Two Sides says its anti greenwash campaign, which encourages businesses to cease making false environmental claims for paperless billing, has had a successful 2019 with 131 companies globally changing their messaging.
The global campaign identified 388 companies in 2019 that were encouraging their customers to opt for paperless billing by using slogans including ‘Choose e-billing and help save a tree’ or ‘Go green go paperless’ which the non-profit global promoter of paper and print said is actually about cost cutting.
The total number of worldwide companies that changed their message since the campaign began in 2010 is now at over 500, with many of these being large multinational corporations.
The Two Sides campaign is run in Australia and New Zealand by Kellie Northwood, the CEO of the The Real Media Collective, with a 67 per cent conversation rate reported for this region.
“Australia and New Zealand have achieved a strong 67 per cent conversion of changing incorrect messaging and we continue to tackle the local government claims currently encouraging people to go online for Rates and Notices,” Northwood said.
“Our Keep Me Posted campaign partners with Two Sides in challenging the environmental myths about paper as well as highlighted, particularly in Australia, the digital divide that is alienating consumers who prefer printed bills and statements.”
Jonathan Tame, of the Two Sides global team, says: “Not only are these claims in breach of advertising rules, but they are hugely damaging to an industry which has a solid and continually improving environmental record. Far from ‘saving trees’, a healthy market for forest products, such
as paper, encourages the long-term growth of forests through sustainable forest management.
“Many of the organisations we engage are always surprised to learn that European forests have actually been growing by 1,500 football pitches every day.
“Tackling greenwash is an ongoing challenge that requires significant resource to research, monitor and engage so many organisations. Because of the huge reach of some of these organisations, these unsubstantiated claims about paper have a damaging effect on consumer perceptions of paper. For this reason, the Anti-greenwash campaign will continue to be a priority of Two Sides.
“We are grateful for the cooperation of the hundreds of organisations we have worked with in recent years. We are also thankful for the many industry stakeholders and members of the public who
send Two Sides examples of greenwash.”
Two Sides continues to actively challenge major organisations found to be misleading consumers by using environmental claims about the use of paper. Please send any instances of greenwash to
greenwash@twosides.info.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@sprinter.com.au.
Sign up to the Sprinter newsletter