Edelman Gets Called out for Greenwashing

Members of the Oxford Climate Action group protested at the London offices of PR firm Edelman to draw attention to the greenwashing done on behalf of its energy client E.ON UK. The group said that the demonstration aimed to "highlight the insanity of investing in new coal power stations such as Kingsnorth in the face of human-caused climate change." The activists protested in front of the firm's building, unfurled a banner from the roof, and even gained entrance to the company's offices. Edelman's UK CEO Robert Phillips posted a video blog in response to the protest. He said that he regretted that the group chose a demonstration over a conversation with him, and that the police and other public services had better things to do than be on call for the protest. The Public Relations Consultants Association (PCRA) agreed with Phillips. Their Director general, Francis Ingham, said, "These people should stop childishly ranting against things they disagree with, and start talking."