New study finds 98% of meat and dairy sustainability promises amount to greenwashing

A new analysis of sustainability reports from major meat and dairy companies, including Nestlé, Danone, Arla, and others, finds that 98% of their environmental promises can be classified as greenwashing, calling into question the credibility of their climate efforts. The research highlights how corporate climate messaging may overstate actions while underdelivering concrete results.

The meat and dairy sector is shown to account for a substantial share of emissions, responsible for approximately 57% of total global food-production emissions and at least 16.5% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. The findings come from a study published in PLOS Climate by Maya Bach, Jennifer Jacquet of the University of Miami, and colleagues, which argues that a large portion of environmental claims by animal agriculture relies on vague promises or projections rather than tangible measures.

The analysis emphasizes concerns about transparency and accountability in corporate sustainability reporting and suggests a mismatch between claimed climate action and demonstrable progress across the industry.