This case study examines how luxury fashion brands communicate their sustainability practices on the brands' sustainability page on the company's website and whether selected luxury fashion brands are greenwashing and bluewashing. The luxury brands selected for this study are Stella McCartney and Gucci, on the grounds that both brands have different types of businesses and approaches. To understand the context, this study uses the triple bottom line sustainability concept by Elkinton (1998), sustainable luxury fashion brands (Godart & Seong ,2017; Wiedmann et al., 2009; Joey et al.,2012; and Franco et al. 2019), greenwashing concept by Delmas & Burbano (2011) and bluewashing concept (Sailer et al., 2022). To conduct the analysis, this study uses textual, eco-lexicon categorization developed by Thomas (2008) and the categorization from Milanesi et al. (2022) is adapted for visual analysis and the sins of greenwashing by Terra Choice (2010) to see the potential of greenwashing. The results shows that Stella McCartney and Gucci sustainable communication serves as their marketing strategy which encourage purchase and therefore it is problematic. Both brands use vague, ambiguous words, terms, and certifications and lack of transparency. While the images are not yet seen as a potential tool to communicate sustainability initiatives. Even though the brands are known as sustainable fashion brands, the result demonstrates brands show irrelevancies and paradoxes between what the brands communicate and their actual practices ; therefore show potential greenwashing and bluewashing.

[ES] Las empresas adoptan prácticas de RSE en el ámbito institucional para cumplir con normas y expectativas sociales y ambientales, lo que les ayuda a controlar la presión institucional y mantener la legitimidad. Sin embargo, existe la amenaza del "greenwashing" y "bluewashing", donde las empresas adoptan estas prácticas de forma superficial y en ocasiones engañosas para mejorar su imagen sin un compromiso real. El "bluewashing", es un concepto poco discutido, implica comportamientos cuestionables de las empresas que intentan mostrarse responsables en aspectos sociales. En ese sentido, esta tesis entrega un aporte para disminuir el vacío que existe en el conocimiento de este tema, profundizando en su definición y medición mediante la propuesta de dos metodologías de medición de índices de "bluewashing". El índice interno entrega una evaluación del bluewashing desde la perspectiva de las empresas. El índice de bluewashing externo por su parte, mide el comportamiento de las empresas comparando las acciones que éstas declaran con demandas judiciales ejercidas por los stakeholders en contra de las empresas. Los resultados de la medición interna muestran que muchas empresas expresan preocupación por la comunidad, los recursos humanos y los proveedores, pero realizan pocas acciones significativas en estos ámbitos. La medición desde la perspectiva externa indica que las empresas tienen un peor comportamiento en lo que respecta a los recursos humanos y a los clientes. / [CA] Les empreses adopten pràctiques de RSE en l'àmbit institucional per a complir amb normes i expectatives socials i ambientals, la qual cosa els ajuda a controlar la pressió institucional i mantindre la legitimitat. No obstant això, existix l'amenaça del "greenwashing" i "bluewashing", on les empreses adopten pràctiques superficials i en ocasions enganyoses per a millorar la seua imatge sense un compromís real. El "bluewashing", és un concepte poc discutit, implica comportaments qüestionables d'empreses que intenten mostrar-se responsables en aspectes socials. En eixe sentit, esta tesi entrega una aportació que disminuïsc el buit que existix en el coneixement d'este tema, aprofundint en la seua definició i mesurament mitjançant dos metodologies de medicació d'índexs per al "bluewashing". L'índex intern lliurament una avaluació del bluewashing des de la perspectiva de les empreses. L'índex de bluewashing extern per part seua, mesura el comportament de les empreses comparant les accions que estes declaren amb demandes judicials exercides pels stakeholder en contra de les empreses. Els resultats des del mesurament intern mostren que moltes empreses expressen preocupació per la comunitat, els recursos humans i els proveïdors, però realitzen poques accions significatives en estos àmbits. El mesurament des de la perspectiva externa indica que les empreses tenen un pitjor comportament pel que fa als recursos humans i als clients. / [EN] The adoption of CSR practices at the institutional level by companies is motivated by the need to meet social and environmental standards and expectations. This helps them to manage institutional pressure and maintain legitimacy. However, there is a risk of "greenwashing" and "bluewashing". Greenwashing involves the adoption of superficial and sometimes misleading practices by companies to improve their image without real commitment. Bluewashing, a concept that has received little attention, involves questionable behaviour by companies trying to portray themselves as socially responsible. In this context, this thesis contributes to the reduction of the existing knowledge gap on this issue by deepening its definition and measurement through the use of two methodologies of index measurement for the Bluewashing concept. The internal index provides an assessment of bluewashing from the perspective of companies. The external bluewashing index, on the other hand, measures the behaviour of companies by comparing the actions they declare with lawsuits brought by stakeholders against companies. The results of the internal measurement indicate that a significant number of companies express concern for the community, human resources and suppliers, yet few meaningful actions are taken in these areas. The external measurement reveals that companies perform less well in relation to human resources and customers. / Von Bischoffshausen León, PA. (2024). La estrategia del bluewashing y su empleo en el marco del compromiso social corporativo [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/212509