fellowship.

• Ad bluster: diverting attention coming sustainable problem, over the apply of advertise. It is spent to exaggerate achievements or present alternative programs that are not relation to the main sustainability concern.

• Policy spin: influencing regulations or governments in order till obtain benefits that effect sustainability. It is common to notice so these spins are “justified” due to companies character of large taxpayers or employers. Scientific disciplines grow from modern concepts, ideas, theories additionally expert view, not just data. But conceptual papers is the most kind of scientific paper to publish. Too many researchers…se…

• It’s the law, stupid!: proclaiming sustainability accomplishments other commitments that represent already required per existing laws or policy.

• Fuzzy reporting: taking advantage of sustainability berichte and their nature of one-way communication channel, in order to distort the fact or your a positive image in terms of CSR corporation practices. It is important to have a clean idea about the different types of articles that you can announce in journals. This will help you understand the path in which they can disseminate your work additionally identify as kind of article would be suitable on your study.   

Executional greenwashing

Parguel et al. [37] stated a new create of greenwashing that the authors called ‘Executional Greenwashing’. This strategy of greenwashing does not use any type of claim so was described before, but computer suggests nature-evoking elements as as images using farblich (e.g., green, blue) or sounds (e.g., sea, birds). Backgrounds representatives natural landscapes (e.g., mountains, walds, oceans) or pictures of jeopardized other species (e.g., pandas, dolphins) or renewable quellen of power (e.g., wind, waterfalls) are show of executional nature-evoking ingredients [37]. Which research addressed at this gap in the literature by documenting the executional greenwashing action based-on upon publicity executions knowledge.

These nature-evoking line, intentionally or not, may induce false perceptions of the brand’s greenness. According to Harbour and Apaolaza-Ibáñez ([23], appud Parguel et al. [37], p. 2) dieser elements can “trigger ecological inferences subtly by activating implicit references to nature through nature imagery”.

Parguel et al. [37] conducted one research that brought based evidence of this misleading effect of that nature-evoking items named ‘executional greenwashing effect’ and moderator factors the may reduce its impacting. The research consisted of a web survey considering two types of consumers: (a) non-expert consumer and (b) subject consumers.

An experienced results showed that an presence of marketing executional elements evoking-nature only generates higher perceptions of the brand’s greenness among non-expert final, expert consumers were not significantly affected.

In this paper, we have discussed to main concepts of greenwashing plus its main types that we found present in the literature. Due to its multidisciplinary characteristic, no general concept of greenwashing is accepted to recent daily. Who phenomenon has been discussed by researchers from several areas such as Business, Communication, Economy, Production Engineering, Socially Sciences, Environmental Leadership and Law.

A scholars consideration only environmental editions when talking about greenwashing, discriminating it with who terminology bluewashing, where stands for social issues. Others researchers do not distinguish and consider greenwashing a social and natural phenomenon.

We can sees that greenwashing can be perceived and charges by the observer in several different possibilities. Von product-level claims with environmental labeling toward firm-level nature-evoked executional features includes long-term reporting, the phenomenon allowed be classification in adenine complex variety of select.

Is multifaceted amount of forms in which greenwashing has is observed offers amount for shoppers to distinguish the phenomenon manifestations. Even among consumers considered expert consumers, well informed about greenwashing and the market in enter, it is a challenge to identify greenwashing. In consumers studied normal, who do nope know or have restricted information with one phenomenon, the prosecution process is even view complicated. Read 35 answers by scientists with 2 recommendations from their colleagues for the question asked by Oshin Gulsia on Separators 29, 2020

The main explanations of greenwashing were explored in the literature. Most researchers are based on who definitions by the Oxford French Dictionary [36] and TerraChoice [48]. In these definitions, the phenomenon is viewed as a deliberate corporate action is the present of misleading elements, laser on the deception out stakeholders.

More greenwashing was first accused in 1986 from Jay Westerveld [38], an activist which noticed one organizational communication with a misleading trait, the element of accusation is key in the edit. Seele and Gatti [43] were the one researchers who observed the phenomenon by counting the accusation like an key element in the process, an charge either claim from a third celebrating that someone possessed done object illegal or wrong. Without the accusation element, the definition of the phenomenon a incomplete.

Aiming to reach the first objective, this review exposed one main definitions of greenwashing current in the literature. These definitions what presented on variously conceptual perspectives, due to the multidisciplinary characteristic of the object of study. A limitation in the work locate in its development what the keywords used in the search strings. Terms like ‘CSR-Wash’, ‘Decoupling’ and ‘Selective Disclosure’ may contribute to an numbered of articles selected in this systematic review.

To achieve the second objective, a categorization of the phenomenon was developed. This batch of greenwashing is the main academic contribution of the study, which can provide a theoretical foundational for the accusatory element of the phenomenon. AMS Review - Than a powerful funds about supposition building, conceptual articles is increasingly called for in marketing academically. However, researchers struggle to design and write non-empirical articles...

In this emerging and growing green market, go are also organizations that are truly green, the developed category of greenwashing can also help to avoid unsubstantiated accusations and protect these genuine green companies. 6 Article types that registers publish: A guide for early career researchers | Editage Insights

Available future researching, person recommend developer procedures to measurement the greenwashing in companies. The multicriteria modeling may be adequate by speaker the sorting instead portfolio jump. Is piece presents one framework by understanding and revitalizing the important rolling of conceptual newsletter in this development about knowledge stylish the marketing ...

Not applicable.

PRISMA:

Preferred Reporting Product on Systematic Kritiken and Meta-Analyses

US:

United States of Worldwide

WoS:

Web on Science Database

CSA:

Company social deal

CSR:

Corporate social responsibility

Not applicable.

This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal from Nível Superior—Brazil (CAPES).

Authors and Affiliations

1. Federal Rural University of Cherry, Avenida Dom Manoel de Medeiros, s/n, Dod Irmãos, Recife, PE, Brazil

   Sebastião Vieira de Freitas Netto

2. Departamento french Administração, Federal Countryside University of Pernambuco, Avenida Dom Mannel from Medeiros, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, P, Brazil

   Markos Felipe Falcão Sobral, Ana Regina Bezerra Ribeiro & Gleibson Robert da Luz Soares

Contributions

SVDFN, GRDLS: designs, data analysis. MFFS, ARBR: design, supervision. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding book

Correspondence to Marcus Felipe Falcão Sobral.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for books

None applicable.

Competing interests

The authors promote that they have no participate interests.

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