Bluewashing: When the UN Meets Marketing

Defining Bluewashing
Bluewashing refers to the practice of some companies that adhere to the United Nations Global Compact and its principles of social and environmental responsibility but make no real changes in their policies or practices. The term, echoing the color of the UN flag, suggests that these companies use their commitment as a PR and communication tool to enhance the perception of their values, social programs, and governance practices, without introducing substantial reforms.

Bluewashing in Practice
To illustrate the concept, let’s consider a fictitious example of a large multinational that has publicly joined the UN Global Compact, promising to align its operations with the ten principles covering human rights, labor, the environment, and anti-corruption. Investigations reveal that the company continues to operate in countries where human rights violations are well known, without taking concrete steps to change its practices or positively influence local conditions. This company uses its affiliation with the Global Compact to position itself as a leader in social responsibility, while avoiding implementing internal policies that reflect these values. It also displays the 17 SDGs in its social media posts without necessarily taking the actions required to achieve them.

How to Integrate Social Responsibility into Your Company
Republik is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact, which commits us to integrate the 10 principles of the Compact into our strategy, daily operations, and corporate culture. We also publish an annual Communication on Progress (COP) report detailing our efforts and progress in applying these principles. We’ve implemented a few practices to constantly challenge ourselves to avoid bluewashing. It’s also important to note that we’re always hesitant to use the SDGs in our communications or impact reports, as we understand that it’s a framework often misused or abused.

Internal Policy Reforms: Implement internal policy changes that directly reflect the ten principles of the Global Compact, focusing on human rights, labor standards, environmental protection, and anti-corruption efforts.

Commit to Transparent and Measurable Reporting: Engaging in transparent and regular communication about progress made in implementing the principles, including challenges, successes, and areas needing improvement, is essential for building trust with talents, partners, clients… basically all stakeholders. At Republik, we are committed to producing a biennial impact report to track our objectives and challenges.

Engage with Other Entities: Collaborating with governments, civil society, non-governmental organizations, and communities to enhance the social and environmental impact of the company’s actions can be highly beneficial in an RSE (corporate social responsibility) approach. At Republik, we have partnered with organizations such as the Saint-Michel Legal Clinic (CJSM) and the David Suzuki Foundation to create collaborative projects without them having to spend a dime. For us, it’s a way to use our expertise to serve non-profit organizations whose mission we care about, and these organizations benefit from relevant campaigns that help them gain greater visibility. Win win win, as they say!

Be Responsible and Accountable: Establish accountability mechanisms to ensure that commitments made are followed by actions, including independent assessments of compliance with Global Compact principles. On our side, we complete this questionnaire provided by the UN.

A Good Example of Corporate Social Responsibility
A fictitious company that stands out for its genuine response to the United Nations Global Compact would be a global leader in the clean tech sector. This company has not only adhered to the principles of the Compact but has also revolutionized its production processes to minimize its environmental footprint, implemented fair labor practices, and actively engaged in the fight against corruption by fostering a transparent and responsible corporate culture. Through concrete actions and continuous commitment, it demonstrates how adherence to the Global Compact can be transformed into a force for positive change.

Bluewashing represents a significant challenge in the landscape of CSR, questioning the sincerity of commitments when signing the UN Global Compact. To overcome this challenge, companies must move beyond mere symbolic adherence to real and measurable reforms. By taking concrete steps to align their practices with the principles of the Global Compact, they can truly contribute to a fairer and more sustainable future.