Trust in corporate sustainability ‘on a downward slope’, study claims

Trust in corporate sustainability claims is ‘on a downward slope’, a new study by 3BL has suggested, with close to a quarter (23%) of consumers saying that they ‘rarely’ or ‘almost never’ believe what firms are saying about their sustainability efforts.

This is up from 15% a year and a half ago, the 3BL Quarterly Research Report, Say Less, Risk More: Sustainability Silence is Undermining Trust, found.

Greenhushing on the rise

At the core of this is the rising trend of ‘greenhushing‘, where businesses intentionally downplay or reduce public communication around sustainability to avoid controversy, legal scrutiny, or political backlash. According to 3BL, media mentions of US’ firms corporate sustainability activities dropped nearly 10% in the first four months of 2025.

‘But staying silent doesn’t protect your reputation — it puts it at risk,’ it noted. ‘In today’s climate, no news isn’t neutral, it’s negative.’

According to the study, more than a quarter of consumers assume that firms that don’t publicly report on their sustainability goals aren’t doing anything at all.

Values-based purchasing

In addition, more and more consumers are increasingly making purchasing decisions aligned with their values – some 73% of consumers believe their buying habits can influence corporate behaviour, while 80% prefer shopping with businesses that continue supporting DEI, even despite recent pushback against these programmes.

More than half (56%), meanwhile, say sustainability impacts their day-to-day lifestyle choices.

The report suggests that firms need to adhere to three behaviours in order to build trust around their sustainability efforts – evidence, consistency, and transparency.

Some 28% of consumers say they are more likely to trust companies that provide clear, verifiable data, while 25% value a ‘history of action’, particularly when it comes to sustainability. In addition, consumers even appreciate businesses to be honest and open about their failings – 44% of consumers think more highly of companies that openly share when something didn’t work.

‘Companies hoping to avoid controversy by keeping quiet are overlooking the bigger risk: losing consumer loyalty, reputation, and market share,’ 3BL commented. ‘Billions have already been lost in boycotts following rollbacks in DEI commitments.

‘The solution isn’t perfection — it’s proof. It’s real talk. It’s showing up with data, consistency, and the courage to be honest about the messier parts of progress. In 2025 and beyond, walking the walk isn’t enough. You have to talk about it, too.’ Read more here.