Questions for Discussion: H&M Greenwashing Article by https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh Pick out information from the article and answer the questions below. Give detailed explanations to support your answers. Some questions will ask you to bring in research from other sources. en-us 2025-02-17 14:03:35 UTC 2025-03-10 15:47:44 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet.net/icons/png/1f4ac.png https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332525806 Marketing specialist, 8 years of experience in cross-cultural communications

]]> 2025-02-18 09:24:09 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332525806 https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332526565 Zara Ramaniah - works with Fidelity Canada with a background in digital marketing, communications, brand management, market research, public relations and market analytics. She is highly qualified with a Marketing qualification and an Arts degree in political science, English language and literature.

]]> 2025-02-18 09:24:45 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332526565 https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332527960

  • Zara Ramaniah- a marketing specialist currently working at a technology company and has a masters degree in marketing, no fashion experience, however has included article references throughout

    • ]]>     2025-02-18 09:26:20 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332527960     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332528574 there were a lot of references for statistics and legal quotes however there aren't any links supporting claims towards H&M

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:26:57 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332528574     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332531884 inclusion of statistics that are supported by references from credible sources such as The Economist and a famous environmentalist

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:30:04 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332531884     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332532195 H&M's greenwashing claims affect stakeholders, especially those living in areas near landfills and manufacturing

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:30:21 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332532195     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332533665 That H&Ms marketing makes it seem that they are more sustainable than they actually are and have broken ethics codes in doing so

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:32:03 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332533665     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332535554 "I would argue that H&M is misleading consumers into thinking that it recycles the clothes it collects. In truth, less than half is recycled" - Zara talks about H&M duping consumers and lying about recycling however provides no evidence that this is the truth. She only provides proof that they are not meeting regulations by doing this

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:33:51 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332535554     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332536081 That unethical companies will not last in the long run if they refuse to make changes

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:34:23 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332536081     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332536718

  • History of greenwashing evidenced by a Guardian article 

  • Quote by Michael Sandel 

  • ‘Textile dyeing is the second-largest polluter of water globally’ 

  • References of philosophers – Kant, Aristotle 

  • Real life example of Lance Armstrong 

    • ]]>     2025-02-18 09:35:07 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332536718     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332536749 The writer makes references to respected professionals and academics within the business industry, such as Michael Porter, which enhances the validity of this source.

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:35:09 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332536749     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332537281 Zara provides good links to similar stories such as Forever 21 and links to evidence of sustainability statistics and regulations relevant to H&M's greenwashing

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:35:48 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332537281     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332537296 summarises h&ms attempts at being ethical and sustainable and critises them using statistical evidence such as that only 35% of what’s collected is recycled at all. She then goes on to explain how they are able to get away with it through marketing being unregulated

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:35:49 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332537296     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332538523 provides links to trustworthy articles and scholars such as NY Times and Michael Sandel who is a Harvard professor

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:37:05 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332538523     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332540277 She has credible knowledge within the marketing field, so has the ability to recognise how h&m are using marketing to greenwash and supports her points with other credible references. In my assessment I would maybe consider looking into her points further using a more fashion focussed article etc to back up or challenge what she's saying

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:38:52 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332540277     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332541302 The writer talks in the first person several times throughout the article which isn't formal and therefore questions the validity of the source. However, their are lots of references to sources throughout the article so it is obvious that her personal thoughts is not purely the basis of this source.

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:39:54 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332541302     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332542003 The conclusion could have focused more on H&M but it does provide examples of how H&M could do better and highlights other brands who have faced scrutiny.

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:40:27 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332542003     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332543051 While the author does include evidence and reasoning, the article generally does not mention what H&M are doing well, and seems to use evidence that goes against H&M, suggesting potential bias.

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:41:26 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332543051     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332543085 Definition & Development of Greenwashing


    obtained from a literary magazine in 1986 by Jay Westerveld




    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:41:28 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332543085     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332544329 marketers should not be solely responsible for brands sustainability perception

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:42:36 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332544329     https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332545497 Zara sort of says that the blame is on marketers with the sentence "It should, therefore, be marketers who take a stand for what is right for the long term reputation of their company." - this convinces me less about her personal opinion as she strays away from her arguments of H&M as a brand itself greenwashing to just blaming the marketing campaign

    ]]>     2025-02-18 09:43:46 UTC https://padlet.com/businessethicsseminar/gqrylxw8tq1gbssh/wish/3332545497