Business as usual taking precedence, the sector not being cohesive, and agencies underestimating risks are key barriers to improving sustainability in adland, according to new guidance from The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA).

Other barriers include a failure across the sector to tell the whole story and clients being slow and hesitant to demand change.

In order to help address the barriers the IPA has set up a new four-step model:

• Set your ambition: Agency leaders should identify and be honest about where they want to take their business. The report highlights that agencies can be categorised into passives who take no action outside legal compliance, participants who make incremental changes to help reduce their impact, and pioneers who lead the industry in creating a net positive approach.
• Build the foundations: Creating an environment for change involves understanding context and risk, creating a business case and engaging colleagues.
• Take action: The model encourages agencies to take action in the work they do for instance making clear choices on clients, and in the way they work which involves improving their efficiency and reducing the environmental impact of operations, production and delivery.
• Grow the movement: The model highlights how agencies can help grow a movement for change through inspiration and collaboration.

IPA sustainability action group and M&C Saatchi UK group managing director Tom Firth said: “For this to be useful for agencies is was essential that we understood where the industry is now – so thank you to everyone who contributed to this report; from clients, agencies, industry bodies and members of the activist community.

He added that the conversations highlighted how industry leaders need to be “clear eyed” about the challenges ahead in order to “keep pace with clients” and respond to changes in legislation.

“It is a time of both risk and enormous opportunity for the industry. This project is our first vital step in providing practical support to other IPA members to help them make sense of the agenda and begin to think strategically about the transformation required, and the practical steps needed to change,” he added.

Earlier this year, the UN Secretary General António Guterres called for a global ban on fossil fuel advertising, slamming the sector for their link with fossil fuel firms.

“They have been aided and abetted by advertising and PR companies – Mad Men fuelling the madness,” he said.

See article at Marketing Beat.