Can Marketing Save the Planet?

• Episode 102: ‘Navigating Greenwashing and Green Claims - 4-Part Mini Series’, Part 3 - Katie-Scarlett Wetherall, Lawyer, ClientEarth

  In this episode of the Can Marketing Save the Planet? podcast, we continue on our navigating green claims and greenwashing mini-series speaking with Katie Wetherall, a lawyer at ClientEarth about the brilliant work they do and taking a deep dive into the world of plastics, packaging and recycling. It’s no secret that marketing tactics in this area are long overdue a review. Clever marketing can mislead consumers with what are essentially false sustainability claims - particularly, when one takes into account the bigger picture and lifecycle of the product they appear on. Katie shares with us her insights from legal actions ClientEarth has taken against major corporations such as BP, Total Energies and KLM for misleading claims. In the case of KLM, she explains, “the Dutch court ruled that their claims about the sustainability of flying were misleading and in fact the judge said they painted a far too rosier picture about these kind of high emission activities and the company's compliance with things like the Paris Agreement.” A lot of Katie’s work focuses on greenwashing legal actions and increasingly the area of plastics and consumer goods. The reality of plastic recycling is woeful, Katie shares, “only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled, yet companies continue to label products as "100% recyclable, and even in the UK which has got quite an established sophisticated waste management system the stats hover at around 55%. So I think as an organisation, we argue that that green loop, (sometimes it's a triangle), but that circular symbol, gives a misleading impression of the circularity of plastic.” We go on to talk about the many different challenges of single use plastic; packaging, descriptors and labelling which we see everywhere on products across our everyday lives. Using green symbols and imagery is an area that Katie advises, “I would discourage Marketers from putting the recyclability of a product at the forefront of its marketing, because this is a process they have no control over and which statistics suggest does not work.” There is a lot of great insight and advice shared in this episode which will apply to a lot of organisations, Marketers and products. Tune in as we talk to Katie about: The problem with recycling symbols and should they even be allowed when they don’t guarantee recyclability? The need for Marketers to consider the green claims they are making across the lifecycle of their products. The need to prioritise transparency Shifting to reusable packaging models – not relying on broken recycling systems Supporting people to make informed decisions How greenhushing doesn’t solve the problem   For more information about ClientEarth and the great work they do - visit https://www.clientearth.org/ And, if you’re looking to upskill your team with the green claims landscape - be sure to check out our 3 hour Greenwashing 101 short training course via our Sustainable Marketing Training Hub. One more episode in this mini-series to follow, talking ‘agency side’ with Fanclub PR. Stay tuned.   ________________________________________________________________________ About us… We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍 Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, work with us, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat. You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together. Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.     Episode 102: ‘Navigating Greenwashing and Green Claims - 4-Part Mini Series Part 3 - Katie-Scarlett Wetherall, Lawyer, ClientEarth    

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• Episode 101: ‘Navigating Greenwashing and Green Claims - 4-Part Mini Series’, Part 2 - Guy Parker, Chief Executive, Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)

  In this episode, the second of our greenwashing mini-series we chat to Guy Parker, Chief Executive of the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), about green claims and the role of responsible advertising in sustainability. Guy explains that the ASA’s mission is to, “make sure that ads are legal, decent, honest and truthful. We care about ads not misleading people, not harming them, not offending them and being socially responsible.” Guy highlights that with rising concerns about climate change, the ASA is focused on environmental claims balancing the need for businesses to communicate sustainability efforts without misleading consumers. We discuss the line between greenwashing (exaggerated or false claims) and greenhushing (staying silent due to fear of backlash), and how Marketers can absolutely tread the middle ground between the two. Guy emphasises how businesses should communicate sustainability progress— modestly and precisely, “being a bit more modest in the claims and being a bit more kind of real world in terms of what this means for your customers and your prospective customers, can actually go a very long way.” Focus should be on tangible, near-term actions rather than distant net-zero targets. Most greenwashing isn’t intentional - it stems from lack of education and understanding. Guy points out that Marketers must know the rules and follow the guidance, (ASA’s codes, CMA’s Green Claims Code), collaborate cross-functionally with sustainability teams to ensure accuracy and make use of the breadth of ASA resources (rulings, guidance, and free training), to avoid pitfalls. There is information and knowledge out there for everyone and it’s all very accessible. Guy’s message is clear, businesses must keep talking about sustainability, but do so, responsibly. Tune in as we talk to Guy about: The green claims and advertising landscape. The need for organisations to be transparent and share their sustainability journeys. Why less is more when it comes to green claims - specific, evidence-backed claims are safer. Keep communicating, silence helps no one - we need to talk about it to drive change. Where greenwashing complaints can come from and, how to make a complaint. Why strategies and processes are needed. What resources and guidance are available to support Marketers and organisations considering making green claims.   For resources check out the ASA’s CAP Advertising Guidance, their training and their recent rulings - all of which can be found here. And, if you’re looking to upskill your team with the green claims landscape - be sure to check out our 3 hour Greenwashing 101 short training course via our Sustainable Marketing Training Hub. More in this mini-series to follow with conversations still to come with ClientEarth and Fanclub PR. Stay tuned.   ________________________________________________________________________ About us… We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍 Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, work with us, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat. You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together. Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

