Torque partners with sustainability consultancy to help businesses reduce greenwashing risk
A specialist automotive communications agency and sustainability consultancy have launched a strategic partnership to help businesses communicate sustainability credentials without risking financial penalties, as widespread 'greenhushing' grips the sector.
Torque Agency Group, a 25-year automotive communications specialist, and sustainability consultancy Wylde Connections have formed the partnership to address what both firms describe as a critical gap: businesses making genuine sustainability investments but unable to communicate them in a way that meets regulatory requirements.
Since April 2025, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has been able to directly investigate and fine companies up to 10% of global turnover for misleading environmental claims, without court involvement. Nine months since the launch of the Green Claims Code, businesses remain uncertain about what constitutes ‘defensible communications’, with the CMA signalling that early test cases targeting egregious breaches are imminent.
"The automotive sector is caught in paralysis. Many businesses are making genuine sustainability investments but are terrified to communicate them. Others lack the strategic framework to develop credible ESG programmes in the first place. And everyone's watching the CMA, waiting to see who gets hit first – because the potential consequences, both regulatory and reputational, are existential for many firms."
The result is widespread 'greenhushing' across UK businesses – companies deliberately keeping quiet about legitimate sustainability progress rather than risking regulatory intervention. Yet simultaneously, investors and customers demand transparency, OEM supply chains require ESG evidence, and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) mandates force comprehensive disclosure.
The integrated offering combines Torque's established communications expertise and media relationships with Wylde's Enveglas ESG diagnostic tool and end-to-end sustainability consultancy. It allows businesses to develop sustainability strategies that are both technically robust and effectively communicated – addressing what both firms identify as the critical missing capability in the current market.
"Traditional PR agencies excel at shaping narratives, while sustainability consultancies bring rigorous ESG expertise. But these capabilities rarely meet in ways that serve clients effectively under the current regulatory regime. Businesses either get communications without substance that risks CMA intervention, or strategy without visibility that satisfies neither investors nor customers. This partnership delivers both – diagnostic rigour that ensures every claim withstands potential scrutiny, combined with communications expertise that translates technical progress into compelling stakeholder narratives."
Services range from diagnostic assessment and strategic roadmaps aligned with CMA guidance, through to multi-year transformation programmes with integrated, defensible communications. The partnership specifically targets automotive leaders, technology innovators, manufacturing businesses, and ambitious SMEs across the automotive supply chain – segments facing particular pressure from OEM customers to demonstrate ESG credentials while lacking internal expertise.
Market dynamics suggest the scale of the challenge. Trade media and national press have become increasingly forensic about green credentials, while social media amplifies greenwashing accusations rapidly and publicly. The CMA has already secured landmark changes from major fashion retailers and issued compliance letters to several brands, signalling active enforcement ahead within other sectors.
About Wylde Connections
Wylde Connections is a sustainability consultancy offering comprehensive ESG services from strategy development through implementation and training. The consultancy's Enveglas ESG diagnostic tool provides objective sustainability assessment across all ESG pillars, supporting businesses at every stage of their sustainability journey. The team comprises sustainability and leadership professionals acting as long-term trusted partners.
Regulatory context:
- Since 6 April 2025, the UK Competition and Markets Authority can directly enforce consumer protection law with fines up to 10% of global turnover, without requiring court proceedings
- CMA has issued repeated warnings about launching new green claims investigations and testing enforcement powers with early cases
- Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) mandatory for large EU companies, with UK equivalents under consideration and increasing supply chain due diligence requirements
Free ESG Assessment Available
Automotive businesses can access a free ESG progress assessment here.
