Are Corporations Saving the Planet or Just Saving Face?

Investigating Corporate Green Efforts

In recent years, there has been an undeniable surge in the number of corporations proclaiming their undying love for the environment. From glossy brochures adorned with lush greenery to heartwarming commercials featuring polar bears, it's clear that the world of business has discovered the charm of going green. But the question that's been gnawing at the roots of this sustainability spectacle is simple yet profound: Are these corporate giants genuinely committed to saving our planet, or is it all just a brilliantly orchestrated performance to save face?

Why, you might ask? As a sustainable brand, we understand the importance of authenticity in our mission to promote a greener, healthier world. We believe that sustainability is not just a buzzword—it's a call to action, a commitment that goes beyond mere words.

As we proceed, we will dissect the sustainability landscape, scrutinizing the pledges and actions of corporate giants, from tech titans to retail behemoths. We will reveal the stark disparities between promise and performance, and we won't shy away from calling out those who are merely greenwashing their way into our carts.

But we're not here to simply cast judgment. We're here to equip you, the conscious consumer, to navigate this terrain with a discerning eye. Together, we can hold corporations accountable, demanding not just words but real, measurable change.

As we start the investigation, we invite you to join us. Sign up for the EcoBlvd newsletter to stay informed, engaged, and ready to champion a genuinely sustainable future. The world deserves more than mere green posturing—it deserves real action.

Reality Or Rhetoric: Chasing Emissions Reduction by 2050

In the world of corporate sustainability, there's an acronym that has become a buzzword among the boardrooms: ESG, or Environmental, Social, and Governance. These three pillars have become the standard by which major corporations gauge their commitment to a more environmentally friendly future. But the true litmus test lies not in the acronym itself, but in the authenticity behind these declarations.

Since the boom of the Industrial Revolution, humanity has grappled with the unyielding challenge of climate change. It's a battle that carries unprecedented consequences, as our planet's temperature continues to surge. What's startling is that, since 1988, a mere 100 companies have been responsible for 71% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This sobering fact casts a long shadow of doubt over the professed dedication of these corporate giants.

To compound this startling revelation, a mere 25 companies and state-owned enterprises have accounted for more than half of global industrial emissions during the same timeframe. These numbers, stripped of any corporate veneer, cut straight to the core of the matter. As we are inundated with corporate sustainability pledges and green marketing campaigns, it becomes essential to discern whether these are genuine commitments or superficial gestures.

Enter the NewClimate Institute and Carbon Market Watch, organizations steadfast in their mission to scrutinize the environmental commitments of the world's most influential corporations. Their joint report, unveiled in February 2022, exposes a stark reality. It closely examines the assertions made by these corporate titans regarding their commitment to reducing emissions. Interestingly, most of these companies, including Amazon, Google, IKEA, and Walmart, received low ratings. Although all have declared their intent to achieve various zero emissions, net-zero, and carbon-neutral goals, only one corporation demonstrated "reasonable integrity" in its pursuit. There were none who achieved a high integrity rating.

As we delve deeper into the corporate world's promises of emissions reduction, it becomes evident that skepticism should be our ally. Are these commitments grounded in a sincere dedication to the planet, or are they skillfully choreographed performances aimed at appeasing eco-conscious consumers? In the upcoming sections, we will explore the landscape of sustainability further, shining a spotlight on specific corporations and their ambitious sustainability aspirations. Be prepared, for the reality may be more disconcerting than we ever imagined.

Promises Vs Performance: Corporate Sustainability Case Studies 

In the world of corporate sustainability, actions speak louder than words. While many companies have pledged their allegiance to green initiatives and environmental causes, it's imperative to scrutinize whether these promises are translating into meaningful progress. In this section, we'll delve into the sustainability efforts of four corporate giants—Amazon, Tesla, IKEA, and Google—and assess whether they are making substantial strides towards a more eco-friendly future.

Amazon: Delivering Packages, Not Promises?

