It’s about time, but people are finally seeing green. Not the green-washing of the last few years, where slapping a leaf logo or some vague environmental sensitivity tagline on your product seemed to be enough. No, this appears to be the real thing. And although the standards for clarifying what makes something officially green are still ambiguously undefined (a convenient escape clause) and the rules for enforcing them non-existent, there is an undeniable shift towards enacting meaningful environmental policies. Some of the world’s leading brands are beginning to implement real protocol as part of their commitment to CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility).

So what has changed? Going green isn’t just about saving the planet – it’s about making (or at least saving) money. Increasingly, consumers are proving they’ll pay up for green and now it’s time for corporations to put their money where their mouth is. Walmart has set one of the most ambitious environmental agendas out there with plans to power every store with 100% renewable energy. Johnson & Johnson operates the largest fleet of hybrid vehicles in the world. Bank of America’s internal recycling program saves the equivalent of 200,000 trees a year – proof that something as simple as recycling needs to be institutionalized across all companies. In addition to answering the clamor for a greener society by a more environmentally proactive generation of consumers, becoming greener makes good financial sense. With the support of many government strategies designed to aggressively fuel the green movement – from innovation of green technologies to issuing carbon credits to incentivizing the deployment of alternative energies – the big brands are beginning to make things happen. Companies are thinking bigger and bolder, and the pace of infrastructure-wide changes is picking up across all industries – energy, communications, finance, transportation, leisure, manufacturing, retail.

So, what does this mean for their brands? In the past, talking green has been a double-edged sword. Making any claim exposed you to further scrutiny, so for many the tendency was (and often still is) to keep one’s head down, say very little and commit to nothing. Over the coming year, skirting the issue won’t be as easy. Consumers will increasingly demand more information and clarity, both with their voices and their wallets. They are looking for commitment, action and accountability from the top down. They want transparency about the products they buy and the processes used to create them. Yet there is still widespread confusion about certification and labeling. Expect to see terms like ‘naturally pure’, ‘renewable’, ‘sustainable’ and ‘biodegradable’ become clearly defined with established guidelines much like Green Seal, Ecologo, Green-e, Energy Star or LEED. Hopefully we will see the end of meaningless green leaf logos and instead, a real commitment to standards. Because the next generation of consumers (and the governments they vote for) are becoming intolerant of the green garbage they’ve been forced to swallow by too many brands who really should know better.