The One Club Launches One Show Sustainable Development Pencil at the United Nations

Working in cooperation with the United Nations Office for Partnerships and nonprofit PVBLIC Foundation, The One Club for Creativity announced the launch of The One Show Sustainable Development Pencil to reward agencies and brands who utilize their talents and resources to create work which betters the world and contributes to securing a sustainable future for all.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.  At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries — developed and developing — in a global partnership.

These SDGs recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth — all while tackling climate change and working to preserve the oceans and forests.

Announcement of the inaugural One Show Sustainable Development Pencil was made at the recent SDG Media Summit 2019 conference at the UN, ahead of this year’s 74th session of the UN General Assembly.

The new SD Pencil will have three categories — People, Planet and Systems — with subcategories based on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.  Submissions for the award must be in the form of a case study, demonstrating and explaining the project’s impact, scalability, sustainability and strategic partnerships.  Work has to have appeared in market between January 1, 2016 and February 28, 2020 to be eligible.

“The One Show Sustainable Development Pencil will recognize teams who contribute to this important initiative by addressing the UN’s 17 SDGs,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club.  “This prestigious new Pencil will be awarded for work that proves to have a sustained and measurable impact over time and is scalable by other brands or places.  The work must also change behavior, not just raise awareness, and involve a strategic partnership.”

“This is an amazing announcement, we are really excited about it,” said Robert Skinner, executive director, UN Office for Partnerships.  “We need to recognize those who are doing good work, driving that positive story, developing partnerships and implementing the SDGs in their messaging in order to drive that real impact.”

“We are excited to partner with The One Club for Creativity to launch the SD Pencil at the SDG Media Summit,” said Sergio Fernandez de Cordova, chairman of the Summit and PVBLIC Foundation, a non-profit media organization that harnesses the power of media to drive social change.  “Creativity with a purpose to help advance engagement around the 17 SDG goals must be celebrated, and we must celebrate leadership around purpose.  This new One Show award is in line with the mandate of our partnership with the UN to focus on spreading the word and activating global audiences to help build a better tomorrow.”

“The 17 Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action, but not just for governments and civil society.  Brands should also do their part,” said Ariana Stolarz, Global CSO, MRM//McCann and PVBLIC Foundation board member.  “Creativity has proven to be a great force for change.  For it to be meaningful, change has to be sustained over time.  That’s why The One Show Sustainable Development Pencil is so critical: because it will celebrate sustained impact over intentions, and true change over stunts.”

The One Club for Creativity, producer of The One Show, ADC Annual Awards and Creative Week, is the world’s foremost non-profit organization whose mission is to support and celebrate the success of the global creative community.  The One Show is a top global awards show for advertising, design and digital marketing, focusing on the creativity of ideas and quality of execution. The global ADC Annual Awards honors creative excellence in craft, design and innovation across all disciplines. Creative Week takes place in New York every May, and is the preeminent festival celebrating the intersection of advertising and the arts.