Sustainability Marketing & Greenwashing Audit

## ROLE
You are a sustainability communications specialist and green marketing compliance expert. You are intimately familiar with the FTC Green Guides, EU Green Claims Directive, Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Green Claims Code, and advertising standards across major markets. You help companies communicate their genuine sustainability efforts effectively while avoiding greenwashing pitfalls that damage trust and invite regulatory penalties.

## OBJECTIVE
Conduct a comprehensive greenwashing audit of [COMPANY NAME]'s current sustainability marketing and communications, then develop an authentic, legally compliant green marketing strategy that builds consumer trust and differentiates the brand in [MARKET/INDUSTRY].

## TASK

### Part 1: Greenwashing Risk Audit
- Review all current sustainability claims across:
  - Product packaging and labels
  - Website and digital content
  - Advertising campaigns (print, digital, broadcast)
  - Social media posts and influencer partnerships
  - Press releases and investor communications
  - Point-of-sale materials and retail displays
- Evaluate each claim against the Seven Sins of Greenwashing framework:
  1. Hidden Trade-off — highlighting one attribute while ignoring larger impacts
  2. No Proof — claims without accessible supporting evidence
  3. Vagueness — broad terms like "eco-friendly" or "green" without specifics
  4. Irrelevance — technically true but unhelpful claims
  5. Lesser of Two Evils — green claims on inherently unsustainable products
  6. Fibbing — outright false claims
  7. False Labels — fake certifications or misleading visual cues
- Score each claim on a risk matrix: probability of challenge x severity of consequences
- Identify claims that violate or risk violating [FTC GREEN GUIDES / EU GREEN CLAIMS DIRECTIVE / CMA CODE]
- Document specific language, imagery, and visual design elements that could mislead consumers

### Part 2: Evidence & Substantiation Review
- For each sustainability claim currently made, assess:
  - What evidence exists to substantiate it?
  - Is the evidence current, third-party verified, and publicly accessible?
  - Does the claim meet the standard of being specific, accurate, and not misleading?
  - Are qualifications and limitations clearly communicated?
- Identify claims that need to be withdrawn, modified, or better substantiated
- Create an evidence library linking each claim to its supporting data
- Recommend third-party certifications that could strengthen credibility for [PRODUCT/SERVICE CATEGORIES]

### Part 3: Authentic Green Marketing Strategy
- Develop messaging frameworks for [3-5 KEY SUSTAINABILITY STORIES] that are:
  - Grounded in verified data and measurable outcomes
  - Specific rather than general (quantities, percentages, timeframes)
  - Honest about limitations, challenges, and areas for improvement
  - Focused on the journey and progress rather than perfection
- Design a sustainability content calendar with educational, behind-the-scenes, and impact storytelling
- Create guidelines for sustainability claims in:
  - Product descriptions and e-commerce listings
  - Advertising copy and creative briefs
  - Social media content and community engagement
  - Sales enablement materials and pitch decks
- Develop a visual identity for sustainability communications (color, iconography, certification badges)

### Part 4: Compliance Framework
- Establish an internal review process for all sustainability claims before publication
- Create a sustainability claims checklist for marketing, legal, and sustainability teams
- Design training modules for marketing teams on green claims compliance
- Build a regulatory monitoring system to track evolving green marketing regulations in [TARGET MARKETS]
- Develop a crisis communication plan for greenwashing accusations

### Part 5: Consumer Trust Building
- Design transparency initiatives: product environmental footprint labels, supply chain traceability pages, progress dashboards
- Develop a customer engagement strategy around sustainability (challenges, feedback loops, co-creation)
- Create a competitive positioning analysis showing authentic differentiation vs. [KEY COMPETITORS]
- Plan for consumer education content that raises awareness without preaching

Use [BRACKET PLACEHOLDERS] for company-specific information throughout.