Initiative: Amazon presents itself as fully "committed to building a sustainable business for their customers and the planet." In 2019, it co-founded The Climate Pledge—a commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions across their business by 2040, a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement. Their ambitious commitments include:

• Deploying technology and people to make all Amazon shipments net-zero carbon through Shipment Zero.
• Powering their operations with 100% renewable energy.
• Purchasing 100,000 electric delivery vehicles.
• Investing $100 million in reforestation projects and climate mitigation solutions.
• Investing $2 billion to support the development of technologies and services that reduce carbon emissions and help preserve the natural world. This includes transitioning to sustainable buildings, achieving 100% sustainable palm oil (status unclear), and using only sustainably sourced cotton for Amazon Private Brand apparel products by the end of 2022.
• This planned financial effort is substantial, surpassing $2 billion, but it falls significantly short of the gains Amazon has made since the pandemic started.

Reality: While Amazon's commitments are ambitious on paper, they face substantial scrutiny and skepticism. The Impakter Index team evaluated Amazon's sustainability efforts and found several concerns. While Amazon is making progress toward renewable energy, aiming to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2025, it is deemed "not good enough" by critics.

The team's review of Amazon's awards, certificates, and activities in relation to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) paints a skeptical picture. Amazon is criticized for lacking clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that are directly relevant to the UN SDGs and targets. Despite Amazon's commitment to sustainability, they have continued to engage in partnerships with multiple oil and gas companies. As a result, Amazon is rated as a "C" on the Sustainability Index, suggesting that their sustainability efforts are far from clear and comprehensive.

In essence, Amazon's sustainability plan, while comprehensive in scope, still faces significant doubts and criticism, particularly regarding clear KPIs and its engagement with oil and gas companies. Achieving true sustainability remains a substantial challenge for the company.

Tesla: Charging Ahead, but at What Cost?

Initiative: Tesla's mission is to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy, primarily through electric vehicles (EVs) and investments in clean energy solutions, including solar energy. They have made significant strides in the EV market and have spearheaded innovations in battery technology. Tesla's commitment to clean energy isn't limited to electric vehicles; it extends to solar energy as well.

Reality: While Tesla is renowned for its electric vehicles, there are concerns about its overall sustainability. Tesla's lack of transparency regarding the production of its vehicles and the sourcing of its products raises doubts about the sustainability of its manufacturing process.

One notable aspect is Tesla's involvement in solar energy solutions through their innovative PowerWall, offering solar panels and solar energy storage solutions for residential and commercial use. By harnessing solar power, Tesla aims to reduce reliance on traditional energy sources and promote clean energy generation.

However, like other aspects of Tesla's sustainability efforts, there are concerns about its efficiency and transparency in the solar sector. Questions have arisen about the environmental impact of manufacturing solar panels, the sustainability of materials used, and the overall lifecycle analysis of Tesla's solar products.

While Tesla highlights its achievements in its Impact Report, including the sale of 550,000 vehicles and the saving of over 4,000,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions, it has faced criticism for its management of overall climate impact.

The Transition Pathway Initiative gave Tesla a score of 1 for its 2022 assessment of corporate climate governance, which is lower than the likes of Ford, Toyota, Kia, and other top fuel-based automotive brands. A level 1 rating constitutes: that the company is “Acknowledging Climate Change as a Business Issue”. 

One major issue is Tesla's apparent secrecy surrounding its sustainability efforts. While the Impact Report provided some details of the company's greenhouse gas footprint, concerns persist about the true environmental impact of its electric cars.

Here are some reasons for this skepticism:

Energy Sources: Tesla's electric cars rely on electricity, and the environmental impact varies based on the source of that electricity. If the electricity comes from coal-fired power plants, the emissions may be similar to traditional gasoline vehicles. On the other hand, using electricity from renewable sources significantly reduces emissions.

Mining for High-Performing Metals: Tesla uses high-performing metals like lithium, which are challenging to mine and have a significant environmental footprint. The extraction process involves harmful chemicals and waste disposal, contributing to environmental concerns.

Battery Recycling: Tesla's lithium battery packs are large and challenging to recycle, which can be both costly and environmentally problematic. Tesla has promised long-life batteries but faces challenges in recycling.

