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Beyond greenwashing: How to build trust and credibility in cleantech
Author : Georgiana Marian, Stone Junction
30 April 2025
Cleantech companies face a growing challenge: building trust in an industry where scepticism runs high.
While these businesses are working to solve urgent environmental issues, they operate in a landscape where bold sustainability claims are often met with doubt. Years of exaggerated marketing and vague net-zero pledges have led many stakeholders to demand more than just promises.
Here, Georgiana Marian, Account Manager at cleantech PR agency Stone Junction, discusses how to leverage communication strategies to overcome the greenwashing challenge.
Greenwashing is a significant problem. A 2022 report by the European Commission found that 42 percent of sustainability claims made by companies were exaggerated, false or deceptive. In response, the EU has proposed the Green Claims directive, which requires companies to provide scientific evidence for environmental assertions and bans vague or misleading terms like ‘eco-friendly’ without verification.
For cleantech companies, credibility is both a competitive advantage and a necessity. Those that fail to back up their claims with transparency and verifiable results risk losing public trust and investor confidence.
Let the data speak for you
Consumers and businesses alike are sceptical of bold sustainability claims, and rightly so. The antidote? Hard numbers, clearly communicated.
Transparency in reporting is critical, not just to satisfy regulatory requirements but to build long-term trust with investors, customers and policymakers. Many cleantech companies struggle to communicate their impact effectively. Overloading stakeholders with dense reports full of technical data can make claims seem impenetrable or even misleading. Instead, companies must focus on clear, structured communication that contextualises the numbers.
Take Climeworks, the Swiss direct air capture company. Instead of simply touting 'CO2 removal', they publish the precise amount of carbon they've pulled from the atmosphere in real time. Their partnerships, such as with Stripe and Microsoft, reinforce credibility by tying their success to known, trusted brands.
Ditch the jargon
Cleantech is full of technical breakthroughs, but press releases packed with 'electrochemical reduction of CO2' won’t inspire anyone. The best companies translate complexity into compelling narratives.
Notpla, a startup replacing plastic packaging with seaweed-based alternatives, tells a story about a world where single-use plastics disappear instead of just pitching ‘biodegradable packaging’. Their seaweed-based pouches for marathons, where runners drink and toss the whole thing, went viral precisely because the visual story was so strong.

Georgiana Marian, Account Manager, Stone Junction
By the end of 2023, Notpla had successfully replaced 7.3 million pieces of single-use plastic across ten European countries, a number that more than doubled to 16 million in 2024, reflecting its growing adoption and impact.
A strong narrative helps to frame the problem, articulate the solution and demonstrate real-world impact. Rather than relying on abstract descriptions of chemical processes, companies should focus on how their technology contributes to a broader shift towards sustainability. Whether through case studies, real-world applications, or human-centred storytelling, making the benefits of cleantech tangible fosters greater public and investor confidence.
Foster dialogue, not monologue
Credibility is not built through one-way communication. Companies that actively engage with stakeholders, especially when addressing criticism are more likely to build lasting trust.
Traditional corporate communications often focus on pushing out messages without room for dialogue. However, in the cleantech space, trust is built through continuous engagement with customers, regulators and industry peers. This includes responding to public concerns, participating in industry discussions, and transparently addressing questions about sustainability claims.
One example is Rivian, the electric vehicle startup. They’ve created a strong community of followers, partly by being exceptionally responsive on social media. When potential customers post about concerns, whether about vehicle charging times or battery range, the brand doesn’t hide behind generic responses or avoid tough topics. Instead, engineers and executives often reply personally or directly address the issues, providing technical insight and even offering solutions.
In an era where scepticism around sustainability claims is at an all-time high, cleantech companies must go beyond buzzwords and superficial pledges to truly gain trust. Trust is the currency of the future for cleantech, and those who prioritise transparency and accountability will emerge as the credible, trustworthy players in a space that is as competitive as it is critical.
At Stone Junction, we specialise in helping cleantech companies navigate the complex world of public relations, ensuring that their messages are clear, authentic and impactful.
To keep up to date with the latest theory and practice in technical PR, subscribe to Stone Junction’s podcast, The Junction Box, on Apple Music, Spotify or wherever you prefer to get your podcasts today.
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