Is Seventh Generation Greenwashing? An Expert Breakdown!
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But is it really true or are they greenwashing? If a brand is claiming to be eco-friendly and socially responsible when it’s actually not, it’s actually greenwashing.
While Seventh Generation makes several claims about being sustainable, there are numerous accusations that say otherwise.
To know more about it, keep reading the article.
Sustainability Rating: 4/10
Category: Home care, baby care
For: Home use, babies
Products: Detergents, stain removers, fabric softeners, dishwasher detergent, dishwashing soap, disinfecting wipes, disinfecting cleaners, disinfectant sprays, hand soap, period care, baby diapers, overnight diapers, training pants, flip-top dispenser, peel + reseal
Quality: Medium
Prices: $
100% Organic: No
100% Vegan: No
Ethical & Fair: Yes
Recycling: Yes
Manufacturing country: United States of America
Certifications: GOTS, OCS, FSC
Interpretation Of The Sustainability Score
Receiving a sustainability score of 4 out of 10 shows that a business has started adopting sustainable practices and knows the impact it has on the environment.
As for Seventh Generation, it has been seen raising awareness and claiming to be sustainable, but at the same time, it has been accused of greenwashing. Let’s find out if it’s really true.
What Are The Sustainability Practices Of The Brand?
As of now, Seventh Generation says that it engages in the following activities that make the brand sustainable:
- Supporting climate justice to make the planet much healthier.
- Following sustainable sourcing methods, including plant-based sourcing.
- Using recycled contents in packaging to promote zero plastic solutions.
- Providing a livable wage to all the employees.
- Using products that are free of harmful toxins.
Now, their 2025 sustainability goals include:
- They claim to source their products 100% sustainably from plants or recycled contents by 2025.
- They will reduce both direct and indirect greenhouse emissions by fifty percent.
- They will use the least amount of water and make sure they won’t contaminate it.
- They will use hundred percent recycled content in their packaging.
- They will not use any chronic toxins in their products. This is a little disturbing to know because if they claim to stop using chronic toxins by 2025, it means that they still use some that are potentially harmful to the environment.
- They will educate people and raise campaigns to help people take a stand.
- They will disclose all the ingredients on their products honestly.
The brand is much better than other cleaning brands but it might not be as eco-friendly as it claims to be.
However, Seventh Generation has been satisfying its clients for ages. Many have raised questions about the brand being greenwashing, but once they have tested it themselves, they found it to be better than most of the leading cleaning brands.
What Are The Ethical Practices Of The Brand?
Seventh Generation claims to be ethical and responsible. Its ethical practices include:
- No use of child labor: They make sure none of their manufacturers use child labor under the age of 15 in any way.
- No use of forced or prison labor: They are strictly against forced or prison labor and make sure their manufacturers or suppliers don’t use them either.
- Zero tolerance towards harassment and abuse: They strictly prohibit workplace harassment, corporal punishment, and any kind of physical or mental abuse.
- Health and safety: They make sure all their employees are provided with a safe and pleasant work environment and also make sure they receive health and safety training.
- Fair wages and flexible work hours: Their ethical policies also include offering fair wages to their employees with respect and dignity. They also offer flexible work hours and paid leave to their employees.
- Cruelty-free products: They don’t test on animals and believe to promote a cruelty-free future. Moreover, they mention all the ingredients on their products.
Now, purchasing Seventh Generation is undoubtedly not the worst option, particularly if you need to make a fast trip to the store.
However, it's not the best either, so people with allergies, sensitive skin, or other sensitivities should be aware of any irritating chemicals as they still haven’t stopped using “chronic toxins”.
The good thing about the brand is that it takes part in sustainability initiatives and is transparent about the materials used in the products as you can see the ingredients mentioned on the products.
What Are The Animal Welfare Policies Of The Brand?
The brand has been seen using cruelty-free materials in its products and there has not been much controversy about it, which shows that they are telling the truth.
Sources:
https://www.tiktok.com/@krystalynngier/video/7237682260395380014
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzNcuPipRg8
https://www.designweek.co.uk/issues/17-21-oct-2022/seventh-generation-redesigned/