Unwanted Green Practices: Greenwashing & Green Claims

Unwanted Green Practices: Greenwashing & Green Claims

In today’s world, sustainability and responsible resource management is no longer an option but a necessity for SMEs. The European Green Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are shaping a new business landscape, requiring strategies that combine growth with respect for the environment and society.

As green marketing continues to gain momentum, so too does the risk of greenwashing—when companies present misleading or exaggerated environmental claims. In response, the European Parliament’s new Directive sets a higher bar for transparency and accountability, introducing stricter controls and demanding truthful, evidence-based sustainability messaging.

Our upcoming seminar is designed to equip participants with practical knowledge and actionable strategies for navigating this evolving landscape. You’ll gain a clear understanding of the current regulatory frameworks, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria, and how to design green marketing strategies that are both credible and competitive

The training will empower you to:

Recognize and avoid misleading sustainability claims
Embrace responsible communication and green branding
Adopt best practices that boost your reputation and build trust with your customers

This is more than just a compliance exercise — it’s a unique opportunity to future-proof your business and lead with integrity in the growing green economy.

Don’t let your business fall behind. Join us and take a bold step toward a more sustainable future.

Upon completion of the training, the trainees will be able to:

Identify and understand the European institutional framework addressing greenwashing and green claims.
Apply ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) tools and criteria to strengthen corporate reputation and stakeholder trust.
Select and utilize specific tools and technologies to develop effective communication and marketing strategies that align with ESG goals.
Analyze data and real-world scenarios to detect misleading information and support well-informed, ethical decision-making.
Propose actionable solutions and actively contribute to the enhancement of sustainable business practices and processes.

Seminar cost €250 | AnAD grant €140 | Net cost €110
The seminar is approved by Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus (HRDA).
Ermis HRDA Code 454540

Dr Constantinos Kounetas

Professor

Economics and Business Administration, University of Patras

Introduction to Greenwashing and Green Claims

Duration: 1 Hours
Introduction to Greenwashing and Green Claims
- What is greenwashing.
- What are Green Claims (environmental statements).
- Historical background: How and why greenwashing was developed.
- The importance of credibility of environmental claims: why honest and verifiable environmental claims are necessary.

Regulatory Framework and Directives

Duration: 2 Hours
Regulatory Framework and Directives
European Union legislation and International Regulations:
- The laws and regulations governing environmental claims, such as the Misleading Advertising Directive and the new Green Claims Directive.
Consumer Protection Regulations:
- Guidelines to avoid misleading consumers.
ISO 14020 framework for environmental product claims.
ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) criteria: how companies should follow specific standards for sustainable practices.

Types of Greenwashing

Duration: 1.5 Hours
Types of Greenwashing
- Fractional statements: How companies present misleading environmental practices.
- Selective Disclosure: Highlighting only the positive aspects while hiding the negative ones.
- Vagueness: Using general and vague statements such as "eco-friendly" without sufficient evidence.
- Unverifiable statements: Environmental claims that cannot be proven or verified.
- Unverifiable or unverifiable environmental claims: Statements that are not related to actual environ-mental actions.

Environmental Communication and Marketing

Duration: 1 Hours
Environmental Communication and Marketing
Best practices in environmental communication:
- Strategies that enhance transparency and credibility.
Transparency and transparency in marketing:
- How to create environmental statements that are accurate and verifiable.
How environmental statements affect company reputation:
- The importance of building trust with consumers through environmental honesty.

Workshop - Case Studies and Practical Exercises

Duration: 1 Hours
Workshop - Case Studies and Practical Exercises
Case Studies Successful Practices:
- Examples of companies that have adopted best practices in environmental advertising.
- Examples of Greenwashing: identification of misleading practices by well-known companies and the results that followed (legal consequences, loss of consumer confidence).
- Lessons learned from mistakes: what to avoid in environmental claims.
Practical Exercises
- Creating Green Statements:
o Participants will be asked to create and evaluate environmental statements.
- The participants will be asked to evaluate Environmental Statements:
o Analyze environmental claims and identify potential greenwashing practices.