Are you greenhushing for fear of an environmental backlash?

Customers in the construction industry, whether that’s trade professionals, specifiers or public sector decision makers, have never been more focused on the environmental impact of products and services. Sustainability within construction undeniably drives product choices and specifications.

However, those making these decisions have also never been more questioning of statements made by businesses about their products.

Why construction brands are motivated to avoid greenwashing

Many brands are keenly aware that their reputation can be damaged if what they say about their product turns out to be incorrect in some way, especially in relation to sustainability.

With ecological impact being a common consumer priority, construction customers are specifically on the lookout for the use of misleading environmental claims or so-called ‘greenwashing’ in construction product communications.

In addition to this, there is now a determination, not only in construction but also more widely, to crack down on greenwashing. Since April 2025, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has had new powers to directly enforce consumer protection law, including on misleading environmental statements. The CMA is able to levy fines of up to 10% of the business’s global turnover if it is found to have breached the rules.

The rise of greenhushing – What is it and why is it a problem for businesses?

Growing consumer focus on sustainability has led to a trend of ‘greenhushing’, where businesses are increasingly saying less about sustainability to minimise the risk of getting it wrong. Even where real progress has been made, news of these efforts is kept quiet for fear of drawing scrutiny.

Reluctance in communicating sustainability will often handicap the business in competing for sales and specifications. When competitors are positioning themselves as the sustainable choice, they will inevitably receive more attention from potential customers. Also, if the green credentials of a business or product are not communicated, customers may assume that the business is keeping quiet for a reason.

How to communicate sustainability effectively

One of the most important factors in talking about environmental performance without fears of misleading customers is to be clear, precise, and grounded by robust evidence.

For instance, our work with the Structural Timber Association on the Time for Timber campaign was based on credible data and industry insight, positioning timber as a key solution in achieving net zero without overstating.

Construction professionals are now used to receiving and understanding sustainability information. Brands can make nuanced statements and still get the message across. Most potential customers appreciate that all environmental claims have to be qualified to some extent, and honesty on these issues builds trust in the mind of the customer.

Stating a product is ‘carbon neutral - cradle to gate’, rather than simply ‘carbon neutral’ still shows a sincere effort and laudable success in minimising the environmental impact but in a way that prevents claims of greenwashing. It also shows potential customers that the business is committed to full transparency about the environmental impact.

Instead of weighing up the risks of greenhushing vs greenwashing and choosing the former as a safety net, aim for the middle ground between these poles. Be honest about achievements while also communicating limitations.

For example, when we supported Geocel in launching their innovative EcoSeal system, messaging emphasised a reduction rather than elimination of plastic waste, with both specifics and limitations made clear:

• EcoSeal systems are reusable up to 75 times – not indefinitely
• Can result in 8 times less plastic waste – but some waste remains

How the Green Claims Code can help businesses avoid greenhushing and greenwashing

As part of its focus on minimising misleading product information, the CMA has produced the Green Claims Code – a guide to help businesses communicate sustainability achievements responsibly. At the core of this are six key principles:

• Claims must be truthful and accurate
• Claims must be clear and unambiguous
• Claims must not omit or hide important relevant information
• Comparisons must be fair and meaningful
• Claims must consider the full life cycle of the product or service
• Claims must be substantiated

When used as a guide, these principles can give businesses confidence in the statements they are making. They provide a solid foundation for what an honest environmental claim looks like.

As well as guiding marketing copy and messaging, they can help customer-facing teams discuss sustainability in a responsible way. It’s an area we’ve supported before in our work with Saint-Gobain brands Minster and Jewson Civils Frazer. Through an engaging internal comms campaign, we helped turn their employees into ‘net-zero heroes’, enabling them to speak confidently on related topics with customers.

Working with a construction PR agency that understands sustainability

A construction industry PR specialist can help connect you with your target audience – complementing and boosting your own marketing efforts. However, you also need a partner that shares your commitment to responsible, transparent environmental messaging.

Any agency you work with must also understand the nuances of communicating sustainability to built environment professionals.

Partner with CIB to communicate sustainability with credibility

At CIB, we have decades of experience working with clients to craft their environmental messaging and promote their green credentials. Find out more about our work here or get in touch with our expert team to find out how we can help you speak up about sustainability.