The Guardian becomes the first media owner in the world with a Carbon Literate sales team
Being Carbon Literate means that all staff in the advertising team understand the carbon costs and impact of everyday activities and the ability to help reduce emissions on an individual, community and organisational basis.
The decision to train the team was driven by industry research highlighting a knowledge gap in climate change within advertising. For example, a recent study by the WFA and Kantar revealed that 35% of marketers reported a lack of knowledge and skills in sustainability, an increase from 20% in 2021.
As the leading global voice on the climate crisis, Guardian Advertising took the view that its staff, who are all in customer-facing roles, should be equipped with the skills to talk confidently about this issue and help find practical ways to address it.
The Guardian sustainability team created a bespoke course based on the Guardian's award-winning climate journalism. The course is accredited by the Carbon Literacy Project, a UK charity helping inform and empower people globally to take action on the climate emergency.
At the end of the programme, staff committed to a series of individual and team actions, which are estimated to prevent up to 20,000kgs of CO2e emissions.
Following the training, Guardian Advertising has made three commitments:
Taking the Guardian's Carbon Literacy workshop to the industry via its quarterly Agency Council update and regular meetings with key clients and agency partners
Implementing a new tool to measure campaign carbon emissions. This will help clients make informed choices about their media spend
Implementing AdGreen, an Ad Net Zero initiative to reduce emissions from advertising production - to strengthen the Guardian's commitment to sustainable production practices in content partnerships.
As a result of the training, 97% of participants said they felt more knowledgeable about climate change and confident about identifying actions that will reduce their team's carbon impact. Some 84% of participants now feel confident talking to clients and colleagues about the climate crisis (up from 28% before the workshop).
Phil Korbel, co-founder and director for external relations, Carbon Literacy, said:
'It's brilliant to have the Guardian join the community of Carbon Literate employers. Their baseline of climate commitment was already high, but this demonstrates how a specialised course can build targeted capacity such as that of a sales team being better able to pitch their low carbon offer. The pledge to spread the training into their sector is just the sort of thing we love to see as Carbon Literacy becomes a norm in professional development. I look forward to seeing the next stage of the story as the Guardian thrives through its deployment of Carbon Literacy.'
Julie Richards, director of sustainability and operational transformation, Guardian Media Group, said:
'At the Guardian we made great progress over the last five years to cut our own company emissions by over 40%. As a global media organisation we also have the ability to make a much wider positive impact with readers and with the agencies and brands that we work with. Sustainability is part of everyone's job and it has been fantastic to partner with our advertising team on this Carbon Literacy workshop.'
James Fleetham, director of advertising, Guardian Media Group, said: 'The climate crisis is the defining issue of our times. It's an increasingly important conversation in advertising and that's right, but we have a lot to learn. So I'm pleased we've been able to equip our team with the knowledge and confidence to talk about it with customers, using our world class reporting.'
[ENDS]
Notes for editors
Guardian News & Media press office: media.enquiries@theguardian.com
About the Guardian Media Group
Guardian Media Group is amongst the world's leading media organisations. Its core business is Guardian News & Media (GNM), publisher of theguardian.com, one of the largest English-speaking quality news websites in the world.
In the UK, Guardian Media Group publishes the Guardian newspaper six days a week, first published in 1821. Since launching its US and Australian digital editions in 2011 and 2013, respectively, traffic from outside of the UK now represents around two-thirds of the Guardian's total digital audience. The Guardian also has an international digital edition and a new European edition that launched in 2023.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
a day ago
- The Guardian
Microsoft launches inquiry into claims Israel used its tech for mass surveillance of Palestinians
Microsoft has launched an 'urgent' external inquiry into allegations Israel's military surveillance agency has used the company's technology to facilitate the mass surveillance of Palestinians. The company said on Friday the formal review was in response to a Guardian investigation that revealed how the Unit 8200 spy agency has relied on Microsoft's Azure cloud platform to store a vast collection of everyday Palestinian mobile phone calls. The joint investigation with the Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call found Unit 8200 made use of a customised and segregated area within Azure to store recordings of millions of calls made daily in Gaza and the West Bank. In a statement, Microsoft said 'using Azure for the storage of data files of phone calls obtained through broad or mass surveillance of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank' would be prohibited by its terms of service. The inquiry, to be overseen by lawyers at the US firm Covington & Burling, is the second external review commissioned by Microsoft into the use of its technology by the Israeli military. The first was launched this year amid dissent within the company and reports by the Guardian and others about Israel's reliance on the company's technology during its offensive in Gaza. Announcing the review's findings in May, Microsoft said it had 'found no evidence to date' the Israeli military had failed to comply with its terms of service or used Azure 'to target or harm people' in Gaza. However, the recent Guardian investigation prompted concerns among senior Microsoft executives about whether some of its Israel-based employees may have concealed information about how Unit 8200 uses Azure when questioned as part of the review. Microsoft said on Friday the new inquiry would expand on the earlier one, adding: 'Microsoft