Intellectual Property and Technology News

FTC enforcement action could result in significant investigative and litigation costs, large financial penalties, and negative publicity.

Last year, your company jumped on the net-zero bandwagon, proudly proclaiming “net-zero by 2030” as part of your corporate sustainability program. Perhaps you announced a plan to reach net-zero status by purchasing and retiring a sufficient number of carbon credits, effectively offsetting any emissions produced in your company’s operations.

This puts you in the same position as numerous other companies that are seeking to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and limit their effect on climate change. The number of corporate net-zero commitments has grown significantly, now covering one-fifth of the world’s largest corporations and 68 percent of global GDP, compared to 16 percent in 2019. In striving to reach net zero, organizations are aiming to strike an even balance between the amount of GHG they produce and the amount they remove from the atmosphere.

Companies frequently trumpet their net-zero initiatives in their advertising, including claims made via online advertising, a company’s website, or even in its press releases.

You are proud of your company’s net-zero claims and pleased to deploy them in your marketing efforts. But this morning, you received a new internal report that shows your company’s projections may have been too optimistic. In fact, you now realize that your company...

Read Full Story: https://www.dlapiper.com/insights/publications/2022/08/addressing-potential-f...