WebinarOnline
Beyond greenwashing: Aligning consumer ethics with corporate sustainability in hospitality marketing
Friday, 28 May 2027
How can hospitality businesses communicate real sustainability progress without greenwashing? This session focuses on evidence, trust and honest limits.
About this event
Consumer research consistently records strong support for sustainable travel, yet purchasing decisions remain shaped by price, convenience, habit and limited access to reliable information. This webinar examines how environmental labels, marketing narratives and service design influence guest trust and brand credibility. It considers the gap between stated ethical preferences and actual behaviour without treating consumers as solely responsible for changing the tourism system. Ethical marketing should support informed choice while recognising that businesses retain responsibility for the environmental and social consequences of their operations.
Panellists will explore how specific claims, comparable impact measures and verification by independent parties can strengthen confidence in hospitality brands. The discussion will examine the relationship between marketing and operations, including how evidence should be gathered before a claim is published and how organisations should communicate when targets are delayed or missed. Attention will also be given to selective disclosure, vague future commitments and the use of imagery or language that creates an impression of performance beyond what available evidence supports.
Participants will receive a structured framework for assessing whether promotional communications are clear, relevant and proportionate to verified achievements. They will learn to identify the scope of a claim, test the quality of supporting evidence and distinguish meaningful progress from routine compliance. The session will also consider how corrective communication, accessible reporting and credible complaints procedures can protect consumer agency. These tools will help researchers and practitioners align sustainability communication with accountable corporate practice rather than relying on aspiration alone. This strengthens trust across markets.