While greenwashing has received significant public attention, brownwashing remains less widely recognised. It occurs when companies intentionally minimise or obscure their genuine environmental progress in public communication. (26)______ One reason for this behaviour is the increasing pressure placed on companies to meet ambitious sustainability targets. (27)______ In such situations, organisations may prefer to avoid strong claims altogether rather than draw attention to commitments they may struggle to fulfil. This cautious approach can be particularly common in highly competitive industries.
However, brownwashing can also create unintended consequences, (28)______ When companies fail to communicate their achievements clearly, stakeholders may struggle to identify which firms are genuinely making progress. Another concern is that inconsistent communication practices make comparison difficult. (29)______ , those that communicate more clearly may gain an advantage, regardless of their actual environmental performance.
To address these challenges, experts suggest that improving both transparency and consistency is essential. The key issue is (30)______.