Hazardous Waste: Tesla faced fines and regulatory actions amounting to around $30,000 for hazardous waste violations at its factory in Fremont, highlighting concerns about its environmental practices.

In summary, while Tesla leads in the electric vehicle market, questions and concerns persist regarding the environmental impact of its products, sourcing practices, and transparency in sustainability efforts.

IKEA: Building Furniture, or an Unsustainable Future?

Initiative: In recent years, IKEA has made sustainability a central focus, unveiling its 'People & Planet Positive' roadmap, which outlines its sustainability strategy. Some key objectives from the report include:

• Sourcing 100% of wood, paper, and cardboard from more sustainable sources, such as recycled or FSC® certified wood.
• Using cotton sourced from "more sustainable" sources like "Better Cotton."
• Ensuring that 90% of its products show substantiated environmental improvements, making them more sustainable.
• Committing to produce as much renewable energy as the company consumes, aligning with its global presence and scale.

IKEA has also adapted to the circular economy concept, known as "Circular IKEA," by testing a new line of kitchen products that replace raw materials with second-life materials.

Reality: IKEA's sustainability strategy, 'People & Planet Positive,' was launched in 2012, making the company an early adopter of recognizing its social and environmental responsibilities. The strategy aligns with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and focuses on three areas:

As part of its plan to become fully circular and climate-positive, the company started to invest an additional €600 million globally in September 2020. A portion of the funds will go to green startups, renewable energy, and more sustainable warehouses and stores.

Within the last decade, IKEA has invested €3.2 billion in sustainability initiatives.

IKEA is generally seen as a leader in the furniture and home decor industry when it comes to sustainability and ethics. However, challenges remain, including transparency regarding animal welfare and the company's sheer size, which results in a large volume of products being produced.

However, despite these intentions, critics raise doubts about IKEA's sustainability commitment. Some argue that IKEA's fast furniture model, characterized by low prices and often perceived as inferior quality, encourages impulse buying and disposability. Nevertheless, if IKEA achieves its ambitious targets, it has the potential to become a top choice for conscious consumers by 2030.

Google: From Search Engine to Energy Guzzler?

Initiative: According to their official site page on sustainability, Google claims to "foster sustainability at scale" by unifying their practices, partnerships, and products around a single mission. Google has implemented several changes to its search engine to put sustainability at the forefront of users' minds.

A new feature in the application suggests the greenest flight routes, hotels, or driving routes, based on the user's carbon footprint. This tool provides comprehensive information, such as a specific flight's carbon footprint per passenger, a hotel's green practices (such as water conservation and waste reduction). Further, it determines the most efficient and cost-effective driving routes and rates the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of energy-consuming appliances.

Reality: Google's efforts in sustainability are commendable, particularly in providing tools to empower users to make more eco-friendly choices. However, some of their terminology might be slightly misleading to the public, particularly their use of the term "carbon-neutral."

A report by Dezeen pointed out that Google has indeed been carbon-neutral since 2007. However, being carbon-neutral doesn't mean they are carbon net-zero, which would involve removing the carbon they produce from the atmosphere. In reality, the carbon emissions accumulated by Google since 2007 have reached as much as 20 million tons. This raises questions about the true extent of their environmental impact.

One of Google's ambitious goals is to be entirely powered by renewable energy by 2030, which is a step in the right direction.

However, Google has faced criticism for contributing to organizations and politicians who support climate change denialism. More concerning to some is Google's active engagement with the oil and gas industry, offering products that enhance geological analysis, automation, data management, and, ultimately, extraction efficiency. These actions have raised questions about Google's commitment to sustainability, especially as they appear to be supporting sectors that contribute to environmental issues. Google's path to achieving its sustainability goals while engaging with such industries remains a topic of concern.

Bridging the Gap 

In the era of heightened environmental awareness, corporations have been quick to jump on the sustainability bandwagon. Green commitments are plastered across websites, press releases, and social media, often accompanied by grandiose goals and impressive statistics. But how often do these promises align with reality, and what role do active consumers play in holding these corporate giants accountable?

