CBI’s Lambert warns against ‘greenwashing’

LambertConfederation of British Industry director-general Richard Lambert has warned advertisers that the Government will impose regulations on the industry if it does not clean up its act and behave responsibly regarding claims about environmental impact.

Speaking at annual reception of the Advertising Association in London, Lambert warned the industry not to make misleading claims about the impact of products and services on climate change and the environment.

He said labelling products such as Walkers Crisps and Boots shampoos with a carbon footprint raised significant issues about what to include in the calculation. “Do you, for instance, include emissions that went into the building of a factory where the products came from, or the full delivery costs around the country? And what about the impact if using the product itself?”

Lambert says advertisers need to agree a standard code on green claims made in advertising if the industry is to avoid a government crackdown.

He has also set up a taskforce of senior executives to investigate the contribution business could make to changing the UK’s carbon footprint.