Sustainability goes further than ‘green claims’ or environmental claims in advertising. It encompasses responsible claims throughout the marketing processes and procurement.
When making green claims it is important to follow the fundamental rule; be able to substantiate the claim when making it. There has been much criticism of ‘green wash’ in marketing; the advertising rules tackle this problem with specific advice.
Green claims rules
ISBA was at the leading edge of the development of specific rules on green claims and environmental issues in marketing. ISBA work led to the inclusion of Environmental Claims section of the CAP Code. These rules were recently updated for both the broadcast and non broadcast codes in 2010 and the scope of the CAP code widen to include website content.
Sitting alongside the Codes of Advertising Practice are the government’s guidance. These were recently updates by DEFRA with the involvement of ISBA and the advertising industry and campaign groups. The Guidance should be consulted alongside the CAP and BCAP codes and are taken into account by the ASA Council in making adjudications on complaints.
The ICC global Advertising and Marketing Codes also includes advice on environmental claims.
Environmental terms
When making claims, especially comparative claims, it is important that we all understand the meaning of the terms used. The problem is that for many terms there are conflicting definitions, some of which are fundamental campaigning issues.
Procurement
ISBA Sustainable advertising group supports work on making commercial communications more sustainable through developing advice on procurement. For example the PAS 2020 standard for direct mail was supported, promoted and shared by the group. Similarly interest is shared in making sustainability a factor in the decision making in purchasing commercial communications.