NORTHAMPTON, Mass., Sept 3, 2025 /CSRwire/ - Sixty-six percent of U.S. consumers believe businesses should continue their sustainability efforts regardless of the political climate. Yet many corporate communicators feel pressure to pause or scale back their messaging, especially in the U.S., where political scrutiny is rising. In fact, media mentions of top companies tied to sustainability have already dropped more than 10% in the first four months of 2025 compared to last year.

At first glance, pulling back might seem like the safer option. But here’s the reality: the risks of speaking out are often overstated, while the cost of staying silent is only increasing.

Consider this: most sustainability-related media coverage remains neutral to positive, and the American public still expects companies to lead.

3BL’s latest research report, Say Less, Risk More: Sustainability Silence Is Undermining Trust, explores:

• The new era of corporate greenhushing
• The brewing crisis of trust
• Key industry findings
• Guidance for navigating your messaging, and more

Key insights from the report include:

• When asked about the role of business in sustainability, only 8% of consumers said they expect companies to step back.
• 80% say they prefer to shop with brands that support DEI.
• Nearly 1 in 4 consumers now say they “rarely” or “almost never” believe corporate sustainability claims, up from 15% just 18 months ago. Many perceive companies as only supporting causes when it’s profitable or trendy.

Download the full report here.

About 3BL 
3BL is the leading sustainability and social impact communications partner, connecting organizations’ stories of purpose and progress with the audiences who matter most.

3BL partners with over 1,500 companies – from global corporations and mid-sized enterprises to NGOs and nonprofits – to elevate their reputations as players in the world of responsible business. We do this through unrivaled news and content distribution, bespoke storytelling support, and our digital media division, TriplePundit.

3BL

3BL

3BL has revolutionized how brands share their corporate sustainability and social impact progress.

By leveraging our proprietary technology and expansive distribution network, you can easily access disparate and hard-to-reach stakeholders. And, with our best in class analytics suite, you can measure the impact of your ESG initiatives and build a positive reputation that lasts.

Our Brand Studio combines the editorial expertise of TriplePundit's sustainability communicators and the reach of 3BL’s unrivaled distribution network, so you can find new ways to tell your stories better and share them more widely across your target audiences.

More from 3BL