Are Fossil-Fuel Energy Companies Riding the Green Wave or Just Surfing on Thin Ice? Analysing Shell's Sustainability through Critical Discourse Analysis.

This study analysed the sustainability and annual reports of Shell for the years 2021, 2022, and 2023 using Fairclough’s three-dimensional model of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). The coherence between Shell’s sustainability claims and tangible actions are analysed critically within the overall theme of sustainability. The research highlights significant inconsistencies, revealing signs of greenwashing amongst progress in some areas. Within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, CEO succession, and the Milieudefensie climate case, Shell has acknowledged their global impact and importance of the role in the energy transition, aligning with international standards while simultaneously demonstrating greater transparency in recent statements. Despite these developments, Shell continues to rely on fossil fuels and carbon offsetting, raising questions about the true sustainability of their renewable efforts. In short, their sustainability performance remains more rhetorical than concrete. The findings also indicated strategic use of discourse, where more prominent messages are highlighted, while others are subtly embedded. This research underscores the complex and dichotomy of corporate sustainability within fossil fuel and energy companies, suggesting that further in-depth knowledge and time could yield additional insights.