Ethical Communication or Greenwash?

It appears even PR trainers are taking climate change seriously. They too seem to have realised that climate change can sell a company's image and are taking advantage of the media hype surrounding the debate.

Today I came across an advert for a Seminar organised specially for PR practitioners by the Ethical Corporation, an independent publisher and organiser. The conference which should have started on the 6th March 2007, is scheduled to feature speakers from top Global companies offering advice and tips on dealing with climate change.

While the conference organiser refers to the course as "Ethical Communication", a cynical colleague of mine refers to it as Greenwash.

Whichever way you choose to describe it, here are some of the interesting topics and questions raised that caught my attention;

"1. Consumer reaction to climate change campaigns
2. Carbon Offsets: Act now to secure the high ground - and lower financial risk
3. Carbon offsets: What are they? How do you use them? What do you get back?
4. An offset strategy can benefit your company as well as the climate. Just for a start, it can reduce your financial risk. It can also establish you as an environmental leader, and enable you to truly differentiate your products and services. Equally important, offsets can help you build trust and goodwill with your consumers, as well as enabling you to become a consumer education resource.
5. Carbon neutrality: How can you make sure your strategy presents you as environmental leader - and avoid falling into the trap of developing a costly, complicated, fashion accessory?
The nuts and bolts of an offset programme:
6. Corporate reputation and climate change: Is your good name at risk?
7. Remember how fast people scorned fur coats. And the huge demos against animal testing and sweatshops? Is climate change next on the list for activists? And if so, what can you do to make sure your business isn't accused of being part of the problem, rather than part of the solution?
8. After all, global warming is now headline news - and consumer awareness is on the way to building critical mass.
9. Will consumers punish companies that contribute to climate change and reward the ones that don't?
10. What happens when consumer concern over climate change turns into action?
11. How much is your good name worth? And what's the cost of a bad one?
12. Greenwash - when a good name turns sour: How do you prevent it?