An investigation of how and why organizations enact greenhushing

Greenhushing, downplaying sustainability communications, undermines trust when transparency is crucial for shaping consumer choices. We investigate how greenhushing manifests in services and why organizations carefully promote sustainability. Analyzing online content and sustainability ratings of 300 hotels, we identify widespread greenhushing, especially among less sustainable hotels. Interviews with 16 service marketers reveal that fear of greenwashing accusations and lack of confidence in practices drive this cautious communication. Extending signaling theory, we show how organizations rely on third-party sustainability signals while limiting direct communication. Our findings highlight social media as a key greenhushing space and emphasize data-driven strategies for transparency and credibility.