Beyond Greenwash
Explaining Credibility in Transnational Eco-Labeling
Hamish van der Ven
Reviews and Awards
"This book is a great read for anyone interested in ecolabelling as a form of global environmental governance. It speaks to practitioners and scientists alike, whether coming from a political, business, corporate social responsibility (CSR), or sustainable consumption background." -- F. C. Doebbe, Stockholm School of Economics, Journal of Consumer Policy
"Beyond Greenwash is an insightful analysis of transnational ecolabels that documents how ecolabels with global ambitions-termed aiming big-face social and organizational processes that push them to become more procedurally credible for transnational audiences. Conventional thinking might predict the opposite, but van der Ven shows that aiming big brings critical scrutiny, demands for stakeholder democracy, and organizational capacity all of which help ecolabels to adopt emerging procedural norms about what it means to be a credible ecolabel. This book is essential reading for those interested in transnational governance, how it works, and how it can be improved." --Graeme Auld, Director and Associate Professor, Carleton University
"His finding that those that 'aim big' don't just apply to his subjects, but also to his own scholarly effort: an extraordinary feat that promises to shake up not only the research on private governance, but also for generating insights about when, and how, government and non-state actors might draw on, or eschew, the power of the market to address particular problems. The results are theoretically, conceptually, and empirically ground breaking." --Benjamin Cashore, Professor of Environmental Governance and Political Science, Yale University
"In a world rife with fake news, it might be tempting to dismiss eco-labels as little more than a marketing tool for big business. Yet, as Hamish van der Ven's trailblazing analysis reveals, even as sham-labeling proliferates, a surprising number of eco-labels are credible and valuable. Why? Read this inspiring book to find out and gain a deep understanding of the cutting-edge trends in transnational environmental governance." --Peter Dauvergne, Professor of International Relations, University of British Columbia
"Great book with both theoretical and practical importance regarding the changing nature of global governance. The author explores this through the lens of eco-labeling, arguing persuasively that larger programs targeting a broader audience are more credible than smaller boutique ones. He uses an innovative measure of best practices in eco-labeling to make his case. I plan to assign this book in class to introduce students to these issues." --Virginia Haufler, Associate Professor of Government and Politics, University of Maryland
"Engaging, scholarly, positive and critical. This is a great contribution to a sometimes puzzling, but important, subject." --Jeremy Moon, VELUX Chair of Corporate Sustainability, Copenhagen Business School
"If you have ever stared at an eco-label on a product and wondered where it came from, what it means, and whether you should believe that it denotes anything meaningful, this pathbreaking book is for you. van der Ven explains why some of the now ubiquitous eco-labels deploy best practices, when many others do not. He finds that the labeling organizations who 'aim big'-pursuing transnational credibility, recognition and sustainability standards across multiple markets-are more likely to influence global value chains and establish more inclusive governance. This research draws 'big lessons from small labels' for global environmental governance of all kinds." --Stacy D. VanDeveer, Professor of Global Governance and Human Security, University of Massachusetts Boston