Communications Agencies commit to disclosing 'climate conflicts'
The change-agency Futerra, a partner of the Sustainable Lifestyles and Education programme, initiated the Creative Climate Disclosure, with the aim of changing the narrative about climate change and the ecological crisis. It is an invitation to agencies and individual creatives to disclose the percentage of turnover generated by clients from fossil fuel companies and other high carbon clients.
Climate Emergency and Creative Conflict Letter
"As creatives, communications agencies and media experts, we see the climate emergency.
Just over a month ago, Extinction Rebellion (XR) called upon advertising agencies to “Declare a climate & ecological emergency and act accordingly.”
Those of us who have signed below agree. Because creativity has consequences, so our industry cannot be neutral. As communicators, we have the power to inspire change, or to keep serving destruction.
We could end this letter here, with a commitment to use our power of persuasion and storytelling for the right side of history.
But a promise is not enough, because our industry hasn’t faced the same scrutiny as others. Remember, we’re good communicators and might be able to wiggle out of this.
Therefore, the agency signatories below commit that before this year is done, we will disclose our ‘climate conflicts’. Whilst respecting client confidentiality, we will reveal the percentage of our turnover categorisedby industry, including income from fossil fuel companies and other high carbon clients. Some of us have already done so (marked below).
The individual creatives who have signed below will simply not work on fossil fuel client briefs, no matter which Agency we are with.
We know many of our colleagues and friends across the creative industry are anxious/terrified about the climate emergency. We also know that disclosing climate conflicts will be too early, and too controversial, for many Agencies today.
But, we firmly believe that we cannot serve climate solutions, whilst still serving the industries most answerable for causing the climate emergency.
And of course, disclosure is only the first step on a journey that must lead to divestment - divesting agency client rosters of these clients. Agencies need to align our businesses with the climate science, just like everyone else.
Thanks for the nudge, XR"
Futerra
"Futerra isn’t just a logical sustainability consultancy, or a magical creative agency; we are both".
Futerra is an international sustainability strategy and creative agency with offices in London, New York and Stockholm. The company was founded in 2001and since then has pursued the mission of ‘making sustainable development so desirable it becomes normal’. That mission fills its team, and its work, with purpose, pride and passion. They work with people who believe they can turn the sustainability imperative into the greatest entrepreneurial opportunity for a generation. Its clients are building brands that are symbols of positive change are unleashing progress that has purpose.
Sustainable Lifestyles and Education
The SLE programme envisions a world where sustainable lifestyles are desirable, beneficial and accessible for everyone, enabled, supported and encouraged by all sectors of society, including governments, the business sector and civil society.
The mission of the Sustainable Lifestyles and Education (SLE) programme is to foster the uptake of sustainable lifestyles as the common norm, with the objective of ensuring their positive contribution to addressing global challenges, such as resource efficiency and biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, poverty eradication and social well-being.
Read more info about the Sustainable Lifestyles and Education (SLE) programme: https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/sustainable-lifestyles-and-education
Unsplash - Kelly Sikkema
