Distinctive Dispatch #24: From ‘greenwashing’ to ‘greenhushing’ - climate comms in the misinformation age
Why companies keep quiet about green achievements; Distinctive recognised in Good Employment Charter; how people-focused PR can help sell houses; the chance to join our team.
Better comms for people, places and work
It’s been an exciting few weeks for the Distinctive crew. We became an accredited member of the West of England Combined Authority’s Good Employment Charter (cue the confetti), and we’re recruiting for a new role. The team is still beavering away, helping clients to cut through the noise.
This happens at an interesting and challenging time, which we all have to navigate. Our newsletter touches on these challenges and moments that interested and inspired us.
We hope you find it useful. If you have thoughts or suggestions on what you’d like us to cover in future, let us know in the comments or get in touch.
Is ‘greenhushing’ becoming the new normal?
Companies have long been encouraged to celebrate their green credentials. But in an era of misinformation, mistrust and manipulation, many are now considering a tactical silence around sustainability.
The wider context of climate change comms
The volatile political landscape might explain this vibe shift. The atmosphere around environmental policies is increasingly febrile, particularly in the US.
Labour may not have adopted Trump’s ‘drill, baby, drill!’ attitude. But, after ditching its £28bn green investment pledge, the UK government stands accused of watering down its net zero messaging. Climate science seems to have taken a back seat as politicians grapple with rising costs, culture wars and global unrest.
This backdrop poses comms challenges for businesses, which we summarise below alongside thoughts on how to navigate this landscape.
Cutting through the noise online
The problem: It feels like a long time since social media was a place where climate activists rallied support for their cause. Online spaces are now awash with conspiracy theories – especially around climate change – and it can be difficult to cut through the digital noise.
The solution: Don’t feed the trolls. If you receive a negative backlash from bad-faith posters, it’s best not to respond. To reach users who are more likely to react positively, don’t underestimate the power of videos and imagery. Use clear, jargon-free language in posts, and create shareable multimedia like animations, infographics, and time-lapse footage of green projects to show their impact.
Unsure whether to send that tweet? Social media may not be the best platform for your latest sustainability report or initiative. A well-timed, well-written media story, which can then be shared on your company blog, will reach a more engaged audience.
The greenwashing backlash
The problem: We’ve all seen the headlines: big brand gets called out for exaggerated sustainability claims. The public has become attuned to companies that overstate or misrepresent their environmental credentials. Even businesses making genuine progress can get caught in the crossfire.
The solution: Avoid accusations of greenwashing by putting substance before spin. Back up your claims with measurable results, anticipate pushback, and partner with green industry experts. Transparency doesn’t have to be tedious. Case studies and interviews can bring the stories behind the data to life.
The perception gap: what companies say vs. what audiences hear
The problem: There’s often a gap between corporate sustainability messaging and how it lands with the public. A company may proudly announce its net zero target for 2050, which to a sceptical audience sounds like kicking the can down the road.
Similarly, a report dense with stats and data probably won’t convert the suspicious or apathetic to your cause.
The solution: Frame your impact in terms people understand - ‘This office development will cut emissions equal to taking 10,000 cars off the road.’ Research shows there is a lack of understanding around sustainability terminology, so cutting the jargon will mean your message is more likely to be understood. Focus on now, not just the future, by highlighting immediate actions you plan to take.
Climate communication in construction
The problem: Housebuilders and developers stand at frontline of the journey to green development. Responsible projects promote energy efficiency, use sustainable materials and even support local wildlife.
But many contractors don’t talk about their efforts at all, fearing scrutiny, criticism, or accusations of not doing enough. This ‘perfection or nothing’ mindset leads to missed opportunities to build trust and engagement.
The solution: Stories about your project’s environmental credentials help to attract interest and investment. They’re also an important way to win hearts and minds in the local community.
Our golden rule? Keep it simple – but specific. Avoid vague buzzwords (‘eco-friendly’ or ‘green construction’ won’t cut it) and use specific examples of carbon savings or clean emissions.
And shine a light on the tangible impact that nature-based solutions, like living walls and sustainable drainage systems, can have on biodiversity.
