Havas Agencies Could Be Stripped of B Corp Certification Due to Shell Account Win

Four Havas agencies are at risk of losing their B Corp status after the holding company won Shell's media account last year, B Corp's certifying body B Lab Global has confirmed to ADWEEK. The result could have major implications for a growing movement, spearheaded by activist group Clean Creatives, to urge agencies to cut ties with fossil fuel clients because of their outsized role in the climate crisis. "Havas' decision to make its B Corps a part of Shell's misleading marketing is a clear threat to the integrity and brand of the B Corp movement," Duncan Meisel, executive director of Clean Creatives, said in a statement. "B Corps should not be producing marketing and PR for the world's biggest polluters, and we are grateful to B Lab for continuing this investigation so that their many members who support serious climate action can be heard." Certifications in peril Following several complaints and an initial review, B Lab is pursuing an investigation into Havas' relationship with Shell. The result could put at risk the B Corp status of four certified agencies within the Havas network: Immerse, Lemz, London and New York. The investigation, which B Lab did not give a timeline for, will aim to determine whether: Havas' work with Shell breaches B Corp rules related to limits on controversial clients, Havas agencies misrepresented their work during the certification process, Havas agencies have breached B Corp Community values as a result of this relationship, and Any other additional allegations or issues that arise throughout the process. Havas did not immediately respond to ADWEEK's request for comment. Agencies and Activists Demand B Lab Strip Havas of Its Certification, Update Rules A win for activists A group of 26 B Corp-certified agencies co-signed a letter to B Lab in October, asking the nonprofit to update its certification requirements to disqualify advertising and public relations agencies from working for fossil fuel clients, a move that would require stripping Havas agencies of their B Corp certifications. Creating work for fossil fuel clients, which have been considered a "controversial" category according to B Lab guidelines since 2020, is incompatible with the overall goals of the B Corp movement, the letter argued. "It’s encouraging that B Lab have confirmed they are investigating what is a clear breach of trust as well as the rules of B Corp accreditation by Havas," Chris Norman, co-founder and CEO of B Corp-certified Good Agency, told ADWEEK. "Whilst we are pleased to see B Lab taking action, and listening to their member agencies, it is disappointing that they have taken so long and are only now launching a formal investigation into an issue that is a threat to B Lab’s credibility as a leader in steering business as a force for good." B Lab's investigation represents an interim win for the group of agencies, but will hinge on the outcome. Possible outcomes vary Depending on the result, B Lab could revoke the B Corp certification of Havas agencies. In addition, B Lab outlined four other possible outcomes of the investigation, which will look at each agency separately, to the extent possible. It could: Suspend one or more of the Havas agencies' B Corp certifications, requiring remediation to maintain B Corp status; Put the certifications on probation, requiring disclosure and remediation to maintain certification; Uphold the certifications but require disclosure; or Uphold the certifications with no further action. "We are dedicated to addressing this matter in a timely manner," a B Lab Global spokesperson told Adweek via email. "We are also committed to following due process, which means we are not always able to come to a decision when many would like us to. We ask for your patience during this time." The image in this story has been updated to clarify the agencies could be stripped of their certification.