Weber Shandwick

Background

Weber Shandwick is the second largest PR firm in the world, with Edelman being the largest.¹

It is a subsidiary of the Interpublic Group of Companies² and merged with BSMG Worldwide in 2001.³

Weber Shandwick has a long history of working for the energy sector, including oil and gas companies Chevron, Constellation Energy, ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell, and Sempra Energy.⁴

Stance on Climate Change

In 2014, Weber Shandwick tried to distance itself from groups associated with climate change denial. Spokeswoman Michelle Selesky told The Guardian:⁵

“We would not support a campaign that denies the existence and the threat posed by climate change, or efforts to obstruct regulations cutting greenhouse gas emissions and/or renewable energy standards.”

Funding

After its 2014 statement, Weber Shandwick continued to represent companies with ties to the fossil fuel industry, including ExxonMobil, General Motors, and Siemens, many of which they have represented for the past 15 years or more.⁶

According to PR Agency rankings by PRovoke Media, Weber Shandwick earned $860,000,000 in fees in 2021 and $820,000,000 in 2020.⁷

Weber Shandwick as Third-Party Contractor

Below is a sample of funding data found in publicly available 990 forms. Note that while nonprofit groups disclose their top third-party contractors to the public, there is no such requirement for private companies, so those values are not included in this analysis.

Key People

Leadership

Notable Connections

Colin Byrne (former UK Chief Executive)

Colin Bynre joined Shandwick Public Affairs in 1995 after working for the Labour Party in the UK. In 1995, according to leaked documents, Bryne worked for Shell. These were the years Shell faced controversy for its relations with the Nigerian government and its execution of Indigenous rights activist Ken Saro-Wiwa. Saro-Wiwa had spoken out against Shell for causing environmental damage to the native land of the Ogoni people. Byrne worked with Weber Shandwick until 2018.⁸

Richard Pollock (former VP of Shandwick Public Affairs)

Richard Pollock was the VP for Shandwick Public Affairs from 1998 to 2001, according to his LinkedIn account⁹, throughout the time when the firm was representing the climate misinformation front group the Global Climate Information Project.¹⁰ After leaving Shandwick, he joined the libertarian Cato Institute as its vice president. ¹¹

Actions

2018–

The American Chemistry Council hired Weber Shandwick to set up The Alliance to End Plastic Waste, a 501(c)(3) organization.¹² According to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, a founding strategic partner, The Alliance to End Plastic Waste “was founded by companies that make, use, sell, process, collect and recycle plastics.”¹³ ExxonMobil, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, Dow, Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., BASF, and 65 other companies committed to spend $1.5 billion over five years to combat plastic pollution.¹⁴ In 2019, Weber Shandwick won a Gold Sabre Award in Chemicals & Industrials for the launch of The Alliance to End Plastic Waste.¹⁵

The Alliance drew criticism after Reuters reported that its $5 million project to remove plastic from the Ganges River, which it had described as “one of the best projects we’ve got,” stopped operating in October 2020.¹⁶ Reuters reported that the majority of the Alliance’s other projects were small, community based plastic collections. Planet Tracker published a report in August 2022 in which it accused The Alliance to End Plastic Waste of achieving “only 0.04% of its own goal to divert and recycle 9 million tonnes of plastic, but with 40% spend against budget.”¹⁷

In February 2022, Reuters reported that the American Chemistry Council was working behind the scenes to prevent a global treaty restricting the amount of single-use plastics produced.¹⁸ According to internal emails reviewed by Reuters, the American Chemistry Council attempted to create an alliance of big businesses to “shift the debate” to the benefits of plastics ahead of a February 2022 United Nations meeting to draft a global plastics treaty.

2011–

The UK subsidiary of Weber Shandwick has represented Tamboran Resources UK Limited, a privately-owned UK based company focused on developing unconventional oil and gas resources, in public relations and lobbying work. Tamboran Resources was previously part of the Australian shale gas explorer company of the same name.¹⁹

One of its most controversial projects that it has been working on since 2011 is planned fracking in Northern Ireland. Protestors have raised concerns about the contamination of groundwater, which could affect surrounding communities.²⁰

In May of 2019, Tamboran announced it had applied to drill in Belcoo, a village in Northern Ireland. It framed the project as one that would bring it revenue of up to £20 billion and create thousands of jobs.²¹

