Be aware of ‘ pinkwashing’ during breast cancer awarenessmonth
October is Breast Cancer AwarenessMonth, and as it has gotten under way, I’ve seen everything from pink ribbons and pink boxes of crackers, to pink shoes on football players. Purchasing a “pink” product is synonymous with supporting the fight against breast cancer. But as I see the tsunami of pink ribbons and pink products each fall, I can’t help but askmyself, “Howmuch of thismoney is actually going to the cause?”
“Pinkwashing.” It’s a term that was coined to reference companies that either promote breast cancer awareness without donating at all, are deceptive or not transparent about where any funds raised go, or worse, put pink ribbons on products with known or suspected links to cancer. The practice, in fact, is sowidespread there is a documentary film addressing the hijacking of the symbolism for profit.
Asmanufacturers have realized the sales power of pink products, more of them enter the market each fall. Some are true cause- related marketing promotions, in which a company uses a charity’s name and reputation to sell its products, and in those cases, charities win through increased exposure and contributions and companies win through increased product sales. Other pink products are fakes, lining the pockets of greedy corporations capitalizing on people’s generosity.
The reality is any company can put a pink ribbon on its products. The widely recognized symbol is not regulated by any agency. Therefore, the purchase of a pink item does not necessarily lead to donations to the charities or help combat the breast cancer epidemic. Rarely will you find specific information about products that discloses if, in fact, part of your purchase goes to a breast cancer charity and which charity thatmight be.
Houstonians are undoubtedly among the most charitable in the nation. But, before you buy, take a little extra time to ensure you are supporting a charitable cause by asking yourself the following questions:
Which charity does this product support?
Do I support the charity’s mission and believe in its programs?
How is the charity receiv- ing the contribution?
Will purchasing the product result in a contribution to the charity or will I need to do other homework to make sure the contribution is received?
Howmuch of the purchase price is being donated to the charity?
Is there a limit on the amount ofmoney the company will donate to the charity? Has the company reached that goal?
Can Imake a bigger impact by donating directly to the charity?
One way to check out a particular charity is to contact the BBB. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance helps donors make informed giving decisions and advances high standards of conduct among organizations that solicit contributions from the public. It produces indepth evaluative reports on national charities based on comprehensive Standards
for Charity Accountability.
The Better Business Bureau is an unbiased non- profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews and BBB Wise Giving Reports to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. For more information or to check the reliability of a company and find trustworthy businesses, visit www. bbbhouston. org or call 713- 868- 9500. Monica Russo is manager of Investigations and Trade Practices with the Better Business Bureau ofMetropolitan Houston and South Texas. Send questions regarding homeowner issues to Monica Russo, Better Business Bureau, 1333West Loop South, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77027, or e- mail her atmrusso@ bbbhou. org. Include mailing address and phone number on letters and emails.