FESPA releases Anti-Greenwashing Sustainability Guide

Key findings: 
•    Most environmental claims are vague, unproven, or misleading, with 53% of claims vague or unfounded and 40% lacking evidence  
•    Greenwashing can occur even when a claim is technically true 
•    EU and UK sustainability regulations are tightening significantly 
•    The printing industry faces particular risks around terms like ‘biodegradable’, ‘compostable’, and ‘eco-friendly.’ 
•    ‘Lifecycle thinking’ is essential to avoid misleading claims, because improvements in one stage may hide negative impacts elsewhere 
 
FESPA has launched a new Anti-Greenwashing Sustainability Guide, designed to help businesses across the print and visual communications industries navigate changing regulations.  The Guide advises businesses on how to ensure their sustainability messaging is accurate, credible and evidence-based – and ultimately avoid ‘greenwashing’.  

The guide, titled ‘Understanding and Avoiding Greenwash’, is part of FESPA’s Sustainability Spotlight initiative, and it provides practical guidance for companies aiming to communicate their improved, greener business operations responsibly while avoiding the reputational and legal risks associated with misleading claims.  

FESPA says that sustainability has become a major purchasing criterion for brands and consumers alike, and the pressure on businesses to demonstrate environmental responsibility has increased significantly over the last decade. At the same time, governments and regulators across the UK and EU are tightening legislation to prevent misleading or unsubstantiated environmental claims.

Research cited in the guide highlights the scale of the challenge. It says that more than 53% of environmental claims are vague, misleading, or unfounded, while 40% lack supporting evidence. In addition, the EU alone currently has more than 230 sustainability labels and 100 green energy labels, many of which vary in transparency and verification.  

These inconsistencies can create confusion for both businesses and consumers – and the need for guidance is clear. 

The guide highlights that technically true claims may still be considered misleading if they omit relevant information, exaggerate benefits or fail to reflect the full lifecycle impact of a product. As such, generic statements such as “eco-friendly” or “sustainable”, without substantiation, are increasingly falling under regulatory scrutiny. 

To help businesses avoid these pitfalls, the guide outlines the key principles underpinning environmental claims legislation in the UK and the EU.  

These frameworks require that claims be clear, specific, evidence-based, and verifiable. Claims also need to consider the entire lifecycle of a product, where relevant.  

A key focus of the guide is the growing importance of supply chain transparency. Even businesses that operate primarily in business-to-business markets may be required to provide evidence that supports sustainability claims made by their customers. As a result, organisations must maintain robust documentation and ensure that supplier information supports any environmental claims made about products or services.  

The guide also highlights upcoming regulatory developments, including the EU’s Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition, which will introduce stricter requirements for environmental claims upon full implementation by 2026. These changes are expected to place greater emphasis on substantiated claims, certification schemes and transparency around carbon-related claims and offsets.  

In addition to regulatory compliance, the guide encourages businesses to adopt a ‘lifecycle and systems-thinking’ approach to sustainability. By examining the full environmental impact of products – from raw materials and manufacturing to distribution, use and end-of-life – organisations can communicate accurately and effectively. This approach not only helps them avoid greenwashing but also supports transparency across the supply chain.  

The guide features practical advice for companies to demonstrate their environmental consciousness without greenwashing. For example, they can use recognised certifications and improve their internal processes to support and validate their claims. The guide encourages collaboration across supply chains and emphasises the importance of listening to customer concerns while communicating sustainability initiatives clearly and responsibly. 

FESPA says that its Understanding and Avoiding Greenwash guide highlights that credible sustainability is no longer defined by ambition alone; it’s achieved with clarity, evidence and transparency across the entire value chain. As regulatory scrutiny intensifies, businesses that move beyond generic claims to robust lifecycle-based communications will be best placed to protect their reputation and support their customers.

By equipping the print and visual communications industry with practical, actionable guidance, FESPA says it is helping them to confidently move from broad sustainability statements to precise, verifiable claims that align with regulatory requirements, as well as stakeholder and customers’ trust.