UP-SKILL IN CLIMATE COMMS

The greenwash watch

Whether you are an agency, a freelancer, or working in house at a brand, our training will help you to identify and address greenwashing and build marketing sustainability strategies that are credible, with impact.

What you’ll learn

Each module includes insightful video lessons, real-world examples, and practical activities that you can implement immediately.

We will continue to add new resources as greenwashing regulations evolve.

    • Why do we need this course now?

    • What Is Sustainability & Why Does It Matter?

    • Using the People, Planet, Profit Model

    • Using the Word 'Sustainable' in Communications

  • Selling the business case to the CMO

    • Selling Sustainability to the CEO

    • The Business Case for Sustainability

    • Why Isn't Business Acting Fast Enough?

    • Preparing The Pitch: Questions to Ask

  • Weeding Out the Greenwashing in a Sustainability Strategy

    • Sustainability Strategies Against Greenwashing

    • What Does a Sustainability Strategy Look Like?

    • Case Study: Danone

    • The Project: Where to Start?

    • STEP 1: What Stage Is the Brand At?

    • STEP 2: What Are the Biggest Impact Areas?

    • Deep Dive: Sustainable Lifestyles, Plastics & Deforestation

    • STEP 3: What Socio-Economic Impacts Does the Brand Have?

    • STEP 4: What Do Consumers Need?

    • Industry insight: Social Impact

    • STEP 5: Brand Opportunities & Relevance

    • Industry Insight: Brand Perspective

    • 10 Tips for Bridging the Sustainability Gap With Clients

    • Wrap-up

    • Recap of Greenwash Watch

Ways to learn with us

On demand

Access the course at your own pace.

Course Contents:

✔︎ 6-week access

✔︎ 54 video resources

✔︎ Insights from industry experts

✔︎ Hands-on activities

✔︎ Additional resources & frameworks

✔︎ Certification

Live Cohort

Learn with industry experts in a live cohort of like minded change makers in July and October 2024, and March 2025.

Course Contents:

✔︎ 8-week access

✔︎ 4 live lessons

✔︎ Weekly Q&As

✔︎ Private alumni community board

✔︎ Certification

Scholarship

Creatives for Climate in partnership with ADCE and CCP, are offering scholarships for the Greenwash Watch Live-Cohort Courses to aid and accelerate the transition of creative professionals to green careers. 

This scholarship is part of GREEN FUTURES partnership consists of the landmark EU network for the visual communication and graphic design industry (ADCE), the National association for this industry in Portugal (CCP) and the Creatives for Climate, a global network of more than 1000 global creatives committed to using their creativity for good.

The initiative is launching 22 scholarship spots for the Greenwash Watch course at 50% off, now only €225. 11 spots are available for the first live cohort starting in July and the other half are available for the second live cohort beginning in October. The deadline for the application is June 4, 2024. 

In order to apply, you must be an EU resident. Please fill out the form below to apply for the scholarship. 

Apply here

Meet the experts

The Greenwash Watch was created in collaboration with a number of experts across industries. Meet some of those experts below.

  • Gill Wilson

  • Alex Weller

  • Isabel Crabtree-Condor

  • Ioannis Ioannou

  • Christian Smith

  • Lucy von Sturmer

  • Chacho Puebla

  • Samuel Gosschalk

  • Anna Öhrling

  • Rick Evans

WHO HAS TAKEN THE COURSE?

HEAR FROM OUR ALUMNI

  • “It’s interesting how to use the power of communication to not mislead people, and to change and transform in a more positive way”

    Friedrich Detering - Freelance Illustrator & Motion Designer

  • “The Greenwash Watch course was a great opportunity to join like-minded individuals across the world in thinking about how our profession will evolve to combat the climate crisis. I enjoyed the content and examples and felt they were relevant and actionable to my day-to-day”

    Valerie Aguiar - Director of Client Strategy, Public Inc.

  • “I can recommend the Greenwash Watch School for everyone working in Marketing. Communicating sustainability is becoming a must for more and more companies. Skill yourself up, learn to weed out the bullsh*t and know what your company should be talking about!”

    Amelie Haupt - Freelance Digital Marketing Strategist

  • “The course was an awesome deep dive into all things greenwashing. Navigating this space is complex and the best of times, so it was super useful to be doing it as a collective and with expert guidance.”

    Linzi Hawkin - Co-founder & Strategist, Protect Blue

  • “This is exactly what I needed because it brings me a systematic approach to this concept of greenwashing”

    Tamara Hoogweegen - Creative Strategist

  • "I've done several trainings in the space of sustainability - and this one is perhaps the most valuable and best use for those of us in marketing and advertising. It truly covers the full process of working with clients, equips you on how to push back against vague client sustainability briefs that don't have an objective other than to make them appear greener.”

