1. Purpose
This policy sets out Murzo Group's approach to environmental claims, sustainability marketing, green claims, social impact claims, product claims, comparative claims, certifications, and supporting evidence.
The purpose is to reduce greenwashing risk and ensure public statements are truthful, clear, fair, accurate, proportionate, and capable of being substantiated.
2. Scope
This policy applies to Murzo Group websites, policies, product descriptions, packaging, labels, investor materials, tenders, proposals, sales materials, social media, press statements, recruitment materials, sustainability statements, and supplier or partner communications.
It applies to claims about environment, carbon, climate, biodiversity, circularity, waste, packaging, ethical sourcing, animal welfare, labour standards, social impact, and sustainability performance.
3. Claim Principles
Murzo Group will only make sustainability or environmental claims where they are supported by suitable evidence and presented in a way that is not misleading.
- Claims must be truthful, accurate, and not exaggerated
- Claims must be clear about what product, service, activity, period, market, or part of the lifecycle they relate to
- Important conditions, limitations, exclusions, or trade-offs must not be hidden
- General claims such as green, eco, sustainable, responsible, carbon neutral, recyclable, biodegradable, or plastic-free require careful evidence and approval
- Visual presentation must not create a misleading impression even where words are technically correct
4. Evidence Requirements
Evidence must be held before a claim is made, not created after challenge.
- Supplier declarations, specifications, certificates, test results, lifecycle information, chain-of-custody evidence, or independent verification where appropriate
- Clear assumptions, calculation methods, dates, boundaries, and source data for carbon, waste, recycled content, or impact claims
- Evidence that certifications, logos, marks, or standards are current and used within their permitted scope
- Evidence for comparative claims showing the basis of comparison and why it is fair
- Review of legal, regulatory, market, and customer requirements where claims are significant or high risk
5. Approval Controls
Environmental and sustainability claims should be reviewed by an authorised Murzo Group representative before publication, especially where claims appear on packaging, websites, sales materials, product labels, investor materials, or public campaigns.
High-risk claims may require technical review, supplier evidence, legal advice, certification review, or senior approval.
6. Supplier & Partner Claims
Murzo Group must not rely blindly on supplier or partner sustainability claims. Supplier evidence should be reviewed proportionately before being repeated or incorporated into Murzo Group statements.
Where a supplier claim is uncertain, Murzo Group may qualify the statement, request evidence, avoid the claim, or describe the basis of the claim clearly.
7. Comparative & Future Claims
Comparative claims must explain what is being compared, against what baseline, over what period, and using what method where this is necessary to avoid misleading customers.
Future goals, targets, ambitions, roadmaps, or commitments must be realistic, approved, and supported by a credible plan. Aspirational statements should not be presented as current achievements.
8. Corrections & Challenge Handling
Where a claim is found to be inaccurate, unclear, unsupported, outdated, or likely to mislead, Murzo Group may amend, withdraw, correct, qualify, or stop using the claim.
Challenges from regulators, customers, competitors, media, suppliers, or the public must be escalated and handled through appropriate complaint, legal, communications, or compliance routes.
9. Records & Review
Murzo Group will keep appropriate records of claim approvals, evidence, data sources, supplier documents, certifications, calculations, review dates, corrections, and decisions.
This policy will be reviewed periodically and when products, packaging, marketing routes, legal requirements, regulator guidance, or sustainability strategy changes.
10. Responsibilities
Marketing leads, product owners, sustainability leads, procurement leads, sales teams, communications contacts, and authorised representatives are responsible for making sure claims are accurate, evidenced, and approved before use.
