Why the Corporate “Greenhushing” Trend on Climate Could be Bad for Business

Climate change has gained intensity with record-breaking global temperatures and extreme weather, but it has lost ground in business communications.

Corporate reports and earnings calls now include fewer references to climate change and even many companies still pursuing net-zero goals are less vocal about their sustainability practices.

The phenomenon called greenhushing started amid the pushback against ESG, or environmental, social and governance (ESG) business practices, and has accelerated under the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back climate regulation.

But a number of experts in marketing and business sustainability argue that companies are making a mistake by staying mum on their climate action.

“CEOs should feel confident that climate change does not alienate their investors, customers or employees,” John Marshall, CEO and founder of the Potential Energy Coalition, told Newsweek.

Marshall said his work with surveys and focus groups tells him that while the political environment around climate change and sustainability has changed dramatically, “the citizen environment hasn’t really changed much at all.” Most ordinary people, he said, still hold the same, largely positive opinions of companies that take steps to address climate change.

Why the Corporate Greenhushing Trend on Climate Could be Bad for Business – Newsweek