appreciates that the Guardian's recent report raises additional and precise allegations that merit a full and urgent review.' The company is also facing pressure from a worker-led campaign group, No Azure for Apartheid, which has accused it of 'complicity in genocide and apartheid' and demanded it cut off 'all ties to the Israeli military' and make them publicly known. Since the Guardian and its partners, +972 and Local Call, revealed Unit 8200's sweeping surveillance project last week, Microsoft has been scrambling to assess what data the unit holds in Azure. Several Microsoft sources familiar with internal deliberations said the company's leadership was concerned by information from Unit 8200 sources interviewed for the article, including claims that intelligence drawn from repositories of phone calls held in Azure had been used to research and identify bombing targets in Gaza. Israel's 22-month bombardment of the territory, launched after the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, has killed more than 60,000 people, the majority of them civilians, according to the health authority in the territory, though the actual death toll is likely to be significantly higher. Senior Microsoft executives had in recent days considered an awkward scenario in which Unit 8200, an important and sensitive customer, could be in breach of the company's terms of service and human rights commitments, sources said. If you have something to share about this story, you can contact Harry Davies and Yuval Abraham using one of the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. To send a message to Harry and Yuval please choose the 'UK Investigations' team. Signal Messenger You can message Harry using the Signal Messenger app. Use the 'find by username' option and type hfd.32 Email (not secure) If you don't need a high level of security or confidentiality you can email SecureDrop and other secure methods If you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. According to leaked files reviewed by the Guardian, the company was aware as early as late 2021 that Unit 8200 planned to move large volumes of sensitive and classified intelligence data into Azure. At Microsoft's headquarters in November that year, senior executives – including its chief executive, Satya Nadella – attended a meeting during which Unit 8200's commander discussed a plan to move as much as 70% of its data into the cloud platform. The company has said its executives, including Nadella, were not aware Unit 8200 planned to use or ultimately used Azure to store the content of intercepted Palestinian calls. 'We have no information related to the data stored in the customer's cloud environment,' a spokesperson said last week. An Israeli military spokesperson has previously said its work with companies such as Microsoft is 'conducted based on regulated and legally supervised agreements' and the military 'operates in accordance with international law'. The new inquiry will examine the military's commercial agreements with Microsoft. Once completed, the company will 'share with the public the factual findings that result from this review', its statement said.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Microsoft launches inquiry into claims Israel used its tech for mass surveillance of Palestinians
Microsoft has launched an 'urgent' external inquiry into allegations Israel's military surveillance agency has used the company's technology to facilitate the mass surveillance of Palestinians. The company said on Friday the formal review was in response to a Guardian investigation that revealed how the Unit 8200 spy agency has relied on its Azure cloud platform to store a vast collection of everyday Palestinian mobile phone calls. The joint investigation with the Israeli-Palestinian publication +972 Magazine and the Hebrew-language outlet Local Call found Unit 8200 made use of a customised and segregated area within Azure to store recordings of millions of calls made daily in Gaza and the West Bank. In a statement, Microsoft said 'using Azure for the storage of data files of phone calls obtained through broad or mass surveillance of civilians in Gaza and the West Bank' would be prohibited by its terms of service. The inquiry, to be overseen by lawyers at the US firm Covington & Burling, is the second external review commissioned by Microsoft into the use of its technology by the Israeli military. The first was launched earlier this year amid dissent within the company and reports by the Guardian and others about Israel's reliance on the company's technology during its offensive in Gaza. Announcing the review's findings in May, Microsoft said it had 'found no evidence to date' the Israeli military had failed to comply with its terms of service or used Azure 'to target or harm people' in Gaza. However, the recent Guardian investigation prompted concerns among senior Microsoft executives about whether some of its Israel-based employees may have concealed information about how Unit 8200 uses Azure when questioned as part of the review. Microsoft said on Friday the new inquiry would 'expand on' the earlier one, adding: 'Microsoft appreciates that the Guardian's recent report raises additional and precise allegations that merit a full and urgent review.' The announcement comes as the company faces pressure from a worker-led campaign group, No Azure for Apartheid, which has accused it of 'complicity in genocide and apartheid' and demanded it cut off 'all ties to the Israeli military' and make them publicly known. Since the Guardian and its partners, +972 and Local Call, revealed Unit 8200's sweeping surveillance project last week, Microsoft has been scrambling to assess what data the unit holds in Azure. Several Microsoft sources familiar with internal deliberations said the company's leadership was concerned by information from Unit 8200 sources interviewed for the article, including claims that intelligence drawn from repositories of phone calls held in Azure had been used to research and identify bombing targets in Gaza. Israel's 22-month bombardment of the territory, launched after the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023, has killed more than 60,000 people, the majority of them civilians, according to the health authority in the territory, though the actual death toll is likely to be significantly higher. Senior Microsoft executives had in recent days considered an awkward scenario in which Unit 