Greenhushing Is Real— But It’s Not Inevitable.

Why fear is silencing sustainability, and how credibility—not caution—is the future of climate leadership

In the world of corporate sustainability, the volume of communications is dropping. Not because nothing’s happening—but because too much might be said the wrong way.

This phenomenon now has a name: greenhushing. And it’s growing fast.

According to new research from Futurebuild, The Anti-Greenwash Charter, The Carbon Literacy Project and Hattrick, over a third of built environment professionals say their organisations have actively pulled back on sustainability communications in the last 12 months.

Not because of a lack of progress—but because of a growing fear: the fear of getting it wrong.

When Fear Silences Progress

For many in construction and the wider built environment, the pressure to deliver net zero targets is real—but so is the fear of public scrutiny, media backlash, or regulatory missteps.

It’s created a culture of caution. And in some cases, complete silence.

Yet this sector is critical. Responsible for over 40% of UK emissions, it’s central to retrofit, resilience, regeneration. To climate action.

But only 18% of over-45s believe the industry is building a sustainable future. Trust is fragile. And trust is built on transparency—not perfection.

Confidence Is the Missing Link

The research makes something else clear: greenhushing isn’t a values problem. It’s a skills and systems gap.

• Just 18% of professionals feel very confident spotting greenwashing

• Half of marketers say they feel uneasy working on sustainability campaigns

• And only 5% have final say over what is communicated

This isn’t about saying less. It’s about not knowing what’s safe to say—and who decides.

“People aren’t greenhushing because they don’t care,” said one survey respondent. “They’re doing it because they’re scared of saying the wrong thing—even when the intention is good.”

From Silence to Structure

Despite policy setbacks like the EU’s stalled Green Claims Directive, there is growing appetite for practical, independent support. Not more PR spin—just clarity, checks, and credible communication.

That might take the form of:

• Publishing internal green claims policies to guide comms teams

• Using third-party reviews to strengthen and sanity-check messaging

• Adopting sector-wide frameworks that promote transparency over perfectionism

One emerging approach offers sustainability teams the option to submit reports for independent review—not to verify performance, but to ensure their messaging aligns with key regulations like the Green Claims Code, ASA guidelines, and ISO standards. A transparency report and certification accompanies the result—not as a marketing stunt, but as a quiet show of diligence.

It’s not flashy. But it’s effective. And it helps teams speak more confidently without falling silent.

The Case for Courageous Clarity

Greenhushing may feel like a protective move—but over time, it leaves organisations vulnerable in other ways.

Without communication, culture change stalls. Trust erodes. The public disengages. And the organisations doing meaningful work lose the ability to differentiate themselves from those who aren’t.

Progress doesn’t need to be perfect before it can be communicated. But it does need to be honest, humble, and evidence-led.

“Silence isn’t a long-term strategy,” said Charlie Martin, CEO of The Anti-Greenwash Charter. “At best, it’s a pause. At worst, it’s a loss of public confidence.”

The Real Shift Begins With Confidence

There’s no single fix for greenhushing. But the organisations that will lead the next era of sustainability will be those that can speak credibly—not loudly, but clearly.

That doesn’t require more marketing. It requires better foundations. And perhaps most of all, the willingness to say:

“This is what we’ve done. Here’s where we’re headed. And this is what we still don’t know.”

Because in a noisy world, quiet transparency speaks volumes.

For a Truly Sustainable Future

If your organisation believes in doing the right thing — and telling the truth about it — we’d love to have you with us.

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