Communications and greenwashing experts say the oil and gas industry is playing a risky game by completely removing environmental claims from its websites and social media in response to a new law.
Oil sands company group New Ways Alliance has removed all content from its platforms while other companies have changed their websites after new greenwashing changes were adopted as part of an update of the Competition Act.
Executives of the six oil sands companies behind New Ways Alliance released a statement Thursday evening saying the law, which requires companies to back up their environmental claims with evidence, poses a serious threat to freedom of communication.
Sarbjit Kaur, co-founder of KPW Communications, says the industry’s strategy is very risky because it could give the impression that its environmental claims are unfounded or that it does not comply with legislation.
Wren Montgomery, an associate professor of sustainability at Western University’s Ivey Business School who studies greenwashing, says Canadians are savvy and really don’t like hypocrisy.