We’ve all heard of greenwashing, but have you heard of greenhushing? It’s the practice of downplaying one’s commitment to sustainability. Some companies have fallen into the trap of greenhushing, staying silent out of fear of business repercussions in the face of political backlash against “woke” ESG, DEI, and corporate sustainability initiatives.
Other companies modulate their sustainability efforts in order to protect themselves from being slapped with a greenwashing lawsuit.
While greenhushing in the U.S. has become more prevalent since Trump became president, the entities engaging in these practices are sacrificing both brand appeal and profitability by not sharing their sustainability story.
Companies that actively promote their sustainability efforts financially outperform their silent counterparts by up to 6% on average, according to The Cost of Silence, a global study commissioned by Revolt that analyzed data from 500 publicly listed companies over a three-year period.
Purpose-led marketing focused on sustainability is also linked to a 31% reputational advantage over companies that remain silent, which can be perceived as uncaring, self-interested, and poor corporate citizenship.
While staying quiet might sometimes seem like the safer choice given today’s political and economic climate, it is not. In fact, it can impair long-term financial success.
Consumers want honesty, flaws and all. They would much rather hear that a company’s ambition outpaced its results than feel misled. If a company falls short of its goals, it’s important to be transparent and share plans to get back on track–today’s consumers generally forgive failure more readily than deception.
And with consumer trust at historically low levels, the stakes are high. COGNITION Smart Data shows that nearly 60% of consumers believe companies greenwash very often, and 13% believe they do it almost always.
Consumers want marketing messages to align with ESG and sustainability messaging. 74% of consumers believe it’s important for a company’s advertising to reflect its ESG practices, which signals that entities are not just checking a box for compliance, but are genuinely committed to progress.
When messaging and actions align, trust is built, and trust directly supports long-term success. Nearly 60% of consumers believe that companies with a strong ESG focus are more likely to achieve long-term financial success than those without.
Take, for example, the top five homebuilders of 2025: D.R. Horton, Lennar Corp., PulteGroup, NVR, and Meritage Homes. All of them except NVR actively report on ESG, sustainability, or social responsibility, and they have been recognized as leaders in the industry because of it.
They are not staying silent. They are showing up, sharing progress, and earning trust.
So, fear not. Shout your sustainability efforts from the rooftops. When you lead with purpose, you are rewarded with stronger financial performance, a better reputation, and increased consumer trust.
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About COGNITION Smart Data
COGNITION is the only market insights platform specifically engineered for the building industry’s sustainability transformation. We track evolving consumer behaviors, emerging technologies, policy shifts, competitive benchmarks, and market demand signals so you can adjust faster, sell smarter, and grow revenue—confidently.