ASCI proposes various guidelines to avoid ‘greenwashing’ by companies

Advertising industry’s self-regulatory body ASCI on Thursday proposed various guidelines to avoid ‘greenwashing’ by companies.

The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has come out with a 9-point draft in this regard.

In a statement, ASCI said the guidelines are aimed to check greenwashing, which it defined as the deceptive practice of making misleading environmental claims.

The body’s chief executive and secretary general Manisha Kapoor said the guidelines aim to foster a culture of transparency and authenticity in advertising in consumer interest and help them make informed decisions.

Environmental claims can appear in advertisements, marketing material, branding (including business and trading names), on packaging or in other information provided to consumers, it said.

The proposed guidelines say any absolute claims like a product has no impact or only a positive impact needs to be supported by a high-level of substantiation.

Comparative claims such as “greener” or “friendlier” can be justified, for example, if the advertised product or service provides a total environmental benefit over that of the advertiser’s previous product or service or competitor products, it has been recommended.

The public consultation on the draft is open till December 31, Kapoor said.