Two Sides NA: How Greenwashing Is Hurting Your Business BY KATHI ROWZIE Sustainability has gone mainstream, with more people than ever before concerned about the environmental impacts
BOBST Celebrates (CONT’D FROM PAGE 70)
Speaking to representatives from some of the big com- panies that attended the event, it is clear that the BOBST die-cutting technology has contributed to the success of their businesses. This is evidenced by the fact that they all continue to put their trust in the Swiss manufacturer. One such customer is Leopold GmbH Verpackungen in Germany, which processes more than 65,000 tons of carton each year across its three production plants. The company has a total of 11 cam-driven BOBST machines, including five 145 PER die-cutters lined up in a row on the production floor of Works III. “BOBST is more than just a supplier. They have been a reliable partner for us for over 20 years now – from initial consultancy to operations and services – and the machines always deliver superb qual- ity and reliability,” said Valeri Lach, Head of Works III. “We serve a very wide range of segments, and the versatility, high productivity and unbeatable product quality of the BOBST equipment help us fulfill any market requirements.” LIC Packaging in Verolanuova, which celebrates 70 years in corrugated board production this year, is anoth- er loyal customer with a host of BOBST equipment at its disposal. Technical Services Manager R&D Renato Pietta
of the products and services they buy and use. They understandably want to do the right things for the planet, but the explosion of green- washing is causing consumers and businesses to use – or in the case of paper, not use – products with- out any basis in fact. The Oxford Dictionary defines
Kathi Rowzie
greenwashing as “Disinformation disseminated by an or- ganization so as to present an environmentally responsi- ble public image.” And you don’t have to look far to un- derstand the scope of the problem. In a recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll for Google Cloud, 72 percent of CEOs and C-suite leaders in North America admitted that their companies are guilty of greenwashing, even as most gave their companies an “above-average” rating for environmental sustainability. Greenwashing investigations of ESG (environmental, social, governance) investment funds are becoming commonplace. And, as reported in the Harvard Business Review, studies show that compa- nies that tout their environmental credentials often have poor environmental compliance records. As major companies, service providers and govern- ment agencies attempt to disguise their cost-saving efforts as environmental responsibility, unsubstantiated claims that encourage people to go paperless are among the most often repeated greenwashing ploys. Going paper- less is green, saves trees, eliminates waste and reduces your carbon footprint, they say. The evidence is clear that greenwashing works. But why do messages that are so contrary to fact resonate so well with consumers and busi- ness decision makers? Psychological research has shown that when people see and hear unsubstantiated claims over and over again, they start to believe them as true, and ultimately incorpo- rate them into their decision making. This phenomenon, called the “illusory truth effect,” was first identified in a 1977 study (Hasher, et al.) which found that repeated state- ments are easier to process, and subsequently perceived to be more truthful. This conclusion, that misconceptions become part of our knowledge base and inform our choic- es as a result of repetition, has since been repeated doz- ens of times by cognitive, social and consumer psycholo- gists. Evidence of the robustness of this effect comes from studies showing that the illusory truth effect occurs even when the repeated statements are highly implausible (Fazio et al. 2019) or when the repeated statements direct- ly contradict a person’s prior knowledge (Fazio et al. 2015). CONTINUED ON PAGE 74
BOBST Mastercut
also praised the product quality, but added, “Productivity is a given and so is the high quality; it is the longevity of the BOBST machines that is the real differentiator, coupled with the excellent after-sales service. The comprehensive Maintenance+ program continues to be an important de- ciding factor for us.” Founded in Trieste, in Italy, in 1868, Modiano special- izes in the production of playing cards and other paper products. The company has three BOBST die cutters for producing folding carton boxes. Speaking about BOBST as a supplier, partner and innovator, President Stefano Crechici said, “I see BOBST as an innovation leader in this market; a company that is serious and a trusted partner for us. To be honest, I never really looked at the competition, because I know and trust BOBST for its reliability and af- ter-sales service – and we trust in the proven longevity of the equipment.” “As we celebrate 40 years of cam-driven platen tech- nology and the many, many businesses that have benefit- ed from this innovation over the years, we also look ahead to many more opportunities for our customers to break productivity records and secure their futures with BOBST die-cutting technology as a foundation,” said Lideo.
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September 19, 2022
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