Greenwashing Crackdown: Swiss Commission for Fairness Slams Climate Claims as Unlawful
“Net Zero” on the Radar: Stringent Evidence Requirements for “Climate Neutral” and “Climate Positive”, “environmentally friendly” or “environmentally safe”, “green”, “sustainable”, and “CO2 friendly” Labels.
In a significant move against greenwashing practices last Septembre, the Swiss Commission for Fairness (Formally Die Schweizerische Lauterkeitskommission (SLK) – Swiss Fair Trade Commission) has reprimanded two companies for making misleading claims about their climate neutrality and positivity. The SLK’s rulings reinforce the growing scrutiny of environmental marketing and highlight the need for clear regulatory frameworks to prevent companies from exploiting eco-friendly buzzwords to deceive consumers.
The first case involved Kübler Heizöl AG, which advertised its heating oil as “climate neutral.” The SLK found that the company’s claim was misleading as it did not sufficiently demonstrate the neutrality of its entire carbon footprint. The SLK also noted that the “Certified CO2 Neutral by Swiss Climate” label did not provide sufficient evidence to support the claim.
In the second case, baby food manufacturer HIPP was reprimanded for advertising its products as “climate positive.” The SLK found that the claim was inaccurate as it did not adequately account for the company’s overall carbon footprint. The SLK also criticised HIPP’s reliance on external environmental protection projects to offset emissions, stating that such projects should not be considered in the calculation of a company’s climate impact.
These rulings send a strong signal to companies that greenwashing claims will not be tolerated in Switzerland. Businesses are now under increased pressure to substantiate their environmental claims with robust evidence and adhere to clear standards.
The absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework for green advertising in Switzerland has contributed to the proliferation of misleading claims. The SLK’s decisions underscore the need for specific guidelines to ensure that companies make accurate and transparent statements about their environmental performance.
Consumer protection advocates are calling for the Swiss government to establish a recognised standard for corporate sustainability, providing clear criteria for companies to measure and communicate their environmental impact. Such a standard would help to prevent greenwashing, protect consumers, and encourage genuine efforts to reduce environmental harm.
In light of the SLK’s rulings, companies operating in Switzerland need to carefully review their environmental marketing strategies. They should ensure that their claims are accurate, verifiable, and supported by credible evidence. Businesses that fail to comply with these standards risk facing legal action and reputational damage.
The same situation exists in the EU or the UK where these ‘green’ concepts are not defined and are, therefore, essentially contested concepts, as coined by Walter Bryce Gallie in 1956. However, this be traced back to the ancient Greeks. For example, the Greek philosopher Plato discussed the concept of justice in his work, The Republic. Plato argued that there is no single, definitive definition of Justice and that different people have different conceptions of what justice is. He also argued that the concept of justice is central to human society and that it is constantly being debated and discussed.
The reader will have maybe heard that this definition itself is a contested concept, but it is not the purpose of this blog to expand on this.
Net Zero, enshrined in UK law is one of the most scientifically ludicrous terminology in Sustainability and Global Warming scaremongering. Should any reader have on hand the definition of what Net Zero is and how it is precisely calculated, we are open to learning about it. Good luck with this if you believe there is one, though.
Links to the decision on Die Schweizerische Lauterkeitskommission (SLK) website.
More about here on how Reason Praxis can assist you towards genuine Sustainability and Excellence.
One can only measure what is properly defined. Read more:
- The Importance of Business Definitions
- Insights Analytics: The Method is Key, Technology Follows
- A reflection on What does it Mean to Measure a Business Outcome
- For the UK Public Service, you will have heard about HMT Books, especially the Green Book.
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