    Jess Francis - Design Strategist and Researcher, McCann Worldgroup

  • "The course was an awesome deep dive into all things greenwashing. Navigating this space is complex at the best of times, so it was super useful to be doing it as a collective and with expert guidance."

    Linzi Hawkin - Co-Founder and Strategist, Protect Blue

  • “I was really impressed by some of the stories about how passionate and determined the group was about sustainability and purpose-lead communications - especially when part of a big organization where it might sometimes feel like an uphill battle.’’

    Dan Caulfield - Filmmaker & Content Creator, Enviral

  • “…A platform oozing with creative energy, people wanting to make positive change and importantly - connection with like-minded people. Imagine the conversations that are going to be had with people that don’t even know each other yet. How exciting!

    Michele Kaye - Freelance Copywriter

  • “I just completed the Greenwash Watch course powered by Creatives for Climate Community, and I’m walking away with my pockets full of new insights, tools, reflections, and a positive boost…”

    Char Tedesco - Freelance Creative Strategist

  • “Attention all creatives: I highly recommend attending [the Greenwash Watch course] - and all other events Creatives for Climate Community offer. Join and become a member….”

    Christina Meister - Co-Founder, Novatopia

  • “[The Greenwash Watch course] from the Creatives for Climate Community has had my brain doing backflips over recent weeks. It’s provided a space for some valuable contemplation about the line that brands (and those of us representing them) are obliged to walk today, not only in terms of what we say and how we say it, but going right to the heart of each organisation, its purpose, and its license to operate…”

    Dickon Bonvik-Stone - Podcast Host, Communicating Climate Change

  • “The Creatives for Climate community is made up of so many passionate, talented leaders. There’s no better place to bring a new idea, and figure out how to make it an even stronger tool to enable the climate transition.”

    Duncan Meisel - Executive Director, Clean Creatives

FAQs

  • There is a growing skills gap in the communications industry when it comes to communicating sustainability effectively, and credibly!

    Meanwhile powerful climate communications is what is needed to move the needle on the ecological emergency - but this requires a complex and ever-changing skill-set that is not widely taught or championed.

    We have created the Academy to bridge this gap and support communications and sustainability professionals to deliver projects with impact!

  • This course is for everyone! There is no particular pre-requisite to get started. However, you might find it particularly helpful if you are:

    A creative looking to develop more sustainability projects, but lack a proven framework to make it happen.

    A brand manager looking for insights into how to communicate sustainability more effectively without fear of greenwashing.

    Looking to improve your credibility as a sustainability marketer or communicator.

  • Our courses are developed in collaboration with industry experts, and made possible with hundreds of hours put in by volunteers and part-timers.

    Creatives for Climate is proudly non-profit, non-corporate and non-compromised.

    We rely on funding and support from our community through memberships and courses.

    All proceeds go directly into driving climate action!

  • We always have accessibility in mind so there are several ways to learn with us.

    Supporting members get access to Starter Courses as part of their membership.

    On-demand courses allow you to learn at your own pace, anytime, anywhere.

    Live cohorts are facilitated by a lead trainer who would give live lessons and direct feedback, among other perks.

    Each category has two pricing tiers — freelancer and corporate.

    We allow you to self-select pricing, but ask if you're a consultant looking for a framework to adopt and sell, or you work at a large company or agency, please pay the corporate/agency pricing - as it's still a fraction of the cost for us to produce.

  • As part of our mission to bridge the creativity gap in climate action, we help increase knowledge and skills so the creative industry has the capacity to drive climate solutions.

    One way we increase knowledge and skills is through our Greenwash Watch Course.

    We offer this course in two ways:

    1️⃣ Live group cohorts

    2️⃣ Full-course on demand

    We also offer a sneak peak for supporting members into the course through our Free Greenwash Watch Starter.

    While the full course has 56 lessons spread over 8 sections, the starter contains only 14 lessons. In the starter, you'll cover:

    • Sustainability strategies against greenwashing

    • What a sustainability strategy looks like

    • What's new in greenwashing

    • Regulations and legislation

    • Some case studies and activities

    The starter course is meant to give supporting members some visibility into what they can expect in the full Greenwash Watch Course. While it's a great place to start, the full course is the ticket to supercharging your climate comms.

  • Join the Hub as a Supporting Member and you automatically gain access to the Starter Course!

  • Please email academy@creativesforclimate.co if there is a question that has not been answered on the Hub!