Amsterdam, Netherlands – Creatives for Climate, a non-profit global network dedicated to climate action, has appointed Antonia Estall, a youth change agent, as the Asia-Pacific chapter lead. Estall’s appointment is tasked with taking action across the region, encouraging professionals to oppose greenwashing and build a climate action movement among their peers.
Estall’s main focus will be on New Zealand, where nine out of ten New Zealanders prioritise checking a product’s green claims before making a purchase, according to research by Consumer NZ. Furthermore, according to UK research conducted by CIM in October 2020, 40% of marketers admit they do not possess the credentials required to communicate sustainability in an effective manner.
Estall worked at ECG Consulting Firm before taking on her present positions, where she honed her research, creativity, and social media marketing talents. Additionally, she is part of Designers Collection NZ, expanding her knowledge in these domains. Estall is a motivated climate activist who emphasises an intersectional approach to climate justice.
Joanna Kelly, chief executive at the Centre for Sustainable Finance, said, “The stories we tell about the net-zero transition are fundamental to the pace of progress toward our 2030 targets. The climate transition has huge implications for New Zealand, where access to markets, customers, and capital is at stake. The launch of the global Creatives for Climate non-profit in Aotearoa offers creative industries much-needed tools for advising clients on how to communicate with credibility. It’s a great way for NZ creatives to get in the game on sustainability.”
Meanwhile, Gemma Rasmussen, head of research and advocacy at Consumer NZ, stated, “The reality of the New Zealand market is it’s very easy for a company to make a false or misleading sustainability claim about a product or service and go unchecked because greenwashing is essentially unmonitored. Shoppers can find it hard to differentiate between what is legitimately sustainable versus what is greenwashing, so the creative industry plays a crucial role in holding the line when it comes to genuine sustainable communication. Any efforts to empower more truthful advertising and marketing are very welcome.”
Furthermore, Matt Haliday, senior lecturer in advertising and brand creativity AUT, expressed, “It’s exciting to see Creatives for Climate in Aotearoa. Having an organisation calling out greenwashing in the industry and helping creatives draw a line in the sand is important. We can all see which way the wind is blowing. Creatives for Climate are trying to help us prepare for the storm.”