In June of 2019, protests were organized outside of the Weber Shandwick Belfast office in response to Tamboran’s renewed application.²²

2005

The Zero Emissions Platform (ZEP) was founded in 2005 by the Carbon Capture and Storage Association, which counsels the EU on its climate goals. Key members of the Association include ExxonMobil, Total, BP, Shell, and GE Energy.²³

ZEP has described carbon capture and storage (CCS) as a “key technology for combating climate change.”²⁴ However, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has noted that there is “only limited evidence on the potential for large scale deployment” of CCS technology. ²⁵

According to a report conducted by Corporate Europe Observatory, ZEP contracted Weber Shandwick to assist with its lobbying, communications, media relations, political access, and access to public financing. Weber Shandwick has generated press coverage about the possibility of carbon capture ahead of major international meetings regarding climate change.²⁶

September 2004

ExxonMobil hired Weber Shandwick to help “green” its image by promoting its Earth Day campaign for which it partnered with environmental information public/private sector entity Earth 911.²⁷

The campaign emphasized the importance of recycling used motor oil. In exchange for ExxonMobil’s funding, Earth 911 allowed ExxonMobil to use its logo on ExxonMobil’s products. Earth 911 also agreed to feature the Mobil 1 logo on announcements regarding places to drop off used motor oil.²⁸

1997

The Global Climate Coalition (GCC) created an advertising campaign called the Global Climate Information Project (GCIP) to dissuade the United States from signing onto the Kyoto Protocol. The project was sponsored by the GCC and the American Association of Automobile Manufacturers, among other groups.²⁹

Richard Pollock, who was VP for Shandwick Public Affairs from 1998 to 2001, represented the GCIP in what became a $13 million campaign.³⁰

Sponsors of the GCIP included members from the fossil fuel, manufacturing, chemical, transportation, and agriculture industries, including the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), American Petroleum Institute (API), Air Transport Association of America, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and United Mine Workers of America.³¹ ³²

One of the GCIP’s messages was that signing on to the Kyoto protocol would result in a $0.50 increase in gas prices as well as price increases on all consumer goods.³³

Its website included a section on “Other Sites on Climate Change,” made up of links to the websites of the GCC, Cooler Heads Coalition, and The Science and Environmental Policy Project.³⁴

Clients

Key clients that have been involved in the climate change arena include:³⁵

Archer Daniels Midland
Chevron
Constellation Energy
Dow
Dupont
ExxonMobil
General Electric
General Motors
Royal Dutch Shell
Sempra Energy

View the full clients list below, via O’Dwyer’s historical data collected as part the “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” published November 30, 2021 in Climatic Change.³⁶

Interpublic Group of Companies

Weber Shandwick is a member of the Interpublic Group of Companies. Other member companies include:³⁷

Carmichael Lynch Relate
Current Global
DeVries Global
Golin
IPG DXTRA
ITB Worldwide
IW Group
MullenLowe Group
Powell Tate
Rogers & Cowan PMK
Tierney

Contact & Address

As of 2023, Weber Shandwick maintained offices in 115 cities across 6 continents.³⁸

Weber Shandwick listed the Interpublic Group’s New York office under its 2022 profile listing in O’Dwyer’s magazine:³⁹

Subsidiary of the Interpublic Group of Companies
909 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022
212/445-8000; fax: 212/445-8001

Other Resources

“Weber Shandwick,” SourceWatch.
“Weber Shandwick PR,” Climate Investigations Center.

