Two Sides: 131 companies removed misleading anti-paper statements in 2019

Since 2010, the Two Sides campaign has changed or removed misleading environmental claims of over 500 organizations, including many of the world’s largest corporations. 2019 was the busiest year to date for Two Sides’ Anti-greenwash campaign. Globally, 388 organizations were found to be using unsubstantiated claims about print and paper’s impact on the environment. These organizations were identified by Two Sides throughout Europe, North and South America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Two Sides are pleased to report that 131 of those organizations engaged in 2019 have removed or changed their messaging. This brings the total number of companies to over 500 since the campaign began in 2010. During 2019 in the UK, Two Sides worked with 30 organizations to remove or amend their messages about the impact of paper. These organizations include; Aviva, Adobe, Nationwide Building Society, NatWest and over a dozen local councils.

In ongoing efforts to cut costs, many banks, telecom providers, utility companies and even governmental organizations are encouraging their customers to switch to digital services by using unfounded environmental claims such as “Go Green – Go Paperless” and “Choose e-billing and help save a tree”.

Jonathan Tame, of the Two Sides global team, says, “Not only are these claims in breach of advertising rules, but they are hugely damaging to an industry which has a solid and continually improving environmental record. Far from ‘saving trees’, a healthy market for forest products, such as paper, encourages the long-term growth of forests through sustainable forest management. Many of the organizations we engage are always surprised to learn that European forests have actually been growing by 1,500 football pitches every day.”

Jonathan Tame concludes, “Tackling greenwash is an ongoing challenge that requires significant resource to research, monitor and engage so many organizations. Because of the huge reach of some of these organizations, these unsubstantiated claims about paper have a damaging effect on consumer perceptions of paper. For this reason, the Anti-greenwash campaign will continue to be a priority of Two Sides. We are grateful for the cooperation of the hundreds of organizations we have worked within recent years. We are also thankful for the many industry stakeholders and members of the public who send Two Sides examples of greenwash.”