8200, an important and sensitive customer, could be in breach of the company's terms of service and human rights commitments, sources said. If you have something to share about this story, you can contact Harry Davies and Yuval Abraham using one of the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select 'Secure Messaging'. To send a message to Harry and Yuval please choose the 'UK Investigations' team. Signal Messenger You can message Harry using the Signal Messenger app. Use the 'find by username' option and type hfd.32 Email (not secure) If you don't need a high level of security or confidentiality you can email SecureDrop and other secure methods If you can safely use the tor network without being observed or monitored you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. According to leaked files reviewed by the Guardian, the company was aware as early as late 2021 that Unit 8200 planned to move large volumes of sensitive and classified intelligence data into Azure. At Microsoft's headquarters in November that year, senior executives – including its chief executive, Satya Nadella – attended a meeting during which Unit 8200's commander discussed a plan to move as much as 70% of its data into the cloud platform. The company has said its executives, including Nadella, were not aware Unit 8200 planned to use or ultimately used Azure to store the content of intercepted Palestinian calls. 'We have no information related to the data stored in the customer's cloud environment,' a spokesperson said last week. An Israeli military spokesperson has previously said its work with companies such as Microsoft is 'conducted based on regulated and legally supervised agreements' and the military 'operates in accordance with international law'. The new inquiry will examine its commercial agreements with Microsoft. Once completed, the company will 'share with the public the factual findings that result from this review', its statement said.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- The Guardian
Return of the flip phone: does Apple's new foldable iPhone signal a new era in design?
Back in 2005, nothing felt more high-powered and sophisticated than ending a call by snapping shut a clamshell flip phone. Now, two decades since they hit peak popularity, they're back – with Apple rumoured to be working on its first ever flip phone. Little is known about how the new device will look. It could more closely resemble Samsung's Flip design – closer to a 2000s-style clamshell phone – or its Fold, more like a foldable iPad. The rectangular tablet has been a mainstay of phone design for the last 15 years, but could Apple betting on the flip phone be a sign that's about to change? Tech experts told the Guardian that the new product launch probably reflected the fact that people now mostly use their phones to access the internet, rather than laptops or tablets, and are looking for a device that optimises that experience. 'Apple and all other smartphone makers are somewhat stymied by the fact the smartphone has become somewhat of a boring category – it's absolutely essential in people's daily lives, but it no longer has the excitement of the next big thing,' said Ben Wood, an analyst at the tech consultancy CCS Insight. This is why Apple has been reaching for new designs that can get people talking – for example, the ultra-thin iPhone, expected to be launched in September. He thinks Apple is entering the foldable market because other companies have experimented first. Samsung's initial Galaxy Fold designs were bedevilled by screen problems, but the Galaxy Fold 7 is expected to represent the 'next generation' of foldable phones. 'Apple is rarely first to anything – it's not typically a company that dives in with both feet – it likes to take its time, see how it can refine and optimise it, and deliver the best, most reliable experience, then it jumps,' Wood said. He noted that Samsung's flip phone has proven more popular than the fold model 'because it's cheaper and has captured imagination of the population who like the idea of having something different from everyone else'. Sign up to TechScape A weekly dive in to how technology is shaping our lives after newsletter promotion But he thinks that Apple producing a foldable mini-tablet has the most potential to 'move the needle', by giving people the opportunity to unfold a larger screen where they can easily watch videos, show off photos and browse documents when working remotely. Margarita Panayiotou, a tech researcher at the University of Manchester, said academic research had identified that people prefer bigger screens for browsing and gaming. This, combined with the fact that young people, especially, tend to use smartphones to go online, suggests that the foldable design could offer an ideal compromise. Prof Ben Carter, who researches how smartphones impact our lives at King's College London, agreed that video watching is 'one of the wins' for foldable phones, especially since videos constitute a growing proportion of the content that people consume. Foldable phones can have larger screens, and can also be propped up for easier viewing. He thought there could be mental health benefits to a design resembling a 'mini-laptop that you can close down', because his research shows that disabling notifications is highly effective in reducing screen time and tackling smartphone addiction. If the screen is not visible, it removes the 'variable reward scheme' – the same process by which gambling addiction works, whereby not knowing when you will receive a reward makes something more compelling. 'If you can switch it off, more like a laptop, that distraction has gone,' he said, though he noted there is not yet evidence that people are using foldable phones in this way. This might be especially beneficial for children, who receive on average over 200 notifications a day – though the high price point of foldable phones makes it unlikely that many will have access to them until their parents pass on secondhand models several years after launch. Prof David Ellis, the chair of behavioural science at the University of Bath, added that other draws include the fact that screens are better protected and fit into a smaller pocket, as well as the 'sense of nostalgia that comes with a flip phone'. But he added that it might not be the gamechanger people are expecting: Apple doesn't have a '100% success rate – the Vision Pro [headset] has been a spectacular failure'.
