Wieden + Kennedy: How can agencies evolve to do good(er)?
Wieden + Kennedy is an advertising agency founded in 1982 with a history of making big waves in the industry through high-impact, iconic campaigns. Their strategy for the company's future reflects this history as they begin a to achieve their climate commitments and a promise to do good(er). Wieden + Kennedy has committed to reducing their carbon emissions following Science Based Targets guidelines for Net Zero Aligned Offsetting. Recently awarded B Corp status, an early starter in the advertising world to make this distinction, places them as a leader alongside the likes of Patagonia and Ben & Jerry. They have ten offices across seven different countries, including New York, London, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Shanghai, Delhi, and São Paulo, to name a few.
Employees
1500
Based in
Portland, Oregon
Industry
Advertising
Sustainable Strategy
Science-based targets
Why carbon removal
Their customer journey begins with carbon accounting
We were first introduced to W+K by emission measurement and decarbonisation specialists at Zevero. By working with Zevero, W+K's strategy begins with measuring and strategizing short- and long-term reductions and removing unavoidable emissions simultaneously.
Through this process of strategizing how to take responsibility for their impact, Wieden + Kennedy decided to cut down their carbon footprint and remove a portion of what they could not reduce. By setting a price on emissions, they further incentivise reductions throughout operations. Now, they are also taking accountability for a portion of Scope 3 emissions in their direct control by measuring and removing emissions associated with production in the coming months.
"Using carbon removal as a tool to help take accountability for our impact and leaning into the expertise of Klimate will help us achieve all of our long-term targets. So, as this space evolves, leaning into the partnership with Klimate will help guide us through all of that."
Luke Purdy, Director of Sustainability at Wieden + Kennedy.
Carbon removal strategy
How much do we need to remove and how?
Wieden + Kennedy's science-based targets require them to halve their emissions by 2030. While implementing reduction strategies to curb emissions, W+K uses carbon removal as an additional solution to work towards their near and long-term targets. Continually evolving their strategies, W+K is striving to:
- Measure and set emissions reduction goals.
- Remove 1500t of carbon to address partial operational emissions.
- Take responsibility for direct actions and engage with supply chain by offsetting partial Scope 3.
Wieden + Kennedy has recently introduced a Production Removal Program: This process allows engagement with relevant bodies to apply pressure to reduce their emissions, such as the emissions for each client shoot. Through this engagement and set cost on emissions, they can contribute to a decrease in overall Scope 3 emissions in the long run.
Learning Together Through our Partnership
We sat down with Luke Purdy, Director of Sustainability at Wieden + Kennedy. When asked about their sustainability goals and what brought them to explore the carbon removal space, Luke shares:
"We recognize we're not experts in this space. We need partners who are experts in the climate action space, like Klimate, to help us reach our goals. So working with Klimate has brought valuable, credible input into our strategies and has allowed Wieden + Kennedy to invest in solutions that we can be confident are making a positive impact."
We've worked together to not only educate them about the ins and outs of the carbon offset market, but also why it is essential to take action in today's business world. In Luke's words, together, we're steering W+K, their partners, and everyone in the right direction on the topic [of carbon removal].
Now, W+K can remove emissions with confidence and take the essential first steps to line themselves up for success to reach net zero.
The journey so far:
Wieden + Kennedy has invested in 1,500 tons of carbon removals associated with their own operational emissions.
They've calculated that this amount of carbon is equivalent to 9,000,000 km of driving (5,592,340 miles) or 225 trips around the earth.
Upon recently introducing the Production Removal Program, they have begun to reach further into their Scope 3 emissions and take accountability for some of their broader carbon emission impacts.
Together, Klimate and W+K will continue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help W+K along the road in their ambitious short and long-term climate goals.
Moving forward
Carbon removal to enable our future climate goals
"What would you say if you had 10 seconds to describe carbon removal to someone and why they should invest in carbon removal?" Luke responds:
“I would say that carbon removal is an essential tool for helping limit the effects of global warming on our planet.”
We'd describe Luke as the ideal carbon removal spokesperson and, in his words, 'a real believer' in our mission at Klimate to remove as much carbon as possible to be one part of the solution in fighting climate change.
Klimate is proud to work with climate leaders such as Wieden + Kennedy and are excited to see how we will continue to develop a carbon removal strategy in the coming years.
About
Who are Wieden+Kennedy?
Wieden+Kennedy is an independent, global creative company that has built and transformed some of the world’s most well known, exciting brands for over forty years. Offering world class creative, media, social, design and strategy operations. W+K is driven by a core mission—use creativity t to influence and change the world and impact culture.
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