Resources

1
“TOP 10 GLOBAL PR AGENCY RANKING 2022,” PRovoke Media. Archived February 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/TDZl4
2
“O’Dwyer’s O’D 2022 Directory of Public Relations Firms,” O’Dwyers PR. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
3
“BSMG Worldwide to merge with Weber Shandwick,” Dallas Business Journal, July 12, 2001. Archived July 6, 2013.
4
Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].
5
Suzanne Goldenberg and Nishad Karim. “World’s top PR companies rule out working with climate deniers,” The Guardian, August 4, 2014. Archived February 21, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/jlnTL
6
Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].
7
“TOP 10 GLOBAL PR AGENCY RANKING 2022,” PRovoke Media. Archived February 31, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/TDZl4
8
Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].
9
“Richard Pollock,” LinkedIn. Accessed February 2023. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
10
Bill McAllister. “TRUE BLUE? GREENS SEEING RED,” The Washington Post, September 25, 1997. Archived February 21, 2023.
11
“Cato Institute Hires Former Naderite Richard Pollock,” PR Watch, December 15, 2012.
12
“The Alliance to End Plastic Waste,” Brian Probus Creative. Archived March 8, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.is/zPwqc
13
“The Alliance to End Plastic Waste,” World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Archived April 4, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DiVRs
14
Joe Brock, John Geddie, and Saurabh Sharma. “Big Oil’s flagship plastic waste project sinks on the Ganges,” Reuters, January 18, 2021. Archived January 18, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.is/L4RiG
15
“2019 SABRE Awards North America Winners,” PRovoke Media. Archived December 1, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.is/UufQJ
16
Joe Brock, John Geddie, and Saurabh Sharma. “Big Oil’s flagship plastic waste project sinks on the Ganges,” Reuters, January 18, 2021. Archived January 18, 2021. Archive URL: https://archive.is/L4RiG
17
“Planet Tracker Questions Credibility Of Alliance To End Plastic Waste,” Planet Tracker, August 31, 2022. Archived August 31, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.is/EwyYp
18
John Geddie, Valerie Volcovici and Joe Brock. “U.N. pact may restrict plastic production. Big Oil aims to stop it,” Reuters, February 18, 2022. Archived February 18, 2022. Archive URL: https://archive.is/eYRPe
19
Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].
20
“Hundreds attend County Fermanagh anti-fracking protest,” BBC, July 21, 2014. Archived February 21, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/ymCDB
21
Ryan McAleer. “Company renews bid for licence to probe gas fracking in Northern Ireland,” Belfast Telegraph, May 7, 2019. Archived February 21, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/alDUy
22
“Campaigning today to keep NI frack free. Join the protest next week!” Tweet by user “@amyyISA,” June 8, 2019. Archived .png on file at DeSmog.
23
“The Zero Emissions Platform,” Zero Emissions Platform. Archived June 30, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/mFzi3
24
“The Zero Emissions Platform,” Zero Emissions Platform. Archived June 30, 2019. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/mFzi3
25
Ainger, Katherine. “The Climate Smokescreen: PR Companies Lobbying For Big Polluters in Europe.” Corporate Europe Observatory, December 2015. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
26
Ainger, Katherine. “The Climate Smokescreen: PR Companies Lobbying For Big Polluters in Europe.” Corporate Europe Observatory, December 2015. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
27
“Greening ExxonMobil,” Center for Media and Democracy’s PR Watch, September 7, 2004. Archived February 22, 2023. Archive.ph URL:http://archive.today/kb6aK
28
“Greening ExxonMobil,” Center for Media and Democracy’s PR Watch, September 7, 2004. Archived February 22, 2023. Archive.ph URL:http://archive.today/kb6aK
29
“GCC Suffers Technical Knockout,” The Heat Is Online, March, 2000. Archived January 18, 2016.
30
Bill McAllister. “TRUE BLUE? GREENS SEEING RED,” The Washington Post, September 25, 1997. Archived February 21, 2023. Greenberg, Josh & Knight, Graham & Westersund, Elizabeth. (2011). “Spinning Climate Change: Corporate and NGO Public Relations Strategies in Canada and the United States,” International Communication Gazette. 73. 65-82. 10.1177/1748048510386742.
31
“Anti-environmental coalitions and organizations supportd by members of the Global Climate Information Project (partial listing). Environmental Working Group. Retrieved from DocumentCloud.
32
Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].
33
“Global Climate Information Project” PolluterWatch. Accessed February 2023. Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].
34
“Global Climate Information Project” Homepage. Archived April 21, 1998.
35
Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021) [Supplementary Materials].
36
Brulle, R.J., Werthman, C. “The role of public relations firms in climate change politics,” Climatic Change 169, 8 (2021). Client data on file at DeSmog.
37
“O’Dwyer’s O’D 2022 Directory of Public Relations Firms,” O’Dwyers PR. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
38
“Our network,” Weber Shandwick. Archived February 21, 2023. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/7aO1Z
39
“O’Dwyer’s O’D 2022 Directory of Public Relations Firms,” O’Dwyers PR, page 216. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

DeSmog

DeSmog

Weber Shandwick

Weber Shandwick

Background

Stance on Climate Change

Funding

Weber Shandwick as Third-Party Contractor