Don’t be shy about your green achievements
Despite the shifting winds of politics, one thing remains true. Climate change isn’t going anywhere, and businesses that take it seriously will be viewed positively in the long run. A tight focus on the real-world and localised impact of your project will help to sidestep the ideological backlash that can lead to greenhushing.
We will always champion a good story told well, especially when it promotes the companies’ vital work to protect and improve the environment.
During our recent webinar with South West Business Insider editor Colette Flowerdew Kincaid, she confirmed the value of stories with substance: “We are definitely still interested in covering positive business stories, especially where there’s a real impact,” she said.
Our team can help you unlock the confidence to shout about your green achievements rather than whisper them. We’re happy to answer any questions you have about the challenges you’re facing.
Distinctive joins list of West of England’s top employers
We believe in building a workplace based on trust, transparency, and genuine support. That’s why we’re delighted to have that recognised as an accredited member of the West of England Good Employment Charter!
From true flexibility to meaningful career growth, we’re proud to be creating a culture where people do their best work and feel valued. Joining this group of top employers reinforces what we’ve always believed: when people thrive, businesses do too.
We’re hiring!
If you’re a natural story-teller with a passion for comms and are seeking a new challenge, we have a great opportunity to join our small but mighty team as a new PR and content executive.
Things we’ve seen
The Richard Dimbleby Lecture with Sir Gareth Southgate: England men’s football team coach Sir Gareth Southgate touches on the qualities that make a good leader, the importance of positive male role models and the need to ‘set the tone’ for those who follow. Social media comes in for criticism in an outstanding address. It’s a must-watch for us.
Thames Water: Inside the Crisis - BBC Two: It was brave to let the cameras inside the Thames Water offices in the midst of a crisis, but does the company come out well? Their staff do, and there are some real heroes on the front line who are a credit to the team. The media, with shallow questions and lack of grasp of the issues that created this mess don’t. We suspect that Thames Water will be pleased about both these outcomes.
How long will you live? – The Telegraph: Based on research from the Office for National Statistics, The Telegraph created a tool to estimate how likely you are to reach the age of 100. With each generation predicted to continue the trend of living longer, the data predicts we could have more than 70,000 centenarians in England and Wales by 2125, compared to just 150 a hundred years ago.
Things we’ve read
The UK economy is starting to emerge from stagnation – Bloomberg: Whisper it, but beyond the headlines greeting last month’s Spring budget, there are signs of green shoots emerging tentatively beneath our feet. Consumer spending is brisk, further interest rate cuts are expected, and the UK economy is outperforming its EU peers. That’s all laced with some hefty caveats, but we’ll take it for now, thank you.
Is there any point in PR forging strong media relationships? - PRmoment: Relationships with journalists in your patch or specialism used to be a PR’s bread and butter. But, in the changing media landscape, is this still the case? We firmly believe that it’s the quality of your story that matters most, but nurturing those relationships can help your content be seen. We discussed this with business journalist Colette Flowerdew-Kincaid in our recent webinar.
Bluesky now leads X when it comes to journalist engagement: In the continuing trend of users leaving X for other channels, new research has found that while X still has the most journalist profiles, they are more engaged on Bluesky - 36% of journalists had posted on X within the last month, compared to 75% of Bluesky.
Things we’ve heard
Benefit cuts – what is Labour’s media strategy? The Media Show: Katie Razzall and Ros Atkins assess Labour’s comms around the government’s heavily promoted £5bn cuts to welfare. These conversations tend to pit the quality of the communications and clarity of vision against the impact of the policy in question. We’d argue that you need both things to work well consistently to stop people tuning out.
Things we’ve said
Starmer’s red-tape crackdown won’t fix the trust problem: Last month, Kier Starmer took aim at bureaucracy and pledged to cut red tape – notably by abolishing NHS England. Efficiency matters, but so does trust. Ben explains why a ‘slash and burn’ approach to overhauling our public services will not work, and why the government must focus on delivering meaningful, sustainable change.
PR for housebuilders: steps to swerve tumbleweed and sell homes: The housebuilding landscape is complex, but savvy PR can make the difference between tumbleweed and traction. In this blog we break down how clear, people-focused communication builds trust, boosts visibility, and drives sales - making all the difference in a competitive market.
Have a good Easter, and we’ll see you again on 2 May. If you’d like to share or discuss anything before the next edition, please leave a comment or get in touch.