2009 Platinum PR Awards: Green PR—Bank of America & RF|Binder Partners

Environment as a Business Opportunity

Two years ago, Bank of America announced a $20 billion, 10-year initiative to address climate change by championing sustainable business practices; by the end of 2008, it had already completed more than $4 billion—or 20%—of the overall effort. To publicize this accomplishment while promoting the overall initiative, Bank of America tapped RF|Binder Partners to implement a communications strategy that positioned the bank as a leader in environmental stewardship.

The team’s strategy focused on raising awareness through print and broadcast media coverage, placement of executives at key industry venues and third-party validation from industry awards. Specifically, the team introduced Bank of America’s new head of public policy to top environmental press to build relationships, and they secured speaking roles at top environmental industry conferences.

The outreach efforts paid off, securing significant media coverage of Bank of America’s environmental commitment and getting executive-written op-eds in regional publications. ■

Honorable Mentions:

Weber Shandwick & Omni Hotels: Omni Hotels Hangs Up on Phone Books—Omni Hotels completely eliminated phone books from all its properties to conserve natural resources, setting an example for others in the hotel industry.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF): WWF’s Earth Hour 2009—March 28, 2009, at 8:30 p.m. marked WWF’s Earth Hour, when people scattered throughout 4,000 cities and 87 countries turned off non-essential lights for an hour.

Exelon Corporation: Exelon 2020: A Low-Carbon Roadmap—In 2009, Exelon released a comprehensive environmental plan, seeking to reduce 15 million metric tons of greenhouse gases per year by 2020.

October 26, 2009