António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, has highlighted the role of advertising and PR firms in perpetuating the harmful fossil fuel sector on this World Environment Day.
The Secretary-General stressed the urgency for these industries to pivot towards sustainable energy advocacy, underlining their crucial role in combating climate change.
Guterres likens the fossil fuel PR situation to the tobacco industry, warning brands about potential reputational damage from their ties to fossil fuels. He calls for a shift towards renewable energy to maintain brand integrity and public trust.
The Secretary-General also criticized the fossil fuel sector for its deceitful promotional methods and for spreading climate change misinformation, tactics widely seen in the tobacco industry historically.
Companies like Exxon Mobil, he mentioned, have been cited for manipulating the narrative around the fossil fuel consumption and global warming link, undermining global climate change combat efforts.
UN Secretary-General calls out ad agencies’ fossil fuel connections
Duncan Meisel, the head of Clean Creatives, a firm advocating for advertising redirection from large-scale polluting companies towards more environmentally-conscious organizations, chimed in with Guterres.
He pinpointed PR and advertising agencies for furthering inaccurate climate change information and putting profits before planetary wellness, contributing to the climate crisis.
Encouragingly, over a thousand agencies across 64 countries have vowed not to cooperate with fossil fuel corporations. Allison Worldwide, cited that their decision is rooted in their core values and strategic business move.
These agencies believe that their commitment to sustainability resonates with their clients, fostering trust. They hope this pivotal moment encourages others to rethink their relationships with fossil fuel companies.
