The EU Green Claims Directive doesn't ban environmental marketing. It bans bad environmental marketing. There's a huge difference.
Companies that genuinely invest in sustainability should be able to talk about it. They just need to follow the rules. Here's how.
The Golden Rules
1. Be Specific, Not Vague
This is the single most important rule. Vague claims are the number one enforcement target.
| Don't Say | Do Say |
|---|---|
| "Eco-friendly" | "Made with 60% post-consumer recycled plastic" |
| "Sustainable" | "Certified B Corp since 2022" |
| "Green" | "Manufactured using 100% renewable electricity" |
| "Natural" | "Contains only plant-derived ingredients (full list on label)" |
| "Better for the planet" | "40% lower carbon footprint than our 2020 baseline (verified by SGS)" |
2. Show Your Evidence
Every claim should have a trail that leads to verifiable evidence. The best approach:
- Make the claim on-page
- Link to a detailed methodology page
- Reference the third-party verifier or certification
- Provide access to underlying data on request
3. Define Your Scope
Specify exactly what your claim applies to:
- The product itself?
- The packaging?
- A specific manufacturing step?
- Your operations but not your supply chain?
Saying "our business is carbon neutral" when only your office is carbon neutral (not your supply chain, shipping, or product usage) is misleading.
4. Avoid Absolute Claims Unless You Can Prove Them
"Zero waste," "100% sustainable," "completely circular" — these absolute claims require absolute proof. If there's any exception, any waste stream, any non-circular element, the claim fails.
Qualified claims are almost always safer and more credible: "We divert 94% of manufacturing waste from landfill" beats "zero waste" every time.
5. Don't Use Offsets as Your Only Story
Under the directive, carbon offset claims must be supplementary to actual reduction efforts. Lead with what you've actually changed, then mention offsets if applicable:
"We reduced our manufacturing emissions by 35% since 2020. For our remaining emissions, we invest in verified direct air capture projects through [provider]."
Visual and Design Guidelines
Logos and Labels
- Only use recognized, third-party eco-labels (EU Ecolabel, FSC, Cradle to Cradle, etc.)
- Don't create your own green seal or eco-badge — self-created labels will be banned
- If you display a certification, make sure it's current and the product is actually certified
Color and Imagery
While not explicitly regulated (yet), be careful with:
- Green color schemes on products that aren't particularly green
- Nature imagery (leaves, trees, water) on products unrelated to nature
- Packaging that looks "natural" when the product isn't
These visual cues create implied claims that regulators increasingly scrutinize.
Content Marketing Best Practices
Blog Posts and Articles
- Write about your actual sustainability journey, including setbacks and challenges
- Use data and cite sources
- Acknowledge what you haven't achieved yet — transparency builds trust
Social Media
- The same rules apply in 280 characters — specific beats vague
- Don't oversimplify complex claims for social media if it makes them misleading
- "One of our products is [claim]" is better than implying your whole brand is
Quick Self-Assessment
Before publishing any environmental claim, ask these five questions:
- Is this specific and measurable?
- Can I point to evidence that supports it?
- Have I defined the scope clearly?
- Would a critical journalist agree with how I've framed this?
- Would a regulator find this claim substantiated?
If you answer "no" to any of these, revise before publishing.
Need to check your existing content? Run our free scanner on your website — it'll flag the claims that need attention.