The Cannes Lions Sustainable Development Goals Lions trophies will be made from Parley Ocean Plastic.
The partnership between Cannes Lions and Parley for the Ocean highlights the necessity of creative collaboration and eco-innovation, essential to overcome the current threats facing our planet. The trophies will be made reclaimed polyamide fishing nets, a key threat to life in the oceans.
Parley Ocean Plastic is a premium material created from reclaimed fishing nets and upcycled plastic waste recovered from shorelines and coastal communities by the Parley Global Cleanup Network. Ocean Plastic was invented to drive change in response to marine plastic pollution and the destruction of our oceans. It is a catalyst for the material revolution and helps fund initiatives of Parley’s Ocean Plastic Program focused on direct impact, communication and education, eco-innovation, and research and development.
The Sustainable Development Goals Lions were introduced in 2018 to advance awareness of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals and encourage the creative industries to celebrate and support sustainability around the world. The 17 global goals represent a collective ambition to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all.
Philip Thomas, chairman, LIONS, stated, “This award has always been about celebrating the organisations that are taking action to promote good in the world and drive initiatives that positively impact and enhance the lives of the global community. It’s only right that the trophy – the physical symbol of change-driving creativity – reflects this too. Parley’s approach to addressing the threats to our oceans is truly innovative and creative. We can’t wait to hand over these unique, and rather special Lions to the worthy winners.
“This is only the beginning of our partnership with Parley. We will use our platform to drive eco-friendly awareness and action across the global creative industries, as well as work with them to implement a plan for the physical Festival to make Cannes Lions as sustainable as possible.”
Cyrill Gutsch, chief executive officer & founder, Parley for the Oceans, added, “Partnering with Cannes Lions is our rallying call to the world’s leading creators. We, the creative community, have put our skills in the service of exploitative and destructive business practices for too long. It’s time to step out of our self-created, fictional bubble and own the responsibility for the reality we are forming through our work, every day.
“I am calling all creators to join Parley and work with us in shaping a different future — and moving in rapid speed since we are all facing the same fast-approaching deadline. It’s the creatives who can own this challenge, to live and act with the understanding that it’s our own future, our own survival at stake.”
Parley for the Oceans’ Shaping the Future through Creativity, Collaboration and Eco-innovation, is one of the sessions that will be made free bb Cannes Lions and official streaming partner, YouTube. The session will be a rallying cry to the creative community and expands on how they can collaborate to address the crisis around climate, overfishing and the oceans.
LIONS chairman, Philip Thomas will lead a discussion titled, How is our industry fighting climate change, and how can we do it faster, together?, which will include a statement from Amina Mohammed, deputy secretary-general, United Nations; and S4 Capital’s Sir Martin Sorrell will be joined by a panel who look at putting the climate pledge into action.
All sessions will be available to watch on the Cannes Lions Live website from Monday 21 June.
Digital passes to Cannes Lions Live are available to purchase as a standalone and all LIONS members receive complimentary access as part of their membership. View the content agenda and buy your pass here.
