To what extend can TotalEnergies be held accountable for greenwashing in its communications, and what are the potential impacts of such practices on consumers and the market? Mémoire Oíkos

Details

Supervisors

Swaen, Valérie

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

enThis thesis investigates the extent to which TotalEnergies, one of the world's largest energy companies, can be held accountable for greenwashing in the context of the Farmer Case. This legal complaint was filed by Belgian farmer Hugues Falys, who accuses TotalEnergies of contributing to climate change, and as a result, disrupting his farming activities. This study begins by exploring the concept of greenwashing from both academic and legal perspectives, and its effects on consumers and more broadly on the market. Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), the research analyses TotalEnergies’ communications across Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The findings reveal a systematic overrepresentation of renewable energy content and vague sustainability claims, while omitting key information about the company’s fossil fuel operations. These practices are consistent with the definitions and forms of greenwashing outlined in the theoretical framework, including selective disclosure, decoupling behaviour, and attention deflection. We conclude by discussing managerial implications for TotalEnergies.