Sustainability PR is the practice of communicating a company's environmental and social work in claims that can be proven. Since September 27, 2026, an EU directive bans generic claims such as eco-friendly or green unless the company can show recognized excellent environmental performance, and the rule covers any seller to EU consumers. Sustainability PR therefore starts with evidence, then moves to story, coverage and measurement.
What rules govern sustainability claims in 2026?
Sustainability claims are governed by consumer-protection rules that differ by market, and several tightened in 2026. Check each market where you sell before you publish a claim.
| Market | Rule | What it means for PR |
|---|---|---|
| European Union | Directive (EU) 2024/825, applying from September 27, 2026 | Generic claims such as "eco-friendly," "green" or "biodegradable" are banned without recognized excellent environmental performance, and the rule applies to traders outside the EU that sell to EU consumers. |
| United States | The FTC's Green Guides (16 CFR Part 260) | Environmental claims must be truthful and substantiated, and broad claims such as "eco-friendly" are hard to support. |
| United Kingdom | The CMA's Green Claims Code | The UK uses a principles-based code, so claims must be accurate, clear and backed by evidence. |
Sources: law firm and compliance analyses of Directive (EU) 2024/825 (TLT; Bird and Bird; the directive's text published in the EU Official Journal in March 2024). Belgium has reported a sell-through period to March 27, 2027 for certain goods made before September 27, 2026, so national rules vary. This is general information, not legal advice.
How do you prove a sustainability claim?
You prove a sustainability claim by tying it to a specific product, a measured result and a named source, and by publishing that evidence where reporters and customers can read it.
- State the claim narrowly: "this package uses 40 percent recycled plastic," not "our packaging is green."
- Name the measurement method and the year, such as a third-party life-cycle assessment or a certification.
- Link to the evidence on your own site.
- Have legal counsel review the claim for each market.
- Record the date, and review the claim when the product or the rules change.
Avoid vague words that cannot be proven, such as "green," "natural" and "sustainable," unless the sentence says exactly what they mean.
What does a sustainability PR program include?
A sustainability PR program has five parts, and each depends on the evidence step above.
| Part | What it does | Example action |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence library | Gives reporters proof to check | A page with data, methods, certifications and dates |
| Executive voice | Puts a named person behind the work | A sustainability lead who speaks on record |
| Earned media | Reaches business, trade and consumer readers | Pitching a result, such as emissions cut against a stated baseline |
| Partnerships | Adds outside validation | Working with a credible nonprofit or certifier, with clear disclosure |
| Crisis readiness | Prepares for greenwashing accusations | An approved response and the evidence ready to publish |
For the media side, see earned media, and for statement structure use the Crisis Statement Template.
What happens when a sustainability claim is challenged?
When a sustainability claim is challenged, the company should publish its evidence quickly, correct anything that was overstated, and say what it changed. A challenged claim that the company defends with documents recovers faster than one that it defends with adjectives.
If part of a claim cannot be supported, withdraw that part publicly and keep the rest. Partial correction protects the claims that are true.
How do you measure sustainability PR?
Measure sustainability PR by whether claims are accepted, repeated accurately and linked to business results.
| Measure | What it shows | How to track it |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage that repeats the claim accurately | Whether reporters trust the evidence | Compare each article with the approved claim language |
| Challenges and corrections | Whether claims hold up | Log each question from reporters, regulators and watchdogs |
| Customer and investor inquiries | Commercial interest | Count and source each inquiry |
| Share of AI answers that describe the claim correctly | Accuracy in AI search | Run fixed prompts monthly, as in AI brand monitoring |
How do you choose a sustainability PR agency?
Choose a sustainability PR agency by checking four things before you sign.
- Ask for named sustainability campaigns you can verify, and how the agency checked each claim.
- Confirm that it works with your legal team on claims for every market you sell in.
- Test whether it will tell you not to publish a claim that lacks proof.
- Reject promises of coverage, because editors decide.
5W's sustainability PR agency practice describes its approach. A related guide on this site covers adding sustainability to a brand.
What should a company do first?
A company should list every environmental claim it makes today, mark which ones have documented evidence, and remove or rewrite the rest before the next campaign. Then publish an evidence page for the claims that remain, and ask counsel to review it for each market.
FAQ
What is sustainability PR?
Sustainability PR is the practice of communicating a company's environmental and social work through provable claims, evidence pages, executive voice and earned media.
Can a company still say its product is eco-friendly?
In the EU, not without recognized excellent environmental performance, since September 27, 2026. In the U.S., the FTC's Green Guides require substantiation, and broad claims are hard to support, so use a specific, provable statement instead.
Does the EU rule apply to companies outside the EU?
Yes, if they sell to EU consumers. Analyses of the directive state that it applies to traders regardless of where they are established.
Originally published December 2022. Rewritten October 2026.
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