Majority of Germans suspect "greenwashing" at companies

The majority of Germans believe that companies practice “greenwashing” – i.e. whitewashing their commitment to the environment. This emerges from the results of a survey by the data platform Dynata, which Reuters presented in advance on Tuesday. According to the study, 67 percent of the 1,000 respondents agree that companies said they care about the environment, but their actions fell short of the words. Only nine percent believe the statement is false.

According to the survey results, Germans also pay more attention to the environment when shopping: "It's not always possible, but if there's an opportunity, 57 percent of Germans prefer to buy products and services from companies that are environmentally conscious." , Dynata further announced.

The topic of "greenwashing" has increasingly moved into the public eye: In the financial world, this is understood as a misleading marketing of dirty technologies as "green" or "sustainable". The Baden-Württemberg consumer advice center has sued Germany's largest fund company DWS for "misleading advertising for allegedly sustainable investments". DWS rejected the consumer advice center's criticism and emphasized that the company takes great care in creating advertising materials.

ESG investments (“E” stands for environmental protection, “S” for social standards and “G” for good corporate governance) are one of the mega trends in the financial sector. Such investments are becoming increasingly important for both large investors and private investors.