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• Episode 100: ‘Navigating Greenwashing and Green Claims - 4-Part Mini Series’, Part 1 - Cecilia Parker Aranha, Director, Competition and Markets Authority

  In our 100th episode of Can Marketing Save the Planet we kick off our ‘4 part mini-series on greenwashing and navigating green claims’ with Cecilia Parker-Aranha, Director of Consumer Protection at the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Cecilia joined us back in 2021, and so it was great to have her join us again to discuss the evolving landscape to provide an up to date understanding of where we are with greenwashing. Since the publication of the Green Claims Code in 2021 significant progress has been made however, challenges remain. Cecilia tells us that since we last spoke, the CMA has taken action against misleading claims in sectors like fashion and fast-moving consumer goods prompting businesses to reassess their environmental messaging. She highlights how technology can be used to aid businesses in tracking supply chain data, but the human part remains crucial to ensure claims are accurate and not misleading. We discuss how consumers are increasingly distrustful of green claims and how now is the time for organisations to focus on making sure what they are saying is accurate and evidence-based. Cecilia again explains that the CMA’s role is not to punish but to guide organisations toward compliance through education and support. However, under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, everyone needs to be aware that the CMA can now impose fines directly and these can be up to 10% of global turnover for breaches and - breaches including misleading green claims. Cecilia explains, “so from April this year (2025), we'll have the power to reach our own decisions on whether or not a business has breached consumer law. The second thing is that at the moment there aren't any financial penalties for breaches of consumer law, at least those pursued through the civil route. Again, from April this year, it will be possible for the CMA to impose financial penalties on businesses who break the law.” Cecilia stresses the importance of collaboration between marketing and sustainability teams to ensure there is clear, accurate communication. She recommends that Marketers test claims with consumers to avoid misinterpretation and ensure transparency. Sharing so much knowledge and advice in this episode Cecilia believes Marketers should start by measuring their impact and build claims from solid evidence. And, this isn’t just for those organisations operating in the UK, and as many organisations sell into other countries, she advises ensuring alignment with global standards like the EU Green Claims Directive. Tune in and listen as we talk to Cecilia about: The current green claims landscape as we progress through 2025 What organisations and Marketers should be thinking about when considering making green claims Where to go to stay informed and up to date Digital products passports and how they align with green claims The use of technology in supporting green claims The need for Marketing teams to work cross-functionally Why it’s important for organisations to talk about what they are doing   For resources check out the CMA’s Green Claims Code and on their website you’ll find lots of information, such as - what has happened in cases and what advice and agreements were reached. These real world cases further provide guidance on the changes organisations need to consider to ensure they are being responsible when making green claims. More in this mini-series to follow with conversations with the ASA, ClientEarth and Fanclub PR. Stay tuned. ________________________________________________________________________ About us… We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍 Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, work with us, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat. You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together. Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

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• Episode 99: The Marketing Playbook for a Circular Economy - Ready to be part of the Shift? …with Andrés Oliva and Neda Hashemi, Ellen MacArthur Foundation