Unpacking Promises and Achievements

Let's start with Walmart, one of the world's largest retailers, known for its sustainability initiatives. In 2005, Walmart pledged to be powered by 100% renewable energy. By 2020, they reported that 29% of their electricity came from renewable sources. While this represents progress, it falls far short of their commitment.

An enlightening report by the Institute for Local Self-Reliance found that Walmart increased its greenhouse gas emissions from 2005 to 2019. Furthermore, they documented that Walmart, despite its pledge to support local businesses and manufacturing, actually reduced its US-based suppliers, causing economic distress in many communities.

ExxonMobil, one of the world's largest oil and gas companies, has also made environmental promises. In 2020, they pledged to reduce their emissions to net-zero by 2050. However, the magnitude of their contribution to climate change is substantial. According to a study published in the Environmental Research Letters journal, ExxonMobil was responsible for 1.9% of the world's industrial greenhouse gas emissions between 1965 and 2017. Critics argue that their net-zero pledge is too little, too late, and merely a public relations move.

In 2023, Shein attempted to counter criticism about its fast fashion practices by organizing an influencer trip. During this event, they offered influencers a behind-the-scenes tour of their facilities, showcasing the idea that their items were crafted through slower, more sustainable processes instead of mass production. This move was part of Shein's efforts to address environmental and ethical concerns surrounding fast fashion. While influencer trips can indicate progress in transparency, the broader transformation of the fast fashion industry, including Shein, into a sustainable and ethical business remains a considerable challenge. Consumers and industry observers must continue scrutinizing companies and holding them accountable for their overall sustainability efforts.

The Role of Conscious Consumers

Conscious consumers are essential in holding corporations accountable for their promises. Their choices have a direct impact on corporate behavior. Walmart's slow progress toward renewable energy sources has been met with consumer criticism. Shoppers have the power to push the retail giant to prioritize sustainability by demanding transparency and verifiable progress.

ExxonMobil's net-zero commitment was partly a response to increasing pressure from investors, including large asset managers and pension funds. These institutional investors, driven by the concerns of their clients, demanded that ExxonMobil take climate change more seriously. Conscious consumers indirectly influence corporations by influencing these larger investors.

In the case of Shein, vocal consumers have called for sustainable practices and ethical manufacturing. Sustainable fashion movements and consumer boycotts have pushed some fast fashion companies to reevaluate their business models. While the industry as a whole has much progress to make, consumers have catalyzed change by supporting eco-friendly brands and advocating for sustainable practices.

The Need for Consumer-Driven Change

Consumers play a pivotal role in steering corporations toward genuine sustainability. Their choices influence purchasing decisions, investment priorities, and, ultimately, corporate policies. To bridge the gap between corporate promises and actual actions, consumers should:

Demand Transparency: Encourage corporations to report verifiable data on their sustainability efforts. Insist on clear and achievable goals.

Support Ethical Brands: Choose to support brands that are genuinely committed to sustainability and ethical practices.

Advocate for Change: Join or support advocacy movements that press for stronger environmental regulations and corporate responsibility.

Bridging the gap between corporate promises and actions requires an active and informed consumer base. While some corporations have made positive strides, others fall short of their commitments, relying on greenwashing tactics to maintain their image. Conscious consumers, through their choices, advocacy, and demands for transparency, hold the key to driving meaningful change and ensuring that corporate promises translate into genuine actions.

Conclusion 

This investigation into corporate sustainability efforts highlights a stark contrast between the commitments corporations make and their actual actions. The gap between words and deeds is a sobering reminder of the challenges we face in creating a more sustainable future.

Conscious consumer involvement is paramount in driving meaningful change and holding these corporations accountable for their actions. The choices you make as a consumer have a ripple effect on corporate policies and priorities. Together, we can bridge the divide between promises and genuine actions, and pave the way for a more environmentally responsible business world.

Join us in our mission to promote genuine sustainability by exploring our eco-friendly products and learning more about our commitment to a greener, healthier world. Together, we can make a positive impact and bring about the change our planet deserves.