After a month in which Greta Thunberg addressed major world leaders at the UN Summit in New York and as 5000 Global Climate Protests took place across over 150 countries, it seems only fitting that this month's Good News focuses on brands and agencies that are putting in the work to become more, if not fully, sustainable.
Adland has long come under attack for fuelling the sustainability crisis but on Sept 20th they decided enough was enough.
'Create and Strike' called on those in the creative industries to gather outside the Tate and march in the Global Climate Strike. So that's exactly what the Good-Loop team did, we packed up shop and went to join the protests.
The protests gathered together a concoction of suited professionals, children in school uniforms, and a wondrous amount of dogs. It's unsurprising they were the biggest climate strikes on record and it's evident now more than ever that this shift in social responsibility can no longer be ignored.
Purpose is finally starting to be put before profit - which, in the end, might just save the world.
Stay sustainable,
The Good-Loop Team.
Diesel has partnered with Coca-Cola to create a new sustainable clothing range.
The pieces, made from recycled materials such as plastic bottles, are available through Diesel's website by scanning any recycling logo before the official release on 7th Oct.
Much like Adidas turning single-use plastics into trainers, this campaign is a great example of brands taking, and being expected to take, a moral stance on ethical and sustainability issues. By creating clothes out of recycled materials, brands are both addressing a social issue and offering a solution - in turn, amplifying the conversation on a social issue.
And on top of all that, they're making money in the process.
Burger King has moved to become more sustainable by removing plastic toys from their junior meals.
After two teenagers started a petition calling on the fast-food giant to take more steps to fight single-use plastics, agency Jones Knowles Ritchie launched "The Meltdown".
In a step towards becoming more sustainable Burger King is also holding a Toy Amnesty for the return of single-use plastic toys, even those from Happy Meals, which will then be melted down into a statue of one of the campaigns characters 'Beep Beep'.
Simply put on Burger King's website, "The better job we do at being responsible today, the better our business will be in the future."
Channel 4 is marking their move to God's own county by signing a new deal with The Meatless Farm Co.
The seven-figure deal was signed with the local Yorkshire brand that produces "meat-free, but not taste-free" plant-based mince, burgers, and sausages. Channel 4 is using its huge platform to push sustainability in a unique and different way by supporting local, sustainable, and ethical companies.
Channel 4 describes The Meatless Farm Co's innovation and sustainability credentials as "inspiring" saying they hope that "through advertising across our channel portfolio [...] we'll help support their impact and growth journey."
Salesforce wants to help the world to become more sustainable by launching an app that allows companies to gauge their sustainability progress.
Salesforce sees sustainability as a key issue. They already donate 1% of their profits to different causes, along with creating the 1-1-1 philanthropic model - which encourages all entrepreneurs to take the same 1% pledge.
As well as monitoring and improving their own sustainability, Salesforce is now moving to help other companies improve their own carbon footprint. The Software company is currently working on the Salesforce Susatinability Cloud to help track a companies sustainability efforts and help them reach their goals.
IPG joins the FTSE4Good list thanks to their prolonged and meaningful sustainability action.
FTSE4Good, an arm created by FTSE Russell, helps promote a greater focus on sustainability among businesses. It looks at those companies that demonstrate strong environmental, social, and governance practices - measured against international standards.
IPG has long been committed to sustainability and ethics making it their priority. They're now measuring their energy use and emissions to reach their reduction target to lower emissions by 10 percent 2030 from their 2015 baseline.
