Greenhushing – Conceptual Foundations and Literature Review
(A2026-133150)

AUTHORS

Stephan Dua Modest, RMIT University

ABSTRACT

This conceptual paper reviews the literature and explains theoretical mechanisms for Greenhushing – the under communication of environmental sustainability practices by firms. Drawing on greenhushing research and environmental sustainability communication literature, the paper synthesises nine reasons that explain why sustainable firms under communicate or strategically remain silent about their sustainability practices. These reasons are classified into four categories: Risk-oriented mechanisms, competitiveness-oriented mechanisms, cognitive mechanisms and resource constraints. The paper illustrates how three theoretical mechanisms, at the individual level (cognitive dissonance), the organisational level (signaling theory) and the institutional level (legitimacy theory), help explain greenhushing in sustainable firms. This research contributes to the sustainability communication and green marketing literatures by conceptualising an emerging phenomenon that remains under-theorised in the literature and has important implications for policymakers seeking to promote genuine sustainability communication.