For advertising agencies – whether you are a creative agency, a production house, a media agency or a combination of these – your sustainability journey can be split broadly into two streams: the work you do, and the way you work.
To create meaningful change, small agencies should focus on the work that you do. It has the opportunity for the biggest positive impact.
The way you work is equally important, not least for building credibility when talking with clients. It can often be a way to generate some ‘quick wins’ by implementing small changes that can lead to immediate cost savings.
3.1 The work you do
Objective: Create the change that’s needed through the work you do. Focus: Increase your positive impact – using your influence and full breadth of creativity and expertise to create change.
Introduction
As a professional services organisation the greatest impact you have is not the operations of your business – it’s the work that you do.
3.1.1 The clients you choose to work with
Ensure the clients you work with align with your own sustainability ambitions.
3.1.2 The campaigns you choose to work on
This is about the product, service or behaviour change and the accuracy of any sustainability claims in your campaigns.
3.1.3 Normalising sustainable behaviour in all your outputs
Every campaign is an opportunity to influence the audience towards sustainable behaviours.
3.2 The way you work
Objective: Get your house (operations) in order. Focus: Reduce your negative impact.
Introduction
This step is focused on your direct operations as a business – both what you control, such as the office building you occupy, and the products and services you procure as a business.
3.2.1 Your operations as a business
Making simple changes in how you operate can save you money and set the tone to encourage sustainable behaviour.
3.2.2 How you produce your client content
This is an opportunity to work with your clients to innovate and offer creative solutions to reduce emissions and waste.
3.2.3 How you deliver your client content to audiences
This is the hidden impact of campaigns – the carbon emissions from digital media and the media platforms you use.