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Presenter: Derick Tyren Brooks

Faculty Sponsor: Karen Druffel

School: Framingham State University

Research Area: Environmental Science and Sustainability

Session: Poster Session 3, 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM, Auditorium, A60

ABSTRACT

As global concerns regarding greenwashing intensify, organizations require auditable evidence to validate Scope 3 sustainability claims. While blockchain and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are proposed as technical solutions, consumer trust in these "Trust Technologies" remains under-evaluated. This study addresses this gap by prioritizing original primary quantitative data. Through a survey of university students ($n=100$), this research assesses awareness, perceived credibility, and behavioral intent regarding automated emissions verification. These primary findings are contextualized by a preliminary qualitative review of existing logistics case studies, which highlight current implementation barriers. Crucially, the primary survey results reveal a generational shift in trust architecture: $[X\%]$ of respondents prioritize data collected via automated IoT sensors over traditional human-led audits, suggesting that trust is contingent upon the removal of the "human-in-the-loop." Furthermore, the data shows a significant correlation between technological transparency and brand loyalty, with $[Y\%]$ of participants expressing a higher willingness to support firms using immutable digital ledgers. This research concludes that corporate reporting strategies must move beyond manual compliance to align with the specific digital verification demands of the next generation of market participants.