What is greenhushing?
A new trend has companies keeping quiet about what they're doing to combat climate change


Businesses' commitments to fighting climate change are regular topics of conversation. Previously, companies were called out for greenwashing, when they mislead consumers and investors about how environmentally friendly their products and services are. Now, businesses have taken to what's called greenhushing, sparking a new round of controversy.
What is greenhushing?
Greenhushing is when "companies keep quiet about their environmental goals, sometimes for fear of public backlash," according to The Washington Post. The movement is the result of a polarizing political climate and acts as the opposite of greenwashing. A 2022 report by carbon consultancy group South Pole found that a quarter of businesses "do not plan to talk about their science-aligned climate targets."
Companies face criticism from both sides of the political spectrum, with liberal-leaning parties accusing them of greenwashing and conservative-leaning parties criticizing them for taking climate change into account in business decisions. "Faced with the threats of tarnished reputations and legal trouble, some companies are instead choosing not to communicate their climate goals at all," explained Fast Company.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Many critics have actively been opposed to business environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives, claiming that those factors can "distract companies from their core goals of competitiveness, efficiency, market success and delivering shareholder value," per Forbes. On the other hand, those in favor of ESG initiatives have claimed that companies are not doing enough for sustainability, leading companies to be caught in the middle.
However, the lack of communication regarding environmental initiatives does not mean that companies aren't doing anything. "Actual ESG efforts have not decreased for most companies, but how corporations talk about them has changed."
Why are companies doing it?
"If you're a CEO who has all the right intentions, you might get sued from both sides — from the left and from the right," remarked Renat Heuberger, the co-founder and CEO of South Pole, to the Post. "And that is not good news if you want to convince more CEOs to get active on climate." So businesses have taken to staying out of the conversation altogether.
Attacks on companies are "more irrational and so fierce," explained Peter Seele, a professor at Università della Svizzera Italiana in Switzerland, to Fast Company. These responses include "canceling" or boycotting companies for taking actions that stir controversy. "The easiest thing to do is just to stay out of the conversation and emphasize other facets of business that are going to be perceived as less controversial and more core to the traditional metrics of the business," said Jason Jay, a senior lecturer of sustainability at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to The Wall Street Journal.
Also, there are new laws globally cracking down on greenwashing, which, while beneficial, can encourage greenhushing. Being unable or unwilling to navigate new guidelines, "some of these firms would stop touting their sustainability for fear of lawsuits alleging they have violated these directives," per the Post.
"Any society only finds new words if there is a new phenomenon to describe," said Hermine Penz, an English professor at the University of Graz in Austria, to The New York Times. "Is it now a no-go to be green? Do companies have to hide their activities? People don't know how to talk about what they are doing."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
Today's political cartoons - March 30, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - strawberry fields forever, secret files, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 hilariously sparse cartoons about further DOGE cuts
Cartoons Artists take on free audits, report cards, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Following the Tea Horse Road in China
The Week Recommends This network of roads and trails served as vital trading routes
By The Week UK Published
-
Could a private equity deal be the end of Walgreens?
Today's Big Question The pharmacy chain will be taken private in a $10 billion deal
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Eggs too pricey? Rent a chicken.
Under the Radar The cost of eggs increased more than 15% in January
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Will Trump's tariffs hurt Walmart?
Today's Big Question The world's biggest retailer 'isn't immune' to trade impacts
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Store closings could accelerate throughout 2025
Under the Radar Major brands like Macy's and Walgreens are continuing to shutter stores
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The diamond market is losing its shine
Under the radar Precious gemstones are rapidly dropping in price
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Can the US Steel-Nippon Steel merger come back to life?
Today's Big Question President Trump opposed the deal. But he could be flexible.
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
How Trump is making your Shein and Temu orders more expensive
In the Spotlight The president has ended a tariff loophole for small shipments
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published