Please introduce us to Publicis Sapient for Future. (PSFF)
Emma: PSFF is a group of people from different regions within Publicis Sapient who believe that we need to do whatever we can to live a more sustainable life. In our work life and private. Our mission is to educate and support Publicis Sapient to become a more environmentally aware business. We meet monthly and are trying to do this on the side of our client projects. It´s not always easy to find the time, so the key is to get as many people as possible engaged.
In the Nordics, it all began with a Nordic approach to sustainability, started by a couple of local heroes. When I joined the group, we had done some local improvements in the office, etc. In a global townhall, PSFF presented themselves and their ambition. We set up a meeting with PSFF and started to align and merge our work.
Sarah: PSFF is our internal earth-organization, so to say. We as members share the love and engagement in protecting nature and our planet. We are aiming to introduce as much sustainability to our daily business as possible and creating awareness on important topics.
What does be a member of PSFF mean to you?
Anthony: That I’m motivated and invested in the future and thinking about ways I can be an active participant. I feel better knowing I’m involved and I hope I can make even the smallest difference in the future of work and how we can all be contributors.
Emma: For me, it means that I’m at least trying to make a difference. Personally, I think the topic is the most important one of our generation (and generations to come) so doing nothing is not an option for me. It also means that I’m not alone and that we have a bigger chance to push for change together.
What are some milestone moments or accomplishments from this group that stand out to you?
Emma: Sometimes you need to start small. In Gothenburg, we did a lot of improvements around the office a couple of years back. My favorite one was going vegetarian. All meal provided in lunch meetings with clients, Monday morning breakfast, at events, etc. is vegetarian. It was a much smoother transition than we thought and now no one expects meat to be served.
Sarah: One big milestone for me was the switch to digital paychecks which saves a huge amount of paper! Also, I think the idea of sustainability, which gets involved in day-to-day-situations, like ordering more regional vegetables and fruits, separating waste and offering take-away-boxes in the office is a good step. Sustainability becoming a habit is a great thing.
What does Earth Day and the theme “Restore our Earth” mean and what do you hope to achieve this year through your work with PSFF?
Anthony: Restore our earth, to me, means investing in the planet and committing to leaving it better than we found it as a generation. We all need this planet so we need to think differently, think bigger, and think creatively to solve some massive challenges. We need to hold our governments and our businesses accountable for putting sustainability first. We need to make environmental goals a priority for our planet, for ourselves, and future generations. I think the work PSFF is doing to elevate the conversation and everything that’s planned for Earth Day ‘21 will, hopefully, get us all to think collectively.
Naba: For me it is very important. When I compare my childhood and my son’s childhood, I realized that a lot of things have changed. Earth’s resources are wasted, forests are burned, and it’s so sad to see. I hope that my work with PSFF will inspire my colleagues to be aware that their actions can help our earth.
Sarah: To me, Earth day is an important day to remind us all, that our planet is not for granted. That nothing here is for granted and everything has its limits. We need to protect and restore what is given to us to be able to live on this planet for a long time. We cannot “live over our limits” any longer. It is just that simple, yet there is still so much work to do.