Greenwashing is a tactic in which companies present their sustainability efforts in a positive way to distract from their real, negative impact on the environment.

The topic has received significant attention since University Rebellion protested the presence of Shell and other fossil fuel companies at the Career Expo. Their proposed solution is straightforward: such companies should no longer be welcome. The university, however, takes a more nuanced position, stating that it will only continue collaboration with these companies in the context of “sustainable research”—although what is included in that category has not been clearly defined. This raises the question: are we truly preventing greenwashing at TU/e?

Companies on the Milieudefensie list of the 29 largest polluters still participate in recruitment activities and deliver guest lectures on campus. Being invited gives these companies both credibility and visibility among young students who are still shaping their professional identity.

When companies use that platform to promote sustainability narratives that are misleading, they help construct a particular storyline. This comes with the risk that students and staff may be misinformed and ultimately end up working for employers whose environmental and social values conflict with their own.

This reminds me of the “Bermuda triangle of talent,” a concept from Simon van Teutem’s book describing how elite sectors attract young, ambitious graduates with promises of impact, while in practice eroding their ideals. For technical students like us, it is not the law firms or consultancy companies that make such promises. Instead, we hear energy, technology, and manufacturing companies claim they are driving the green transition, even though their core activities often still rely heavily on fossil fuels or unsustainable supply chains.

For instance, a recent study in Nature Sustainability shows that the world’s largest oil and gas companies contribute only marginally to the energy transition. This raises the question of whether the university should be facilitating recruitment practices that could be misleading. TU/e has established policies for research collaborations with these companies, but not yet for recruitment events or guest lectures.

How does this align with the university’s mission to educate responsible engineers who create positive impact on society, if companies are allowed to present questionable sustainability narratives in recruitment settings?

Since TU/e has no control over the professional choices students make after graduating, the university should take more care with the kind of stories employers are permitted to tell here. And when a company is given access to our student community, critical reflection on that company should be encouraged.

Jort Postema is a bachelor’s student in Industrial Design and strategy manager at GO Green Office. The views expressed in this column are his own.

This article was translated using AI-assisted tools and reviewed by an editor.