How to Talk About Your Ethics Without Sounding Like A Knob

There is a version of ethical marketing is genuine and effective. And there is a version that makes everyone cringe.

In this blog, we discuss what we think is the key difference.

If your business genuinely operates ethically, you should be talking about it. Not because it will make you popular (though it might 😉), but because it is true, and your customers deserve to know.

But there is a specific kind of ethical self-promotion that lands badly. The lengthy LinkedIn post about 'our commitment to sustainability' is all vague language and no specifics. The 'giving back' announcement that reads more like a press release than a genuine act of generosity.

Show rather than tell

Claims about being ethical are weak. Whereas providing evidence of actually doing ethical things is powerful.

Instead of 'We are committed to sustainability,' try 'We switched our office to 100% renewable energy in 2024. We offset the emissions from our delivery fleet through [specific scheme]. Our packaging is made from [specific material] because [specific reason].' Specifics are credible. Vague statements are not only a massive ick, they’re also totally pointless.

Talk about the hard stuff, too

The businesses that earn the most trust are not the ones that only talk about the things they have got right. 'We are not where we want to be on [issue] yet. Here is what we are doing about it' is far more convincing than a wall of achievements. Explain why you’re choosing to do those things - people love to know the context - and it’s what they’ll buy into.

Practical principles

• Make it relevant to your customer, not just to your brand. Connect your values to things that affect them directly.

• Do not overclaim. This is where greenwashing starts. If your product has genuinely reduced carbon in one part of its supply chain, say that. Do not imply the whole product is carbon neutral.

• Frequency matters. A steady cadence of honest, specific, evidence-based content is far more effective than daily posts about how much you care.

• Let others say it for you. Social proof like third-party reviews, testimonials, certifications and case studies are all more credible than self-promotion.

Our take

The businesses that get it right are the ones that genuinely live their values and then communicate about them as honestly as they would about anything else. If you are not sure whether what you are saying is genuine or performative, ask someone outside your organisation to read it. Their reaction will tell you a lot.

Want to know if you're talking about ethical marketing the right way? Get in touch hello@ipsaconsulting.co.uk