Major brands commit to reducing CO2 emissions

The chief executives of Starbucks, O2, Marks & Spencer, Carphone Warehouse, BSkyB, HSBC, Man Investments, Tesco and B&Q met Tony Blair, secretary of state for the environment David Miliband, director-general of the BBC Mark Thompson, and the Bishop of London on Monday for talks on forming a partnership to cut carbon emissions.

The scheme, which is due to be launched in March, will set targets for a reduction in emissions not only by the companies but also by their customers.

No agencies have yet been approached to promote the campaign. According to Steve Howard, chief executive of not-for-profit collective The Climate Group, which is co-ordinating the partnership, it is likely to fall to each partner to brief their agencies in the new year.

The Climate Group said it is being selective about which brands become involved in the scheme, but that if other companies come forward and show a genuine commitment to climate change, further members may be added.

Howard added that brands involved in the scheme had to view it as a long-term commitment, not a one-off campaign.

According to The Climate Group, founded two years ago by a collective of governmental organisations, companies and individuals, the combined reach of the nine partner brands spans more than 250m customers and 30,000 stores.

This article was first published on Marketing