A new study has found that nearly all environmental claims made by some of the world’s largest meat and dairy companies could qualify as greenwashing, raising serious concerns about the credibility of corporate climate commitments in one of the planet’s most polluting industries.
Researchers examined more than 1,200 environmental pledges made by 33 major meat and dairy corporations between 2021 and 2024 and concluded that 98 percent of the claims relied on vague language, lacked evidence, or failed to provide clear implementation plans.
The study was led by Maya Bach, an environmental science and policy researcher at the University of Miami in the United States. According to the researchers, many companies are presenting sustainability promises in ways that create “the illusion of progress” without meaningful action.
Meat and dairy production account for at least 16.5 percent of human generated greenhouse gas emissions, including emissions linked to deforestation, land-use change, and industrial agriculture.
Researchers found that more than one-third of all environmental commitments reviewed focused on broad climate targets such as reducing emissions or achieving net zero goals. However, most of these promises lacked concrete roadmaps, timelines, measurable benchmarks, or independent verification systems.
The study categorized the claims into several forms of greenwashing, including selective disclosure, vagueness, empty promises, and lack of proof.
One example highlighted in the study involved global commodity giant Cargill. In its 2023 sustainability report, the company pledged to eliminate deforestation and land conversion from its supply chains for major crops in Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay by 2025.
However, researchers pointed to later reporting showing that Cargill changed its baseline year for measuring deforestation free soy sourcing from 2008 to 2020. The adjustment aligned with the timeline used in the European Union Deforestation Regulation, allowing the company to report that 99.3 percent of its soy came from deforestation-free land instead of 94 percent under the earlier benchmark, without substantially changing its sourcing practices.
The study also cited Minerva Foods, one of Brazil’s largest meatpackers, for using broad language in its pledge to “aim for zero illegal deforestation” across its South American supply chain by 2030.
Similarly, global dairy giant Danone announced plans in 2023 to eliminate deforestation linked to its primary commodities by 2025. Researchers argued there was little evidence explaining how the company intended to achieve or independently verify that target.
The study noted that Danone also faced challenges tracing suppliers ahead of the implementation of the EU’s new anti-deforestation rules.
Co-author Jennifer Jacquet, an environmental scientist at the University of Miami said many sustainability promises now resemble public relations campaigns more than genuine climate action.
“When so much of what these companies say seem to be empty promises that are not backed up with evidence or investments, it starts to look more like a public relations exercise rather than caring for the planet,” she said.
The findings add to growing scrutiny of corporate sustainability claims as governments and regulators worldwide tighten rules around environmental reporting and deforestation linked supply chains.
Environmental groups have repeatedly warned that without stricter accountability and independent monitoring, climate pledges from high emission industries risk misleading consumers while allowing environmentally destructive practices to continue largely unchanged.