This month sees the publication of 'After Greenwashing: Symbolic Corporate Environmentalism and Society' by Professor Frances Bowen. This is the first in a series of books from Cambridge University Press on Organizations and the Natural Environment aimed at building bridges between scholarly work and practice of corporate environmental strategies."Greenwash has become so pervasive that many people dismiss all corporate sustainability communications as meaningless cheap talk. Yet in this book, Frances Bowen offers hope that information technology may soon have greenwash on the run. She makes a strong case that we must open our eyes to the broader symbolic dimensions of corporate environmentalism, including visual imagery and polemics designed to shape the terms of public debate. She calls for more attention to the role of corporate power, and for more discriminating analysis of when the use of corporate sustainability symbols is good or bad for society. The book offers a series of rich empirical cases, motivated by her experiences in the tar sands of Alberta, and a set of insightful frameworks for thinking more clearly about the role of symbols in corporate environmentalism. Scholars, managers and concerned citizens alike who are interested in ending greenwash will want to read this book."Thomas P. Lyon, Dow Chair of Sustainable Science, Technology and Policy, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan
"After Greenwashing’ is the authoritative volume on the drivers and consequences of symbolic corporate environmentalism. It offers a comprehensive analysis of the power of green symbols on society, and valuable tools to distinguish harmful green symbols from those associated with authentic environmental improvements. A must read for corporate leaders."Magali Delmas, Professor, University of California Los Angeles
A book launch will be taking place on 4th June 2014 at the School of Business and Management, Queen Mary University of London.
If you would like to attend please visit the registration page for more information and to confirm your place.