• by Fern Siegel , May 27, 2009

Ogilvy & Mather has expanded its global sustainability practice into a single unit, OgilvyEarth. The agency is designed to help businesses embrace various initiatives, from promoting green products to advising on environmental public policy.

The new brand will operate across 30 of the network's offices, combining various disciplines, including advertising, PR, governmental affairs and digital, under one roof. Miles Young, CEO of Ogilvy & Mather, will head the venture.

Ogilvy has previously created sustainability programs for Unilever, Ford and DuPont. It was also responsible for the Beyond Petroleum campaign for BP. One of OgilvyEarth's initial assignments is an awareness campaign for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, scheduled for December, where 192 nations will negotiate a successor treaty to the Kyoto Protocols.

Recent Harris Interactive polls found that an overwhelming majority of Americans give purchasing consideration to companies committed to sustainable business practices.

"Sustainability is a global call to action, an imperative that businesses must heed," said Young. "These issues can no longer be ignored by organizations, but need to be embraced and demonstrated to stakeholders."

Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide is a subsidiary of WPP.