{"id":3900,"date":"2022-01-07T17:50:57","date_gmt":"2022-01-07T21:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/energiesnet.com\/espanol\/?p=3900"},"modified":"2022-01-07T17:50:59","modified_gmt":"2022-01-07T21:50:59","slug":"kathryn-lundstrom-adweek-edelman-is-sticking-with-polluters-for-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/energiesnet.com\/espanol\/kathryn-lundstrom-adweek-edelman-is-sticking-with-polluters-for-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Kathryn Lundstrom\/Adweek -Edelman Is Sticking With Polluters\u2014For Now"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
After a 60-day review of its roster. \u00abWe don’t want to defend that which is the present state,\u00bb
CEO Richard Edelman said. \u00abWe want to create a better state.\u00bbAdweek\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

-Moving forward, the PR firm ‘will part company’ with clients failing to accelerate progress on climate<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Kathryn Lundstrom<\/a>\/ADWEEK<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CHICAGO
EnergiesNet.com 01 07 2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After reviewing its client roster to align with a new climate strategy, the world\u2019s largest PR firm made no commitment to end its work for fossil fuel clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, the company\u2019s CEO Richard Edelman told Adweek that it will work alongside clients to improve their climate plans and reduce emissions and impact. \u201cWe\u2019re going to have engagement about a path forward based on our principles,\u201d he said. \u201cWe clearly want to be with companies that are accelerating action. But if we can\u2019t, then we will part company.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edelman launched this 60-day review of its operations and client roster<\/a> in November. The announcement followed a campaign by climate activists that demanded Edelman cut ties with ExxonMobil due to the oil company impact on climate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, just 53 days later, the company said it\u2019s finished the review\u2014but won\u2019t leave fossil fuel brands behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s not enough, according to Christine Arena, former executive vice president at Edelman<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe only way for PR and ad agencies to lead on climate is by eliminating the misleading messages that directly contribute to predatory delay, confuse the public and hold our country back from needed climate policy that could save millions of lives,\u201d Arena said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>I LEFT A MAJOR AGENCY BECAUSE OF ITS STANCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nipping greenwash in the bud?<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This new announcement comes amid growing criticism of the PR industry for the way that it shapes and often obstructs climate policy<\/a>, with Edelman at the center of the discussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, the firm said its next moves will offer the context necessary to address a central criticism often levied at Edelman: that it promotes certain polluters\u2019 sustainability work while ignoring the majority of its business, despite that sustainability work only taking up 1 or 2% of its overall operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result is greenwashing, activists argue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting next week, Edelman said it will conduct discussions with clients to confirm its findings from the review. It will then align its relationships along six principles, which Richard Edelman outlined in a blog post published today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The principles include working with those committed to accelerating action to \u201cnet zero\u201d and in compliance with the Paris Accords, putting science and facts first, advancing best practices and standards for climate communications, ensuring inclusivity, focusing on a just transition and holding themselves accountable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>TURNING AGENCIES AGAINST FOSSIL FUEL BRANDS HARKENS BACK TO THE TOBACCO WARS<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also bringing in external climate and communications experts to advise the firm as it moves forward. Edelman will also work with climate and systems change company SYSTEMIQ to help develop \u201ctransition pathways\u201d for each industry sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edelman will require climate communications training for all staff, and fund a global climate communications council with other communications firms \u201cthat will explore ways and make recommendations for enhancing implementation of Article 12 of the Paris Agreement<\/a>,\u201d Edelman wrote in today\u2019s blog post. (Article 12 outlines the need for climate change education, training, public awareness, public participation and public access to information.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through these initiatives, Edelman hopes to address the root cause of communications that misrepresent polluters\u2019 sustainability work, said global chair of climate practice Robert Casamento, who was hired in November in conjunction with the firm\u2019s new climate strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut that doesn\u2019t mean walking away from the organizations that have a deep commitment to transition and accelerated action,\u201d Casamento added. \u201cWe deeply believe in partnering with those clients.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>HOW PR FIRMS SHAPE\u2014AND OFTEN OBSTRUCT\u2014CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t skip the fine print<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Arena argued that the firm should go a step further to address greenwashing by incorporating that \u201cfine print\u201d directly into the ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf they are producing an ad for biofuels on behalf of Exxon, then add contextual copy explaining the fact that just 0.16% of Exxon\u2019s resources fund low carbon projects,\u201d Arena suggested. She left Edelman in 2015 over concerns about the firm\u2019s work for fossil fuel clients, and now runs a production company called Generous Films.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf they are producing an ad for a natural gas, then include a warning label explaining the fact that methane has 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide and also produces CO2 when burned. Correct factual omissions, distortions and greenwash proactively\u2014before lawmakers force you to. Educate and guide your clients and employees accordingly. Elevate standards and then uphold them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>YOUNG MARKETERS WANT AGENCIES THAT ALIGN WITH THEIR VALUES\u2014ESPECIALLY ON CLIMATE ISSUES<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clean Creatives<\/a>, the activist group that\u2019s been pressuring Edelman (as well as all ad and PR agencies) to cut ties with fossil fuel companies since late 2020, was unimpressed by today\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt seems that Edelman CEO Richard Edelman never took this review process seriously,\u201d the group\u2019s director, Duncan Meisel, told Adweek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere were no outside experts involved, no transparent standards for evaluating clients\u2019 climate goals, and he didn\u2019t even take the full 60 days he said would be required,\u201d Meisel added. \u201cWith this move, Edelman is branding itself as the agency only polluters can trust, and it will do damage to their reputation, their clients and staff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n


Kathryn Lundstrom<\/a> from ADWEEK (Kathryn Lundstrom is Adweek’s sustainability reporter. @klundster<\/a>\/ kathryn.lundstrom@adweek.com<\/a>)
adweek.com<\/a> 01 07 2022<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

-Moving forward, the PR firm ‘will part company’ with clients failing to accelerate progress on climate By Kathryn Lundstrom\/ADWEEK CHICAGOEnergiesNet.com 01 07 2022 After reviewing its client roster to align with a new climate strategy, the world\u2019s largest PR firm made no commitment to end its work for fossil fuel clients. Instead, the company\u2019s CEO …<\/p>\n

Kathryn Lundstrom\/Adweek -Edelman Is Sticking With Polluters\u2014For Now<\/span> Leer m\u00e1s »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3901,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3900","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-noticias-diarias"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/energiesnet.com\/espanol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3900","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/energiesnet.com\/espanol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/energiesnet.com\/espanol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energiesnet.com\/espanol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energiesnet.com\/espanol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3900"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/energiesnet.com\/espanol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3900\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energiesnet.com\/espanol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3901"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/energiesnet.com\/espanol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3900"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energiesnet.com\/espanol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3900"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/energiesnet.com\/espanol\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3900"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}