Public relations is a distinct communications vehicle because it uses primarily third party groups to spread information to shape public opinion (e.g. “the best PR is invisible PR”), hence considered somewhat “neutral” and more credible. The brand image of PR is based on this high level of trust and credibility, but this perception is now being challenged due to its continued support of fossil fuel companies and the issue of climate change.
Public relations is a distinct communications vehicle because it uses primarily third party groups to spread information to shape public opinion (e.g. “the best PR is invisible PR”), hence considered somewhat “neutral” and more credible. The brand image of PR is based on this high level of trust and credibility, but this perception is now being challenged due to its continued support of fossil fuel companies and the issue of climate change.
This core issue reflects the ongoing debate on the delicate balance between stakeholder responsibilities and shareholder interests. This quandary came to a head after the UN Environmental conference in Glasgow late 2021 when the large PR firm, Edelman, praised environmental efforts for “reaching a new level of international consensus that climate change is an existential threat to humanity” and this required “more scrutiny on corporate climate lobbying efforts”. However, these pledges rang hollow with many in light of Edelman’s client list that included Exon Mobil, Shell and petroleum trade groups.
While Edelman claims that its association with these partners will accelerate climate action, develop best practices and hold its clients accountable for mitigating climate change, the history of climate denial and misinformation by fossil fuel companies like Exxon Mobil makes this promise dubious. Exxon Mobil, the world’s largest oil and gas company, has been misleading the public via PR for years. As early as 1977, its senior scientist (James Black) told Exxon’s management that “there is general scientific agreement that the most likely manner in which mankind is influencing the global climate is through carbon dioxide release from the burning of fossil fuels.”
Exxon Mobil’s History of Denial
Exxon-Mobil has played a major role spreading misinformation on climate change the past three decades:
- Despite a warning in June 1988 by NASA scientist James Hansen in a congressional hearing that the planet was already warming, Exxon thereafter initiated a PR campaign of confusion.
- By 1989, it helped create the Global Climate Coalition to question the scientific basis for concern about climate change. It also helped to prevent the U.S. from signing the international treaty on climate known as the Kyoto Protocol in 1998 to control greenhouse gasses.
- Exxon helped create a coalition of fossil fuel companies to launch a big PR communication effort to sow doubt, with a stated goal of “victory will be achieved when the average person is uncertain about climate science”.
With this track record of deception, the public relations industry is facing a challenge of credibility today. Environmental investigative companies like Clear Creatives, InsideClimate News, Greenpeace and Union of Concerned Scientists are putting pressure on PR firms like Edelman to drop their fossil fuel clients and stop spreading climate disinformation. These activist organizations accuse PR firms of siding with the oil and gas companies for as long as they can keep taking their money.
The Challenge, And Opportunity, For PR Firms
Edelman’s response to these accusations, for example, is to support innovation that will help the transition to renewable energy and to not work with “climate change deniers”. But Exxon- Mobil and big trade organizations no longer deny climate change nor believe it is a hoax, so this promise is not relevant and does little to restore credibility. The history of Exxon Mobil hiding what it knew about the fossil fuel contribution to climate change underlies the intense need today to rebuild its brand image, ideally with leading PR firms like Edelman. However this history includes years of support by Edelman which taints its own image and creates this perception of associated guilt.
The irony is that public relations could be so positively influential if fossil fuel companies no longer prioritized profits over ethical standards so much, and they develop innovative carbon capture processes (e.g. Shell). But the image problem for both PR firms and companies like Exxon Mobil will present an uphill battle for many years.
This core issue reflects the ongoing debate on the delicate balance between stakeholder responsibilities and shareholder interests. This quandary came to a head after the UN Environmental conference in Glasgow late 2021 when the large PR firm, Edelman, praised environmental efforts for “reaching a new level of international consensus that climate change is an existential threat to humanity” and this required “more scrutiny on corporate climate lobbying efforts”. However, these pledges rang hollow with many in light of Edelman’s client list that included Exon Mobil, Shell and petroleum trade groups.
While Edelman claims that its association with these partners will accelerate climate action, develop best practices and hold its clients accountable for mitigating climate change, the history of climate denial and misinformation by fossil fuel companies like Exxon Mobil makes this promise dubious. Exxon Mobil, the world’s largest oil and gas company, has been misleading the public via PR for years. As early as 1977, its senior scientist (James Black) told Exxon’s management that “there is general scientific agreement that the most likely manner in which mankind is influencing the global climate is through carbon dioxide release from the burning of fossil fuels.”
Exxon Mobil’s History of Denial
Exxon-Mobil has played a major role spreading misinformation on climate change the past three decades:
- Despite a warning in June 1988 by NASA scientist James Hansen in a congressional hearing that the planet was already warming, Exxon thereafter initiated a PR campaign of confusion.
- By 1989, it helped create the Global Climate Coalition to question the scientific basis for concern about climate change. It also helped to prevent the U.S. from signing the international treaty on climate known as the Kyoto Protocol in 1998 to control greenhouse gasses.
- Exxon helped create a coalition of fossil fuel companies to launch a big PR communication effort to sow doubt, with a stated goal of “victory will be achieved when the average person is uncertain about climate science”.
With this track record of deception, the public relations industry is facing a challenge of credibility today. Environmental investigative companies like Clear Creatives, InsideClimate News, Greenpeace and Union of Concerned Scientists are putting pressure on PR firms like Edelman to drop their fossil fuel clients and stop spreading climate disinformation. These activist organizations accuse PR firms of siding with the oil and gas companies for as long as they can keep taking their money.
The Challenge, And Opportunity, For PR Firms
Edelman’s response to these accusations, for example, is to support innovation that will help the transition to renewable energy and to not work with “climate change deniers”. But Exxon- Mobil and big trade organizations no longer deny climate change nor believe it is a hoax, so this promise is not relevant and does little to restore credibility. The history of Exxon Mobil hiding what it knew about the fossil fuel contribution to climate change underlies the intense need today to rebuild its brand image, ideally with leading PR firms like Edelman. However this history includes years of support by Edelman which taints its own image and creates this perception of associated guilt.
The irony is that public relations could be so positively influential if fossil fuel companies no longer prioritized profits over ethical standards so much, and they develop innovative carbon capture processes (e.g. Shell). But the image problem for both PR firms and companies like Exxon Mobil will present an uphill battle for many years.
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