Comms Declare, an organisation on a mission to generate positive climate action from the advertising, creative and communication sector, has released research examining the industry's connection to fossil fuel.
The Fuelling Fantasties report, conducted by researchers The Navigators in 2020 and 2021, surveyed 200 agencies for their exposures to fossil fuel sector work with 103 responses, including executives or owners of a mix of large, medium and small advertising, marketing and media agencies.
While almost half of employees report working for fossil fuel companies, only 33% of agencies admitted to having such clients.
Findings include that none of the agencies surveyed know the carbon exposure level of their high polluting clients they work for, and 61% are unaware of their own business’ carbon footprin.
While most agencies have sustainable procurement practices, less than half (43%) have formal emissions reduction policies.
Almost three quarters (73%) of these companies want to meet net zero emissions in their operations, and 78% think climate action is important to attract employees.
The survey also looked at different attitudes and approaches to climate action and fossil fuel sector work between creative agencies and media agencies.
More than two thirds (68%) of media agencies disagree that commercial pressure makes it difficult to take a stronger position on climate action.
But only one in five (21%) media agencies are against the industry working for fossil fuels, (44% for creative agencies).
More than one third (38%) of media agencies take the climate into consideration when choosing clients (56% of creative agencies), and a third of both media and advertising agencies (33%) have worked with fossil fuel companies in the
last 12 months.
An online survey was completed in late 2021 by 221 people aged under 30 in the communications industry. Overall, the report shows a disconnect on intent on climate action and the reality of policy, measurement and acceptance of working for high-polluting fossil fuel companies.
Global warming is one of the main concerns for young people in the creative industries. Despite this, many have been forced to work for coal, oil, or gas company accounts.
Maya Halilovic, senior creative, 303MullenLowe: "I think agencies should play a massive role in confronting climate change, if only because we are part of the reason that it exists.
"It’s kind of a difficult one to stomach, because if you think about it, BP and Shell Oil and Chevron and whatnot – the sort of giant polluters of the world – have and will continue to rely on agencies to lift their profile, and to talk about a ‘cleaner and greener’ future that is increasingly just a vaguer and vaguer concept."
Belinda Noble, president and founder, Comms Declare: “In light of the lukewarm approach taken by the government on climate change, we have an opportunity to take charge, persuade and become accountable for the advertising, communications and marketing industries’ pivotal role.
"In the creative industries, talent is the main currency. In recognition of this, Comms Declare is asking agencies and creatives to divest their talents from fossil fuels.
"In addition, we want to influence clients to treat their advertising or marketing or media agency like any other company in their supply chain, and demand that their operations and clients engage in activity that will keep the planet within 1.5 degrees warming."
Comms Declare has grown to more than 320 members, including more than 80 businesses, all who have declared they will not support any activities, organisations or individuals that promote the growth of fossil fuels, high greenhouse gas pollution as "business as usual" and deception, distraction or spin around science or climate actions.
From the report:
The industry helps the government and Australia’s most powerful companies frame the climate debate on their own terms and for their own interests.
This was famously demonstrated via the successful campaign against the Rudd government’s mining super profits tax that helped end his Prime Ministership.
The industry helps coal, oil and gas corporations to build and maintain social licence (community support) through research, marketing, sponsorships, PR and community and digital engagement.
And it is helping fossil fuel corporations to sell themselves as being sustainable and clean, and most alarmingly, the solution to the global warming that they are predominantly causing.
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