Net zero has become one of the most divisive policies on the domestic and global stage. What once seemed like a shared destination is now a battleground, politicized, polarized and persistently under attack. Nowhere is the net zero debate more charged than for private business.
Corporate climate action has become a reputational minefield, especially through the voluntary carbon market. Once viewed as pragmatic tools for residual emissions, offsets now draw deep suspicion. Greenwashing claims have made headlines, such as landmark cases against businesses like Delta Airlines, which faces a class-action lawsuit of up to $1 billion alleging that its “carbon-neutral” claims were misleading.
So too has there been a growing trend of greenhushing, where companies retreat from speaking about their climate efforts altogether. A report by South Pole last year revealed that 65% of companies surveyed do not communicate about half of their environmental actions, and 58% increased their silence between 2022 and 2024. But silence can be just as risky as saying too much.
The voluntary carbon market is entering a new phase. Standards are rising with initiatives driven by the likes of the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market, or ICVCM, and the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative, or VCMI, setting firmer guardrails. A new class of high-integrity credits is taking shape, aligned with science, community benefits and greater transparency.
For businesses that purchase carbon credits, it’s no longer just about what they buy, but how they talk about it. Communication is now the frontline of climate credibility.
A precarious tightrope
Media interest in carbon markets has surged nearly fourfold since 2019, according to analysis by my firm MHP Group. Since 2019 there has been growing media and public scrutiny of corporate climate action, and high-profile investigations by the likes of The Guardian have brought public awareness to quality issues in the carbon market.
This heightened attention that buyers now face is a double-edged sword. On one side, there is the risk of being seen as opportunistic or disingenuous. On the other, appearing disengaged or apathetic. The solution lies not in retreat but in smarter, sharper communications.
Communicating with confidence
There is a middle ground. Buyers can communicate with confidence by anchoring their approach to three key principles: quality, clarity and context.
First, quality. Buyers must be transparent about the standards they follow and how offsets fit into a broader decarbonization strategy. It is not enough to call credits credible. They should detail the selection criteria, methodologies and any quality safeguards. For example, Microsoft has committed to being carbon negative by 2030 and has made public its carbon removal procurement cycle and project criteria, demonstrating transparency and building trust through detail.
Second, clarity. Language matters. The days of “net zero by offset” messaging are over, with today’s audience expecting specifics. The UK’s competition regulator now has powers to fine businesses up to 10% of global turnover for greenwashing and is on the lookout for vague, unsubstantiated or incomplete messaging.
Third, context. Data builds credibility, but storytelling builds belief, bringing to life the human and ecological impacts that numbers alone fail to convey. Take Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest Project. An Indigenous-led initiative spanning 6.4 million hectares, it has created over 1,250 permanent jobs and supported over 100 local businesses. Its success lies not just in emissions avoided, but in a powerful narrative of community-driven stewardship, showing how carbon and conservation finance can deliver enduring environmental and social value.
Transparency remains key
This doesn’t just apply to corporate buyers. For project developers, transparency is critical too. They need to communicate openly about assumptions, methodologies and local engagement. For market enablers, such as rating agencies, registries, and insurers, the challenge is to show how they are helping to raise standards and bring confidence to this growing ecosystem.
Yes, the politics are getting tougher. In the US and parts of Europe, net zero has become a flashpoint in the “culture wars.” Indeed, MHP’s Polarisation Tracker has shown a consistent trend of a deepening public divide on green policies in recent years, and political figures like Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch have criticized net-zero targets, calling them “impossible” and economically harmful. Businesses are having to navigate these issues carefully without becoming entangled in wider ideological debates.
Communications as a reputational asset
Handled well, communications can be a reputational asset. They can help businesses stand out, build trust and strengthen their position with customers and other stakeholders. Those who get it right will be first in line to build long-term trust, forge the best partnerships and demonstrate genuine climate leadership.
Handled poorly, or not at all, the risks are only intensifying.
As the landscape evolves at pace and expectations only rise, it will be the companies that communicate with clarity and confidence who will not only survive the scrutiny, but shape the agenda for what comes next.
Ben Carr is a director at MHP Group, advising clients on sustainability and corporate communications.
