The Sustainable Advertising Manifesto.
By Andréa Hénao
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report concluded that human influence has unequivocally warmed the planet and that the impacts are widespread and rapid. At 360 Agency Berlin, we believe it is time to act. The advertising industry is at a turning point. Consumers demand greater transparency, ethical practices, and genuine sustainability in advertising. We have developed a unique approach we call ‘Sustainable Advertising’a commitment to promoting only sustainable and ethical brands through responsible communication strategies.
Are we still supposed to approach advertising the same way?
FROM AN AGENCY PERSPECTIVE
What Sustainable Advertising Means:
As a pioneering sustainable advertising agency in Berlin, we evaluate every brand we work with against three key sustainability criteria:
1. Respect for International Labour Rights
We ensure that the brands we promote comply with fair working conditions and global labour standards, supporting ethical supply chains.
2. Environmental Responsibility
We review each brand’s certifications, production origins, and environmental impact to verify their commitment to reducing harm to the planet.
3. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Practices
We analyse the CSR policies and initiatives a brand has in place to confirm that they meet sustainability requirements and contribute positively to society.
Why We Take Responsibility
At 360 Agency Berlin, we believe that every actor in the advertising chain is accountable for the messages they create and deliver.
That is why we take full responsibility for the brands and initiatives we choose to promote.
By doing so, we help shape an industry where advertising drives positive change, supports sustainable business practices, and empowers conscious consumers.
Daily Sustainable implementations
Daily Sustainable Practices at 360 Agency Berlin
At 360 Agency Berlin, we believe that actions must align with words. Sustainability cannot remain a promise—it must be part of our daily operations. That is why we have implemented clear rules to reduce our environmental impact and set an example as a sustainable advertising agency.
Reducing Plastics and CO2 Emissions
We avoid the use of virgin plastics in all agency activities.
We actively work to minimize CO2 emissions in every aspect of our operations.
Sustainable Travel Policy:
We refrain from air travel whenever possible. Briefings and meetings are conducted via webinars or online platforms.
When travel is required, we prioritize train journeys over planes.
Company cars are electric, not luxury vehicles, to further reduce emissions.
Paperless and Eco-Friendly Printing:
We avoid unnecessary printing of internal documents, minutes, or reports, storing them securely in digital drives.
We strongly discourage and avoid BTL print advertising such as brochures or single-use flyers.
When printing is unavoidable, we use recycled paper and eco-innovations such as Air Ink, created from captured air pollution.
Eco-Responsible Client Solutions:
We systematically propose eco-friendly advertising solutions to clients, helping them align with sustainability values.
Remote Work for Lower Impact:
Agency members are encouraged to work from home 2–3 days per week, reducing commuting-related emissions while supporting flexible work.
At 360 Agency Berlin, our mission goes beyond promoting sustainable brands—we integrate sustainability into every daily decision and operational choice. This is how we redefine what it means to be a truly eco-responsible advertising agency.
Digital Privacy in Sustainable Marketing
Privacy-First implementations for Ethical and Effective Digital Marketing
Sustainable advertising cannot be fully realized without addressing digital privacy. At 360 Agency Berlin, we believe that meaningful privacy-first regulation should be driven by the advertising industry itself as a vital step toward rebuilding consumer trust in the digital ecosystem.
When planning digital marketing campaigns, we prioritize avoiding audience overload and minimizing unnecessary intrusiveness. Instead, we focus on contextual digital marketing strategies, reaching audiences at moments when they are most receptive to engaging with brand messages. This approach enhances relevance, strengthens engagement, and ensures campaigns are ethically responsible.
Traditional metrics for digital advertising, such as ad frequency and impressions, no longer align with the evolving ecosystem. Consumers are intelligent decision-makers, and relevance, not repeated exposure, should guide advertising strategies. High frequency alone does not guarantee engagement or purchase intent.
To meet these challenges, the industry must move beyond third-party cookies and adopt privacy-centric alternatives. At 360 Agency Berlin, we use data modeling and aggregated, anonymized analytics to measure campaign effectiveness accurately while fully respecting user privacy. This ensures a comprehensive, privacy-first view of consumer behavior, without compromising ethical standards.
Adopting cookie-free advertising solutions benefits both brands and consumers. Consumers gain trust, knowing their data is respected and secure, while brands strengthen relationships through transparent, responsible communication. By combining sustainable digital marketing practices with privacy-first strategies, we create campaigns that are effective, relevant, and ethically sound, reinforcing trust and accountability across the advertising ecosystem.
Helping Development in the LDC’s.
Climate change cannot be addressed by one region alone, it requires a coordinated global effort. At 360 Agency Berlin, we believe that supporting sustainable development in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) is essential to creating a truly global ecosystem for climate-conscious advertising.
Brands and advertising agencies have a responsibility to extend support to regions where they often have little to no footprint. By introducing, ethical digital marketing and online advertising strategies to emerging sustainable projects, we can help these regions grow, flourish, and integrate into a positive, sustainable ecosystem.
