Agency Q&A: Julian Teixeira, Zeno Group
Julian Teixeira, manager, media relations and “green guru,” Zeno Group
Zeno currently does not have a green practice as such, but work on green business across all of our different practices.
“We want to house it under one umbrella in the coming year so that we can not only expand our business, but use the synergies from all of clients conducting green initiatives,” Teixeira said.
What is the easiest thing a client can do today to kick start a green image?
Get the message out over its Web site.
What is the most important thing a client could do tomorrow to maintain serious green credibility?
Make the long-term commitment to the green initiative. Greening and the environmental movement is not [something that can] fade.
What NGOs are good partners for a solid green initiative?
The large environmental NGOs such as Conservation International, The World Wildlife Fund, and the Nature Conservancy all have corporate partnership divisions and are eager to work with for-profit partners.
What is your agency doing to become greener?
We have created a recycling program, trying to use more recycled products when possible and are thinking about doing an agency-wide carbon offset.
What company (non-client) do you think is doing an exemplary job of promoting its green status?
Office Depot: they live and breath their commitment to the environment. Office Depot has created an office supply catalog, “The Green Book,” that only contains environmentally preferable products. In addition, 35 percent of the paper Office Depot uses is recycled, and 80 percent of all the company’s waste is recycled.
How should companies avoid the label of “green washing”?
Whatever action (s) the company takes, they really need to be committed to it. For example, if they committed to doing a carbon offset, then the company should also try to cut their pollution or carbon emissions. Environmental actions need to be incorporated throughout the entire corporation. Just making a donation, but not committing to an action is probably the biggest mistake companies make.
What regions around the world are doing the most to advance environmental innovation?
I would have to say Europe, primarily The United Kingdom, France, and Germany, which has started to generate some of its energy from the wind. In addition, the European consumer, in general, is more conscious about the environment. In fact, British Airways now allows those flying on the airline the ability to offset their flight by purchasing carbon credits.
