The worry of greenwashing is real, with companies such as Coca-Cola and IKEA facing lawsuits due to their own sustainability messaging. As a salon business, you don’t want to be facing these sorts of financial and reputational conflicts.
We caught up with UK Greetings to find out how small businesses can avoid greenwashing claims whilst still contributing to a better, more sustainable society:
KEEP COMMUNICATION CLEAR
It has been found that 77% of UK customers don’t understand what companies are claiming when they talk about sustainability. Sending clear, consistent messages is a simple way to ensure your business is advertising its sustainability practises fairly.
AVOID OVERPROMISING
Whilst it’s tempting to claim your productions will reduce carbon emissions by a certain percentage, big problems can arise if you don’t meet this target. Instead, advertise your past efforts which have suitable data to back them up; talk about how you have already helped the environment, rather than how you hope to.
ENVIRONMENTAL STAFF
Consider hiring a professional to assist in your social responsibility management. A Corporate Sustainability Officer, for example, would provide your business with are presentative to consider the environmental implications of all procedures. In this way, you can also ensure your business isn’t making claims that arefalse or unsustainable.
PARTNERSHIPS
Ensuring your partner companies share the same morals and values as you do is a crucial step to meeting your sustainability goals. Not only does your messaging apply to your own company, but customers and the media will look to who you actively work with to represent these matters too.
Visit the UK Greetings website here
Olivia Garden Europe and Denman International have joined forces as in augural members of the Hair Styling Tool Collective. The collective endeavours to lessen the environmental impact of hair tool products to bring greater sustainability to the daily lives of hair professionals. The six objectives of the charter are:
1. Promoting sustainable products: Developing more sustainable products through continuously striving to reduce their ecological footprint.
2. Encouraging responsible manufacturing practices: Minimising waste, optimising the use of natural resources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, as well as promoting a circular economy by advocating for the recycling of products.
3. Measuring greenhouse gas emissions: Through understanding its carbon footprint, the Collective will identify opportunities to contribute to climate change mitigation efforts.
4. Raising awareness and training hairdressers: Providing information and training on sustainable practices to hairdressers.
5. Collaboration and knowledge sharing: Fostering the exchange of knowledge, experiences and resources to encourage partnerships with other stakeholders committed to sustainability.
6. Transparency and accountability: Committing to measuring, monitoring and regularly reporting on its environmental, social and economic performance.
Demonstrating its continued commitment to sustainable and ethical practices, KMS announces it remarkable success at the Global Green Beauty Awards. In a highly competitive line-up, the KMS Conscious Style Cleansing Mist was awarded the Silver medal in the Best Natural Haircare Product category, and the KMS Therma Shape Quick Blow Dry spray claimed the Bronze medal in the Best Vegan Haircare Product category. This recognition is a testament to KMS’ sun wavering dedication to crafting products that are gentle, effective and environmentally friendly, catering to conscious consumers around the world.
Find out more about the Conscious Style Cleansing Mist here
