The media sector is fast-moving, and so are the social and environmental challenges it faces. As a group we keep abreast of developments, both through our own research and that published by others.
This report identifies the most material issues facing media companies from an investor's point of view. It highlights the issues of trust, freedom of expression, security and privacy, press ethics, environmental impact, intellectual property issues and content diversity as major influences on investment decisions.
This report presents presents a critical view on advertising, arguing that it promotes and normalises a range of behaviours, attitudes and values, many of which are socially and environmentally damaging. It then calls on the advertising industry and its clients to take responsibility for demonstrating that the impacts of commercial advertising are benign, and to support precautionary measures until such time as this is demonstrated.
Weathercocks and Signposts critically reassesses current approaches to motivating environmentally-friendly behaviour change. The report argues that motivations which are intrinsic (e.g. relating to personal growth, emotional intimacy or community involvement) are more likely to lead to pro-environmental behaviour than those that are extrinsic (e.g. relating to of acquisition of material goods, financial success, image and social recognition).
This short paper, a joint publication between WWF-UK and SustainAbility, takes a look at how a select group of media and entertainment companies measure up in their efforts to be accountable for their influence on society and introduces the concept of the 'brainprint.'