This guide and accompanying report are based on over 30 hours of interviews with agency leaders and sustainability specialists, clients, coalitions working for change within the industry, external activists and other related membership bodies.
Sue Benson, Managing Director, The Behaviours Agency
Matt Bourn, Director of Communications, The Advertising Association
Michelle Carvill, Co-Founder, Can Marketing Save the Planet?
Elle Chartres, UK Director, Ad Net Zero
Mark Curtis, Sustainability Lead and Head of Thought Leadership, Accenture Song
Alex Davis, Financial Director, 23red
Jake Dubbins, Managing Director, Media Bounty and Co-Founder, Conscious Advertising Network (CAN)
Suzy Giles, Associate Partner ESG Communications, ERM and Chair, ESG Expert Panel, Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR)
Mark Gomez, Group Procurement Manager – Media and Digital Marketing, Kingfisher plc
Mark Graeme, Executive Producer, RedStudios@AMVBBDO
Jon Howard, Planning Director, Quiet Storm
Gill Jarvie, Director of Client Services, Republic of Media
Rosie Kitson, Chief Impact Officer, Havas UK&I
Stuart Macnaughtan, Head of Public Affairs and Sustainability, Incorporated Society of British Advertising (ISBA)
Felicity McLean, Associate Director – Sustainability Engagement, WPP
Duncan Meisel, Executive Director, Clean Creatives
Pam Noakes, Global Sustainability Director, M&C Saatchi
Stephanie Parry, Senior Marketing Procurement, Crown Commercial Service
Grace Reith, Sustainability Communications Director, Bray Leino
Pauline Robson, Managing Partner & Head of Sustainability, EssenceMediacom UK
Laura Spooner, Senior Account Director, 23red
Laura Sutherland, PR Director, 3X1 Group & Chair, Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) Climate Communication Group
Sian Sutherland, Co-Founder, A Plastic Planet
James Sutton, Strategy and Commercial Director, Chartered Institute of Marketing (CiM)
Jessica Tamsedge, UK CEO, Dentsu Creative
Tim Whirledge, Strategy Partner, Dentus Creative UK
Johnny White, Climate Lawyer, Client Earth
Jonathan Wise, Co-Founder, Purpose Disruptors
This toolkit and the supporting research report were commissioned by the IPA Sustainability Working Group in the Spring of 2024. The research was conducted, and reports authored, by Hil Berg and Rick Benfield from One Planet Communications.
Hil Berg is a social change campaigner and communications strategist who has built her career on finding innovative solutions to meet the challenges of social and climate justice. She advises and supports leaders across the business, public and third sectors, and is known for leading sustainability for Iceland Foods, including its award-winning brand activism campaigns. More recently, she was Head of Strategy at M&C Saatchi LIFE, part of the global M&C Saatchi Group, where she continues to advise on transformative sustainability strategies that focus on the unique potential of businesses to drive positive change.
She has more than 25 years of experience in climate and social change communications and has twice been named ‘UK outstanding independent practitioner’ by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations. She has worked in Africa, Asia, Europe and the US, and created two award-winning UK consultancy businesses. Hil is also a Trustee of three charities, a member of the CIPR’s Global ESG Panel and a CIPR Fellow. She has a Masters in PR and communications, with a research focus on environmental brand activism.
Rick Benfield is an experienced strategy consultant, entrepreneur and purpose-driven business leader. The first 10 years of his consulting career were split between the corporate sector, with Accenture, and the charity sector. The last 12 years have been dedicated to inspiring businesses to drive positive environmental and social change, founding his own award-winning company and leading the sustainability arm of a boutique strategy consultancy. He now divides his time working as an independent sustainability strategy consultant and running the OCSO Group. The OCSO Group is a collective of experienced professionals providing fractional sustainability leadership to SMEs.
Rick is also an RSA Fellow, a trustee of Uganda Creates – a small charity supporting young people to improve their livelihoods, and a board advisor to Avery & Brown – a marketing agency for purpose-led businesses.