Biggest corporate greenwashing fines worldwide 2023, by company
The biggest ever greenwashing fine was handed to German car manufacturer Volkswagen for falsifying data of emissions tests on its vehicles. In total, the Volkswagen emissions scandal, or "Dieselgate" as it is sometimes known, has cost the company some 35 billion U.S. dollars in fines and settlements. Another carmaker hit with a large fine for greenwashing is Toyota. The Japanese carmaker was ordered to pay 180 million U.S. dollars for violating the EPA's emission-reporting requirements, having failed to report mandatory information related to emissions defects.
Greenwashing is a term used to describe the act of making false or misleading statements about the environmental benefits of a company's products or practices.