BACKGROUND: Cigarette manufacturers, and cigarettes as a product cause environmental degradation and pollution. India is the second-largest tobacco producer and the seventh-biggest cigarette producer in the world. India's cigarette companies claim to comply with national good practices and align with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) good practices. Currently, there is no robust review of these claims. We provide the first review and present evidence that counter these claims and hype.
METHODS: We review publicly available documents of India's three largest cigarette manufacturers from the past five years. We map their legal, policy, and ethical compliances, and validate their claims against national standards and international benchmarks.
RESULTS: Our analysis of India's three leading cigarette companies is based on criteria and standards. It finds that none of the three companies comprehensively meet the claims made in their reports. We dissect and cross-check the data, information, and case studies presented by company reports. We validate their statements and claims through information presented in their other reports. We find several limitations in methodologies and means of verification. There are currently no checks and balances that validate corporate environmental performance in India.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study sheds new light on the industry's greenwashing and its attempts to normalise the tobacco sector. In addition, the cigarette industry positions itself as a champion of environmental stewardship based on claims that are invalid and false. We find several shortcomings in their self-validation and third-party studies. By presenting itself as a champion of environmental protection, the cigarette industry continues to find a place in policymaking and leverage partnerships with government and civil society.