Whistleblower Exposed Industry's Involvement In Promoting Unsubstantiated Environmental Claims by Major Brands
The below press release is from Environmental NGO Climate Whistleblowers from 10 March 2025, further info about the organisation can be read below the press release.
Paris, 10 March 2025 — Leading ad agency, AMV BBDO, is facing an employment tribunal claim from a whistleblower who felt forced to resign after raising concerns about unsubstantiated sustainability claims for two of its major client brands, Galaxy and Sheba, Climate Whistleblowers said today. Polina Zabrodskaya, former Creative Partner, states that she suffered harassment and discrimination at the agency after speaking out about reports of alarming practices in the brands’ supply chains, both owned by confectionery giant Mars Inc, as reported by the Financial Times.
Zabrodskaya alleges that after speaking out against misleading claims in Mars advertising campaigns, she was sidelined and eventually suspended. Her testimony sheds light on the advertising industry’s complicity in promoting unsubstantiated environmental claims, which harm consumers and genuine sustainability efforts. Zabrodskaya is being supported in her employment tribunal claim by Climate Whistleblowers. She is being represented by Equal Justice Solicitors and barristers at Doughty Street Chambers. AMV BBDO said it would refute the various claims and Mars refused to comment, according to the Financial Times.
“We are in the middle of an urgent environmental crisis. Our planet is being destroyed for profit, and top ad agencies conceal the damage from the public.” said Polina Zabrodskaya. “There are six million people working in advertising globally. Many don’t support greenwashing but feel unable to speak up. I won't be taking any settlement, and I won't sign an NDA. The case has to be heard in public”.
In 2021, Zabrodskaya claimed that she raised concerns with the agency’s senior management over a Galaxy advertising campaign that said the brand is “making chocolate better, one piece at the time”. She pointed toward reports of the supply chain’s use of child and slave labour and its role in damaging the environment. Zabrodskaya says she was told to stop looking into the issue and excluded from meetings. Following the launch of the Galaxy campaign, a 2023 CBS News investigation claimed that Mars Inc. sourced cocoa harvested by children as young as five.
In 2022, Zabrodskaya was moved to oversee global campaigns for the premium pet food brand, Sheba. Again, she reports having raised concerns about claims that its supply chain was committed to “100% sustainably-sourced” fish, pointing to criticisms of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification that Sheba relies on. This label had long been seen as unreliable, including by environmental NGOs such as Bloom. After later discussing the issue with a senior Mars executive, she was suspended by AMV BBDO managers for “unprofessional and inflammatory comments”.
Following a month-long investigation, Zabrodskaya was cleared of wrongdoing. Subsequently, she submitted a grievance to the agency’s head office about her experiences of a hostile working environment, but her complaint was sent to one of the managers who made the original decision to suspend her and was rejected. With AMV BBDO unwilling to address her concerns, Zabrodskaya felt she had no choice but to resign in 2024.
“Polina eventually felt she had to resign because the advertising industry tries to conceal dissident voices. We can't let them”, said Gabriel Bourdon-Fattal, Co-Director at Climate Whistleblowers. “As one of the first environmental whistleblowers in her sector, she is bravely paving the way for others to speak out. If more people like her come forward, we can hold these industries accountable."
“This is likely the most significant climate and environmental sustainability whistleblower Tribunal claim to date, exposing the critical issues that many global corporations ignore or greenwash,” said Lawrence Davies of Equal Justice, solicitor for Zabrodskaya. “Those who speak out on the global climate crisis and challenge exploitative supply chains that undermine human progress must be protected and supported.”
About Climate Whistleblowers:
Climate Whistleblowers is an NGO dedicated to protecting individuals who expose wrongdoings that worsen the climate crisis and ensuring their disclosures are impactful. Even a single act of whistleblowing can make all the difference. With individualised support, we believe a new generation of climate whistleblowers can catalyse the change the world desperately needs.