Reluctance to share green claims is causing a ‘silent crisis’ across the UK’s industries, with 98% of businesses admitting they have been excluded from new contract opportunities due to their inability or reluctance to share their sustainability credentials.
Despite these commercial losses, 85% of organisations have intentionally suppressed external sustainability communications over the past year, yet celebrated them internally.
The Big Green Fears report, published by B Corp Certified agency The Marketing Pod, reveals that firms are intentionally ‘greenhushing’ – silencing their environmental progress. This is primarily driven by fear of scrutiny, as nine in 10 leaders worry their sustainability claims will be challenged by regulators or the public in 2026.
Industry is at the forefront of the UK’s net zero strategy, yet our research shows missed opportunities are most common in regulated sectors. 100% of decision makers in the Utilities sector, 80% of those in Finance and 70% in Manufacturing admit they have often or always lost business over a lack of green credentials. When including those who sometimes lose out, the figure for Manufacturing rises to a staggering 91%.
Key sector findings from the Big Green Fears report:
- 57% of manufacturers claim supply chain unreliability is the biggest barrier to accelerating their sustainability strategy.
- 60% of respondents are only somewhat confident that management has the right ‘green skills’ to execute the board’s sustainability vision.
- In addition, 29% of respondents cite keeping up with the latest regulations as their top green fear of 2026.
- Finance (94%) and Construction (90%) were among the highest industries to believe their customers are willing to pay a premium for a more sustainable product or service.
- Almost all (98%) of businesses are considering allocating budget for sustainability communications experts to safeguard their organisation’s reputation
Jen Hughes, Co-Founder of The Marketing Pod, commented, “When nearly all organisations are losing tenders, it’s also clear that silence is not a safe communications strategy. In fact, greenhushing has become a threat to business growth and could contribute to a slowdown in net zero progress.”
Jodie Williams, Co-Founder of The Marketing Pod, added, “As a B Corp, we practice exactly what we preach. We’re familiar with the unease of scrutiny because we’re navigating it ourselves and with our clients. Our certification means we don’t just push sustainability stories; we understand the governance, ethics, and data required to make them stick. With the CMA issuing new guidance specifically on supply chain responsibility, the challenge for business leaders has gone from promoting green claims to “how can we prove it?”
