How large companies communicate sustainability in an international environment: a crossroads between grounded information and greenwashing

Sustainability is becoming a widespread topic of discussion also for companies: the aim of this research is to understand how the world largest companies communicate their eventual environmental and social commitment. To achieve this aim researchers have examined sixteen large companies’ web sites, considering four sectors, that are Oil and gas operations, Iron and steel, Computer hardware and Food processing, observing what kind of communication tools they use (sustainability reports, certifications, sustainability web sections). Findings highlight a particular attention to sustainability communication but, at the same time, it is also evident that some of those companies are suspected to be unethical: from a marketing point of view greenwashing could be a risky choice for companies’ long-term survival while a communication based on concrete and verifiable information can represent a great opportunity for them.