po polsku
illustration: DALL-EThat`s not fringe talk. It`s mainstream. Poland ranks 11th globally for greenwashing mentions in major online news sources.
Critics allege that as many as 42% of ESG-related claims are misleading. They accuse firms of selective transparency - flaunting eco-friendly highlights while burying environmental shortcomings. It`s a trust issue. When nearly 90% of surveyed business representatives admit they lack proper ESG knowledge, opponents weaponize this to discredit entire reporting efforts.
As Sebastian Bykowski, IMM’s Vice President warns, disinformation undermines all companies - even those genuinely trying to improve. The chaos is fueled by social media algorithms and generative AI, which amplify controversy and allow fake content to spread at warp speed.
From compliance to confusion - ESG’s growing pains
Despite ESG being enshrined in EU’s Omnibus Directive - binding on firms with over 1,000 employees and €50M+ in revenue or €25M in assets - 45% of companies still don’t know if it applies to them. Meanwhile, media attention is exploding: from 14,600 ESG-related mentions in Q1 2024 to 23,100 in Q1 2025. That’s a 58% leap.
There were 70 ESG-themed events in the last quarter alone, 90% of them free. Yet this informational boom has not translated into widespread understanding. Instead, it created a perfect storm for disinformation to thrive.
The ESG and the ideological skirmish
ESG has become a political football. Both the far left and right now weaponize it for ideological gain. Add to that a media environment dominated by clickbait and vague headlines, and what you get is confusion instead of clarity - skepticism instead of progress.
According to the 19th edition of the "Global Risks Perception Survey", fake news is now considered among the leading threats to global stability. For ESG-driven firms, the consequences are real: lost trust, legal exposure, reputational crises, talent drain, falling brand value - and potentially, existential danger.
IMM’s report "Disinformation about ESG in the media. Facts and myths" was unveiled at the Grand ESG conference by Fundacja Grand Press on May 9, 2025. Download the full report here.
How the media talk (or stay silent) about climate
The report "Climate Change and News Audiences 2024", published earlier this year by Reuters Institute, shows that audience engagement with climate topics has remained almost unchanged for several years.
Climate misinformation remains a significant issue. Interestingly, misinformation sources vary widely, with politicians and celebrities among the most frequently indicated.
| Source of Misinformation | Percentage of Respondents |
|---|---|
| Politicians and political parties | 12% |
| Governments | 11% |
| Celebrities | 10% |
| Climate activists | 10% |
| Scientists | 8% |
| International institutions | 8% |
| Energy companies | 8% |
| Friends and family | 7% |
| Charitable organizations | 6% |
| Religious leaders | 6% |
The problem is not only the emergence of false content but also its dissemination by public figures and influential groups. The high number of mentions of politicians and celebrities as misinformation sources shows that major media players are not always responsible for misleading the public.
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New articles in section Media industry
Yellow Badge. Jan Bluz's documentary on political prisoners in Belarus
BARD
Imagine writing three posts on a social networking site. For a few clicks on a keyboard, you get three years in a penal colony. Sounds like a grim joke? For political prisoners in Belarus, this is the reality that Jan Bluz shows in the documentary "Yellow Badge", produced with the support of the Pulitzer Center.
Advertising market 2025. Poland, Europe and the World
Marcin Grządka
The global advertising market is growing by 8.8% in 2025 and will reach a value of 1.14 trillion dollars. The industry result in Europe records slightly lower dynamics, at the level of 5.8%. In this comparison, Poland performs clearly above the average. We will record an increase of 8.9% this year and a value of 18.56 billion PLN - estimates WPP Media in the annual report "This Year Next Year".
The print media market 2025. Three global trends
Krzysztof Fiedorek
The market value is 359.53 billion dollars, yet the erosion is visible to the naked eye. The decline for newspapers will amount to -2.3 percent. Despite this, print retains strength: it generates 76 percent of subscription revenues and enjoys 82 percent consumer trust. The future of the industry is defined by hybrid strategies and niche specialization.
See articles on a similar topic:
Pseudo-democracy and Media - A Few Reflections
Grzegorz D. Stunża
Every four years, citizens are served elections, which are certainly not free. Polls replace part of the electoral process, shaping opinions and voting preferences.
Artificial Intelligence in the Media. Reuters Digital News Report 2024
Krzysztof Fiedorek
AI has gained prominence in recent years, and its application in producing, distributing, and presenting news content continues to grow. However, this development is met with mixed feelings by audiences, which has significant consequences for media trust and its future.
Media in Poland 2022. How Poles Watch, Listen, Read, and Surf the Web
Krzysztof Fiedorek
Nearly two million Poles have access to a TV but do not watch television. For radio, the analogous group amounts to 8% of radio owners. Two-thirds of Poles reach for printed press, even occasionally, while the number of mobile internet users exceeds desktop users by nearly three million.
First Trillion Dollars. Advertising Market 2024 and Forecasts for 2025
DUG
GroupM, in its cyclical report "This Year Next Year," summarizing the past year and predicting trends for the next, has published the latest forecasts for global advertising markets. The estimated advertising market growth rate in 2024 is as high as 9.5%, bringing its value globally to over 1 trillion dollars.