We have personally led workshops and initiatives in LDCs, teaching digital advertising skills and fostering connections between sustainable production and ethical promotion. These experiences have shown us that capacity-building in digital marketing not only strengthens local economies but also accelerates the adoption of climate-conscious business practices.
Supporting emerging sustainable initiatives in developing countries is more than a social responsibility, it is a strategic approach for brands committed to global sustainability and environmental impact. Fighting climate change requires global inclusion, and no region should be left behind in the transition to a sustainable, ethical, and digitally empowered world.
Greedy Grey or Giving Green
From Greenwashing to Authentic Give Back Advertising
Brands today must go beyond empty promises and find meaningful ways to give back to society. The Covid-19 electroshock revealed deep structural imbalances, many of which are still unfolding. One consequence is becoming increasingly visible: excessive wealth and unchecked consumption are now perceived as a lack of redistribution and an abuse of our planet’s finite natural resources.
At the same time, the rise of greenwashing in advertising has undermined consumer trust. Too many brands misuse sustainability messaging, making misleading environmental claims far removed from their true business practices. These realities call for a new model of communication—one rooted in transparency, accountability, and genuine environmental action.
The Give Back Advertising Concept
At 360 Agency Berlin, we propose the principle of **Give Back Advertising**:
Operational Responsibility
Brands must use recycled materials whenever possible, minimize fossil fuel dependency, treat water responsibly, and phase out virgin plastics.
Financial Responsibility
Brands should commit a minimum percentage of profits to tangible initiatives that protect the environment and biodiversity.
This must go beyond token gestures or symbolic donations. Proportional funds, aligned with brand profits, are required to fight climate change and biodiversity collapse with dignity and seriousness.
A Practical Example
Imagine if a global FMCG brand such as Lion were to commit to 100% recycled plastic in its packaging while also redistributing 10% of its profits to wildlife conservation—specifically lion protection. This would not only deliver a real impact for biodiversity but also strengthen long-term brand trust, likeability, and consumer preference.
From “Only Take” to “Give Back”
It is time for brands to prove that they can create a positive impact on the environment, moving away from the “Only Take” model of consumption toward a “Give Back” paradigm. This shift would elevate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to an entirely new level, transforming advertising into a true force for environmental and social change.
Collective Focus & Rights
The latest collapse in biodiversity and the undeniable lessons from the IPCC report highlight a crucial truth: natural resources are not corporate property, they are a universal right.
Protecting them requires transparency, accountability, and the courage to act. For this reason, we believe that environmental whistleblowers, those who reveal critical information about practices with harmful ecological consequences, must be protected, not punished as we have seen lately.
By safeguarding whistleblowers, journalists, and civil society organizations, we create the conditions for a transparent advertising ecosystem where consumer decisions are informed by truth rather than by secrecy.
Unfortunately, current legal frameworks such as the UTSA law in the United States and France’s “Secret des Affaires” law (No. 2018-670) empower corporations to protect their information while restricting disclosure. Under these laws, whistleblowers may face legal sanctions, including imprisonment, for sharing facts that could be vital for consumers and the planet.
Why Whistleblower Protection Is Key to Sustainable Advertising
At 360 Agency Berlin, we believe it is time to guarantee protection for individuals who risk their lives to defend environmental rights. Ensuring that whistleblowers can safely investigate and share accurate information is essential to:
Strengthen consumer rights and transparency.
Create a virtuous cycle between honest communication and informed purchasing decisions.
Uphold corporate accountability in marketing and advertising.
A sustainable and transparent world cannot exist without protecting those who speak the truth. By defending whistleblowers, we defend not only biodiversity but also the integrity of sustainable advertising and the future of responsible communication.
This is what we call Sustainable Advertising: a unique blend of advertising disciplines and expertise, all converging towards structural, long-term sustainable change and the adoption of fair, transparent practices within the industry.
It also represents a crucial opportunity for advertisers and brands to regain credibility in the eyes of consumers. In today’s landscape, where skepticism is growing, it is vital for brands to ensure that slogans and taglines are fully aligned with real, measurable actions. Anything less risks eroding consumer trust.
At the heart of this shift lies the immense power of creativity. For decades, creative communication has influenced collective consciousness, shaped behavior, and inspired cultural change. Now, creativity must be directed not only toward profit but toward measurable sustainability outcomes.
This means integrating new key performance indicators (KPIs) such as carbon neutrality, biodiversity protection, social redistribution, and transparent environmental impact reporting. By embedding these values into campaigns, brands can spark inspirational conversations that reinforce the belief that another world is not only possible—it is within reach.
About The Author
About The Author
Andrea Henao is the Founder and Managing Director of 360 Agency Berlin, the world’s first advertising agency dedicated exclusively to sustainable brands advertising.
With more than 20 years of experience in global communications, she has collaborated with leading brands such as Volkswagen, Philips, LG, and Heineken, always with one mission: to align creativity with responsibility.
Her expertise unites eco-conscious campaigns, brand credibility through sustainability, and innovative advertising models that balance business performance with environmental and social impact. She has also led workshops in least developed countries (LDCs) to empower local businesses, where sustainable production and ethical promotion reinforce one another.
