I heard my least favourite weasel words last week:

“There is a green thread running through all the decisions we make.”

This was justification for the removal of any reference to sustainability from the organisation’s priorities. It is meant to make sustainability sound as if it is a priority when it is not – something cannot be a priority and not be a priority at the same time, although some people somehow manage to square that circle without questioning it. The speaker was just kicking an issue into the long grass while fooling themselves they’re on top of it. As we used to get told at school, “you’re only cheating yourself.”

When I hear phrases like this, I despair. Other classics include:

• We expect the highest ethical standards from our staff. (I’m sure you do (er…), but how do you communicate that and police it?)

• We take our corporate responsibility very seriously. (So what do you do differently? What won’t you do?)

• This product was produced in accordance with ISO14001 (That doesn’t make it a green product per se and your process could still be highly destructive)

• Help us save the planet. (Yeah, right, you’re that powerful)

Anybody got any more to add to the list?