Clean Creatives calls out more B Corp agencies for fossil fuel deals

Activist group Clean Creatives has called out more B Corp accredited agencies for working with fossil fuel companies. 

The agencies include Edit, SEC Newgate, Tinkle Communications, Total Media, and MSQ according to a Clean Creatives' LinkedIn post. 

When MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out to SEC Newgate UK, it refuted the claims calling the Clean Creatives statement "factually inaccurate".

"SEC Newgate UK is the B Corp accredited agency, not any of the other companies in the SEC Newgate group," a spokesperson said. "SEC Newgate UK became an accredited B Corp in January 2024 based on a rigorous three-year-long evaluation process that included full disclosure of our client list to B Corp."

It added that SEC Newgate UK does not have petrochemicals and coal companies as clients.

Currently though, according to Clean Creatives, Edit is working with gas and oil giant Shell on direct marketing, while SEC Newgate is lobbying on behalf of 10 different fossil fuel companies, said Clean Creatives. 

Don't miss: 1,000 agencies pledge to refuse work from fossil fuel industry in Clean Creatives campaign

On top of that, Tinkle Communications, a Havas subsidiary, is promoting Spanish oil major Repsol. Clean Creatives also added that Total Media is working with gas distributor E.On. 

When MARKETING-INTERACTIVE reached out to Total Media, it emphasised that it is "committed to the values that B Corp stands for: to make business force for good." 

"Our internal ESG forums helped us reach B Corp recertification by setting 30 new goals, beyond those we hit for initial certification. We reached our target of becoming carbon neutral three years before our goal of 2025. We are committed across our Group to meeting our Net Zero targets," said a spokesperson. 

It added that "E.ON, the electricity utility services company delivering power to homes across the UK, is Total Media’s client. We are proud of our work and collaborative relationship with E.ON, so much so that we have published our partnership multiple times, including when we won the account and highlighted it in our recent coming together with Mediaplus." 

"Total Media believes in transparency and we welcome constructive discussion on how we all can drive and meet sustainability goals across the advertising industry," said the spokesperson. 

In addition, Clean Creatives revealed that MSQ is working with British Gas. 

"Earlier this week we shared that yet more B Corporation agencies are working with fossil fuel companies," said Clean Creatives in its LinkedIn statement.  

"In addition, we found another relationship with fossil fuels at the agency MSQ that was not included in the previous letter to B Lab, with British Gas," it added. 

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to all other parties for more information. 

“The case for excluding fossil fuel agencies from B Corp certification could not be clearer. The work these B Corp agencies are doing for fossil fuel polluters includes greenwashing gas companies, direct lobbying on behalf of coal producers, and pushing consumers to buy more gasoline, all in direct contradiction to B Lab’s mission of protecting people and the planet. Decertifying fossil fuel agencies is vital to protecting the B Corp brand and strengthening the B Corp community," said Duncan Meisel, executive director of Clean Creatives.

This comes after Clean Creatives and a group of 22 communications and advertising agencies submitted a complaint letter to B Lab to request immediate action on B Corp certified agencies working with the fossil fuel industry in October 2023. The move was in response to Havas winning Shell's media account. 

An investigation by B Lab into Havas was later launched in January this year. 

Meanwhile, in April this year, Clean Creatives revealed that 1,000 agencies worldwide have signed its pledge to refuse work from the fossil fuel industry. 

Significant agency pledges have been received from notable agencies such as Mother New York, Lucky Generals, Allison, and GALE. The United States tops the list of agency signees at 350, with the United Kingdom following close behind at 265. Canada ranks third at 65, with South Africa at 57, Germany at 43, Australia at 36, Netherlands at 30, and Sweden at 20 also making the list.

The types of agencies populating the 1,000 ranks are design (223), creative (201), branding (197), and public relations (183). A combination of digital, strategy, production, web development, consulting agencies, and more complete the list, with 138 of the 1,000 agencies being B Corp certified.

Agencies' top reason for signing the pledge include "alignment with values and mission”, followed by “positive impact on the climate.”

Picture courtesy of Clean Creatives LinkedIn. 

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