The tobacco industry is one of the few sectors that most clearly exemplifies the paradoxes of corporate sustainability. While marketing a product that is not socially or environmentally responsible, Big Tobacco brags about its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) accomplishments.However, these are eligible for certification in accordance with a number of ESG protocol benchmarks and criteria. Tobacco firms were excluded from the UN Global Compact in 2017 due to issues with SDG 3 and public health.

ESG and other reporting requirements were supposed to compel more information and encourage more dedication from harmful businesses. Because of a standard procedure that applies to all businesses, it is challenging to distinguish true success from greenwashing. Cigarette firms are notable worldwide for their support of ESG, but the environmental cost of producing their product puts consumers and those who are exposed to it at risk.With lower-risk products and a “smoke-free future”, Philip Morris continues its environmental antics by marketing its goods and technologies in nations like India, which has already outlawed e-cigarettes and similar devices. In an effort to create a “smokeless world”, British American Tobacco (BAT) advocates for afforestation and carbon neutrality. Water conservation and sustainable farming are highlighted by Japan Tobacco. The three biggest cigarette businesses in India, ITC Ltd., Godfrey Phillips India Ltd. (GPIL), an

d VST Industries, assert that they have made strides in reducing emissions, becoming plastic neutral, and practising responsible sourcing. On closer inspection, however, a troubling trend of greenwashing becomes apparent. Tobacco production, distribution, and processing alone have a significant environmental impact. Excessive water use, soil deterioration from chemical use, and deforestation for firewood-based curing are all common.

There are several omissions in corporate sustainability disclosures. Comprehensive life cycle evaluations (LCAs), which are essential for determining their actual impact, are not offered by any of the main cigarette companies in India. Although they simply omit supply chain and post-consumer waste, which account for the largest portion of their footprint, their reporting concentrates on industrial emissions. Although ITC claims to use more than 50% renewable energy, these numbers obscure the true impact of its cigarette segment by lumping them in with its larger fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) operations.

The company with licences to produce Marlboro in India, GPIL, has promised to reduce carbon emissions, but it has not offered any independent confirmation of its statements. The environmental impact of cigarette butts, the most common plastic trash in the world, is a conspicuous omission.

This is in spite of the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) directives and rules regarding what is expected of cigarette companies. This policy has not yet been fully complied with by the cigarette businesses. There is no industry-wide initiative to address the astounding pollution generated by discarded filters, despite the fact that ITC Ltd. and GPIL advocate for plastic neutrality.