A Comprehensive Guide to Greenwashing Phenomena, Contexts, and Trends: The Mean, Lean Washing Machine

The book "A Comprehensive Guide to Greenwashing Phenomena, Contexts, and Trends: The Mean, Lean Washing Machine" has recently been published. Greenwashing and green backlash are topical issues at the centre of public debate. Written by Peter Seele, Professor at the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society at Università della Svizzera italiana, Ludovico Giacomo Conti, PhD student at USI, and Lucia Gatti, Professor at the University of Trento, the work addresses these topics to provide a comprehensive explanation of these phenomena.

The book was published by Edgar Elgar, a British publishing house specialising in academic publications, and it is accessible to everyone thanks to funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF). The printed version is available in university libraries, while the digital version is available here.

Professor Seele, the term greenwashing appeared in the Swiss media last week and was linked to a scandal. The topic is, therefore, very actual, but what is meant by the term greenwashing? What is greenwashing?

Greenwashing refers to misleading claims regarding environmentally friendly practices. Over the last 20-30 years, as environmental issues have gained significance in politics, many companies have started to promote their commitment to sustainability, social responsibility, and environmental protection. The advantage is that consumers are willing to pay higher prices for organic and environmentally friendly products. In other words, companies can make more profit with so-called "green" products.

However, some companies have limited themselves to talking about being sustainable without actually adopting ecological policies and practices in their production processes. This misleading communication - pretending to be "green" while failing to be so - is known as greenwashing. The term comes from the combination of green (referring to environmentalism) and whitewashing (hiding reality behind a façade). Just as one paints over the imperfections of a wall, some companies apply a "green varnish" to make themselves appear more sustainable than they truly are. Furthermore, greenwashing only exists if consumers, citizens, and civil society organisations notice misleading communication and expose it. If no one accuses a company of greenwashing, then the phenomenon goes unnoticed.

Why a book on greenwashing? What prompted you to write it?

As a professor of Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility at the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society, this topic is central to my research. I have been studying greenwashing since my early postdoctoral years, so for about 20 years.

In recent years, the issue has become increasingly relevant, to the point that today, it is not only companies engaging in greenwashing but also governments and political entities. Three years ago, I began to notice signs that the topic was becoming central to public debate, also due to the spread of misinformation, the polarisation between pro-environment advocates and opponents (green backlash), and the evolving dynamics of communication regarding sustainability.

For this reason, when we met with Lucia and Ludovico, we decided to write a book that wouldn't be limited to a single academic article but would offer a complete overview of the phenomenon. This book is unique because it is the first to collect and analyse all the different types of washing, not just the environmental ones, and identify future trends. The timing for this book is ideal because the discussion on sustainability has evolved into a political issue tied to identity: being "green" or "anti-green" is no longer merely a scientific question but rather an ideological and often polarising choice.

What is the main topic of the book? What can the reader expect to find?

The book is divided into three parts. The first part analyses all the academic research on greenwashing from the birth of the term in the 80s until today, providing a complete picture of the studies carried out and how the phenomenon has evolved over the last 40 years. The second part focuses on the various types of washing that exist, 39 in total, not limiting itself to the environmental sphere. The last part explores future trends, including the evolution of greenwashing, green backlash (the reaction against sustainability), green hushing (companies that choose to remain silent about their environmental commitment to avoid criticism) and other emerging developments.

Ludovico Giacomo Conti, as the author of this book, can you explain the second part to us better, perhaps giving some examples?

We analysed hundreds of scientific articles to understand how the phenomenon of greenwashing has evolved and declined in various areas. In addition to environmental sustainability, the same mechanism is applied in other sectors: for example, we have social washing (when a company pretends to be socially responsible), blockchain washing (using technologies such as blockchain just to appear innovative), AI washing (misleading claims about the use of artificial intelligence) and many others.

An interesting example is COP-washing, which concerns the way in which climate conferences (COP - Conference of the Parties) are exploited by some states. For example, the fact that these events are hosted in oil-producing countries raises questions about their genuine commitment to sustainability. Another emblematic case is bee-washing: Some companies install beehives to demonstrate their commitment to biodiversity, but in reality, they only favour one type of bee (the farmed ones) to the detriment of wild bees, which are the most threatened species.

Professor Seele, a few closing words on this book?

When we decided to write it two years ago, the world was different. Now, in 2025, many things have changed. The book helps to understand the context in which we find ourselves today: the growing polarisation between those who support sustainability and those who oppose it.

Two concrete examples illustrate this polarisation: some political forces advocating a return to fossil fuels, dismissing the necessity for alternative energy sources. Some parties even propose dismantling wind turbines, a hostile act against renewable energy. This division did not arise by chance; rather, it has been exacerbated over time by misleading communications and misinformation. Greenwashing has fostered a climate of distrust that has allowed for the radicalisation of positions. Our book explores the journey to this point and aids in understanding the current debate on sustainability.