There is more pressure than ever for brands to secure their place in preventing climate change, but PR companies are facing criticism for their role in perpetuating climate change. Many brands want to be labeled as a green company for marketing reasons, but also funding-related purposes, which puts pressure on PR companies to paint them in a light that may not be authentic to their actual impact. A peer-reviewed study in the Climate Change journal showed exactly how PR firms contribute to climate change while remaining largely invisible to the public eye. Whether they directly downplay the climate crisis or rebrand not-so-green companies as climate saviors, PR companies are facing fire for their contribution. Rebranding like ‘clean coal’ and ‘renewable natural gas’ could all be coming to a head with congressional hearings on greenwashing. PR companies like McKinsey and WPP are trying to change course quickly.
