Is there a gap between your sustainability claims and your 3rd party verified documentation?

Per a study of 16,000 businesses discussed in this article

• 58% are making statements and commitments to stakeholders about their sustainability performance
• But only 8% have formal reporting programs that document that performance

The gap between those two – making claims you cannot support – is greenwashing.

Taking the above to the next step, even if you document your own performance internally (ie, self-certify), you are at risk, as you are not using a 3^rd party to validate.

There are many greenwashing activists and they love finding organizations that make sustainability claims without being certified under a globally accepted program with 3^rd party validation. 

Don’t take the risk.  If you are not certified via a globally-respected program that uses 3^rd party validation, don’t promote/hype your sustainability efforts.