  Round and round and round it goes, where it stops nobody knows… and that’s a really good thing if it means it doesn’t end up in the unmanageable waste landscape we humans have created for ourselves. In our 99th episode we’re joined by Neda Hashemi and Andrés Olivia from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation where we explore why Marketers are key facilitators in the transition to a circular economy. Neda and Andrés talk about their latest research and explain the different ways that the circular economy can future-proof and scale businesses, drive efficiencies, reduce emissions and help to ease the burden we place on biodiversity and the planet. Andrés explains that their are many different ways to implement circularity, “the first one is about selling access rather than ownership for example, a washing machine, what if you rented it instead of owning it? We also have monetising of product through life extension for example selling repair services. And finally, and this is the last resort, once products are no longer fit use, reuse or repair can they can be recycled and turned into new products?” Neda and Andrés share how B2B is leading the charge when it comes to circularity, but in the B2C world, whilst there is plenty of innovation - it is not scaling at the levels required. A reason for this Neda explains is “the demand isn’t happening because behaviours are not consistent.”  She goes to say, “don't be intimidated by the concept of the circular economy and circularity, all need to do is understand the simple premise of what the business model entails, which again, they have been doing forever and inject their creativity and human understanding into it. And then the potential is huge for them to engage with it.” It’s not rocket science, when you remove the word circular economy and focus on what people value and want, then there’s plenty of scope to unlock the opportunities. Tune in to hear us talking about how: Bringing in the marketing function as problem solvers and the key communication interface between the brand, the organisation and the consumer is key. The role of education and how Marketers are critical in driving this. The key areas coming out of the research including their “Four Action Pathways” How Marketers can make circularity desirable, irresistible and remove the barriers for adoption. The ‘Why’ we need to build a circular economy. How focusing on upstream demand should bring in multiple perspectives to take the innovation forward and bring everybody together to organize themselves around the common objectives. Metrics – from circular sales to increased loyalty and lifetime transaction values. Core resilience of the business is often not brought into the business case for circularity. For more information and resources visit the Ellen MacArthur Foundation The Marketing Playbook for a Circular Economy you’ll find here. ________________________________________________________________________ About us… We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍 Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, work with us, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat. You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together. Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

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• Episode 98: Protect the Planet One Square at a Time - Driving nature based impact with transparency and fairness …with Rob Cobbold, Founder and CEO, Native

  “It’s fair and square - every square essentially helps you hit three ESG metrics with a single product.” In this episode of the Can Marketing Save the Planet podcast, we are joined by Rob Cobbold, Founder and CEO, of the brilliant organisation, Native - a platform which allows people, groups, communities and organisations of all sizes to protect the planet – one square at a time! The platform enables the purchase of ‘squares’ from a range of terrestrial or marine habitats including rainforests, mangroves or coral reefs. Rob talks us through why he founded Native, “we’re an evolution I suppose on binary one-dimensional carbon markets. We're trying to do things with a bit more transparency, a bit more holistically, and a bit more fairly as well.” We discuss the fact that when it comes to protecting the environment, how we are all responsible. We discuss the importance of decarbonisation, but also the reality that carbon isn’t tangible, you can’t see it and you can’t connect to it and this creates a challenge when it comes to understanding and engagement. Rob tells us that we, (humans) have a very ‘left-brain bias’, “we like to break things down into their parts so that we can manipulate them, control them and make use of them.” We talk about the unique features of Native and the fact that you can view your square(s) in real time, watching them grow and evolve. However, Rob also talks about the fact that you can also see the reality of what is happening in the places you’re investing in… - “in the map of our first project in the Solomon Islands, you can see the forest, and you can also see active logging, just 50 kilometers away.” It’s both exciting and sobering. Rob has so may plans for Native when it comes to how people and organisations can get involved; from everyone being able to drive positive impact and take action - seeing the impact of their investment in real-time, through to employee engagement programmes, gifting, gamification and overall creating a big talking point - bringing friends, family and partners on the journey with you. From as little as just £3 per square - there is no way you won’t be motivated to buy a square or two (or more) by the end of this episode. Indeed, we’re already ‘in’ –and so if you invest, do let us know! Tune in and listen as we talk to Rob about: Native – the platform, it’s purpose and why it’s truly ‘fair and square’ Why it is so important that we all take responsibility about protecting the planet How Native enables organisations to hit the environmental (E), Social (S) and Governance (G) all in one solution Why transparency and fairness is critically important How going beyond carbon brings impact to life - (literally) The need for better stories and engagement The need to measure impact in different ways The need for better more accessible funding across a broader range of projects For more information about this nature based solution visit Native And to connect with Rob to find out more and discuss your ‘squares’ - connect via LinkedIn. ________________________________________________________________________ About us… We help Marketers save the planet. 🌍 Join the Marketers and organisations who have signed our manifesto, engage with our newsletter and training and, work with us to communicate sustainability more effectively. Sign our Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, work with us, and join us on our mission. Get in touch to chat. You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together. Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.

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