Social Washing emerged as an extension of Greenwashing, addressing not environmental but social and ethical misrepresentation. It describes a form of symbolic corporate social responsibility (CSR) — where organizations publicly promote diversity, inclusion, equity, or community engagement initiatives that remain superficial or disconnected from actual business practices. This concept is rooted in critiques of stakeholder theory misuse, where communication replaces accountability, and has been discussed in the context of ESG communication, impact investing, and ethical marketing. Social Washing highlights a growing risk in the era of purpose-driven branding: when purpose becomes performance, authenticity is lost.

Social Washing refers to corporate communication strategies that simulate social responsibility while concealing a lack of substantial ethical commitment.
Typical manifestations include:

• Campaigns emphasizing diversity or equality without internal cultural change;

• Public declarations of inclusion unsupported by data or representation in leadership roles;

• Charity or solidarity projects used as marketing tools rather than long-term social programs;

• Purpose-driven storytelling that masks exploitative or discriminatory practices.

Social Washing exploits the emotional appeal of social causes to build image rather than impact. In Contemporary Marketing terms, it represents the opposite of authenticity — a form of ethical simulation that devalues real progress and erodes trust among stakeholders.

Avoiding social washing requires transparency, consistency between values and actions, and measurable accountability in social policies and performance indicators.

A company that promotes gender equality in its advertising but offers unequal pay or limited career advancement opportunities internally exemplifies social washing. Conversely, organizations that publish verified inclusion metrics, engage employees in decision-making, and link social goals to compensation systems demonstrate genuine social responsibility.