What we mean by Ethical
If you’ve ever bought something that didn’t do what the ad promised, you know the feeling: annoyed, mistrustful, and unlikely to return. In contrast, ethical marketing does the opposite. It treats people fairly, tells the truth, and explains the fine print in plain English. As a result, it leads to fewer complaints, stronger loyalty, and a brand you’re proud to stand behind. In other words, great marketing gets attention; but ethical marketing keeps it.
What Ethical actually looks like in practice.
Ethics is not a buzzword, it should be a habit. Here’s the day-to-day version.
- Honesty: the overall impression of your ad should match reality (not just the small print).
- Clarity: no vague claims like “eco friendly” without specifics – greenwashing misleads the public and delays reaction1.
- Fairness: If there are limits or reactions, you say them where people can see them.
- Proof: you can back up claims with evidence today- not “we’ll find it later.”
If you wouldn’t be comfortable explaining the claim to a customer face-to-face, your claims are probably not good and it needs work.
[1] United Nations. Greenwashing – the deceptive tactics behind false sustainability claims. https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/science/climate-issues/greenwashing
A quick reality check.
Ask yourself:
- Would this make sense to someone who’s never met our brand?
- Is it written straight-up plain language, not corporate fog?
- Could I show a sceptical auntie the proof without breaking a sweat?
The green claim trap and how to dodge it.
Words like sustainable, plastic free, compostable, and carbon neutral are powerful and risky because they imply big promises. If you use them, be specific, for instance:
- Say this: “60% recycled polyester (by weight). Trim and zip are virgin plastic.”
- Not this: “Eco-friendly materials.”
- Say this: “Compostable in industrial facilities to standard XYZ. Not home compostable.”
- Not this: “100% compostable.”
- Say this: “We reduced emissions 22% vs 2022 and offset the rest via Project ABC.”
- Not this: “Carbon neutral.”
According to the European Commission, 53% of green claims are vague or unfounded, and regulators like the FTC and UK CMA say you shouldn’t use broad terms like “eco-friendly/sustainable” without clear specifics and proof 2,3,4
Bottom line: Specifics don’t make you look smaller; they make you look credible.
[2] European Commission — Green claims: https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/circular-economy/green-claims_en
[3] FTC — Green Guides summary:https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/environmental-claims-summary-green-guides
[4] UK CMA — Green Claims Code:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-claims-code-making-environmental-claims
Influencers, reviews, and the power of being upfront
If someone is paid, gifted, or earns a commission, it’s important to disclose that clearly and upfront. For instance, a simple statement like “Paid partnership with @Brand” or “Contains affiliate links; if you buy, we may earn a commission” is both honest and beneficial for long-term trust. Additionally, when creators mention results, those outcomes should reflect typical experiences rather than cherry-picked success stories.
Pro tip: To streamline the process, consider giving creators a one-page guide that includes approved claim wording and clear disclosure instructions. This proactive step helps prevent misunderstandings, ensures consistency, and saves time for everyone involved.
Proof beasts posture (every time)
Badges and catch phrase are nice – but evidence is better. Examples of easy, everyday proof:
- A short PDF summary of your product’s materials, audits, or test results5,6.
- A line on your product page linking to your “What this claim means” explainer5,6.
- Before and after numbers with dates, baselines, and how you measured them5,6.
No one expects perfection. They do expect receipts.
[5] Commerce Commission (NZ) – Environmental Claims Guidelines.PDF<https://www.comcom.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/353460/Environmental-claims-guidance-July-2020.pdf
[6] Advertising Standards Authority (NZ)https://asa.co.nz/codes/guidance-notes/guidance-note-on-misleading-claims-and-responding-to-complaints/
The 7 second claim check
Before anything goes live, ask:
- Big picture: Does the overall impression match reality?
- Specific: Are numbers/conditions clear (what, how much, when)?
- Plain English: Would a 14-year-old understand it?
- Evidence: Could we prove it today?
- Context: Are we avoiding cherry-picking?
- Disclosure: If someone’s endorsing, is the connection obvious?
- Design: Are disclaimers visible where the claim appears?
If you can’t answer “yes” to all seven, tweak it.
Grey Areas (decoded quickly)
“Sustainable” brand: Unless you can prove it across the board, focus on the specific attributes (e.g., recycled content, energy use, take-back programme results).
“Plastic Free”:Check every component- seals, coatings, labels as this often trip brands up8,9.
“Biodegradable/compostable”: Always state the conditions (where, how long, which standard)10,11.“Up to 50% off”: Make sure “up to”: isn’t just one item in size XS at 3a, pricing claims must be clear and accurate 12,13.
[8] NZ ASA: https://asa.co.nz/codes/guidance-notes/guidance-note-on-environmental-claims-in-advertising/
[9] NZ Commerce Commission: https://www.comcom.govt.nz/business/dealing-with-typical-situations/environmental-claims/
[10] NZ Commerce Commission: https://www.comcom.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0021/353460/Environmental-claims-guidance-July-2020.pdf
[11] NZ Ministry for the Environment: https://environment.govt.nz/assets/publications/Waste/compostable-products-in-aotearoa-nz.pdf
[12] NZ Commerce Commission: https://www.comcom.govt.nz/business/dealing-with-typical-situations/selling-goods-and-services/pricing-your-products-or-services/
[13] UK ASA/CAP: https://www.asa.org.uk/news/free-advice-on-getting-your-savings-claims-right.html
Build the habit, not just a policy
A policy is great; a workflow is better. Here’s a simple way to bake ethics into business-as-usual:
1) Create a Claims Register
A basic spreadsheet does the job:
- Claim (exact wording)
- Where it appears (website, pack, ad, influencer post)
- Evidence on file (link to doc)
- Owner (who updates it)
- Review date (set a reminder)
2) Add a 10-minute pre-publish check
Design and copy teams run the 7-second Claim Check (above). Someone else, ideally outside the project, does a quick read for common sense.
3) Sort the creator workflow
- Provide approved wording for any sensitive claims
- Require clear disclosure (give examples)
- Keep screenshots/links for your records
- Agree a fix-fast rule if something slips
4) Measure what matters
- Trust/brand: complaint rate, review trends, repeat purchase 14
- Compliance: % of claims with current evidence; time-to-fix issues14
- Creators: disclosure pass rate on spot checks14
Impact: simple, trackable metrics (e.g., % of range with recycled content; emissions per unit vs last year)
[14] 13 brand health metrics you need to know and start tracking:https://www.askattest.com/blog/articles/13-brand-health-metrics-you-need-to-know
Bottom line
Doing good and doing well aren’t opposites. When your marketing lines up with your values and the evidence, you build a brand people can trust and that’s the most durable growth lever there is.
CTA: Want a quick sense check?
Send through your top 5 claims and we’ll highlight what’s solid, what needs work, and how to sharpen the wording and disclosures for clarity and credibility.
The team@MyMarketer.
