Off the Record: How to talk to journalists, lawyers, and activist organizations.
Feeling frustrated with where the advertising and PR industry is at? Uncomfortable with conflict between your agency’s internal guidelines on climate and human rights and the polluting clients your agency is holding on to? Want to make change, but not sure where to start?
Your insider knowledge is a super power.
You might have privileged information that is in the public interest, concrete facts that can help hold people accountable. Investigative journalists are working to uncover systemic problems in this industry and write stories that could bring about change.
Last month, six employees from WPP agencies provided information that helped the Guardian and investigative outlet DeSmog reveal that WPP was breaching company policy by helping oil giants like ExxonMobil spend billions on misleading advertising. You don’t have to have a stash of secret documents — your own experiences could provide crucial insight for a journalist.
There is no single way to speak up. Whistleblowing can take many forms, from sharing information anonymously, to speaking out openly and publicly. Understanding your options is key to making informed, safe decisions that will have an impact.
In this unique event, hear from investigative journalists and comms professionals who have spoken with them, on:
How and when to make contact with journalists
Deciphering the lingo (what does “on the record” mean anyway?)
How to stay safe and knowing your rights
What journalists are looking for
The different ways to disclose information
Have any questions about the event? Feel free to get in touch with us at [email protected] or on Signal @LRanzatoCC.79
Joining anonymously
While registration here requires your name and email (so we can send you the link to join), the event will be hosted securely on Zoom where your attendance is anonymized, participant cameras will be off, and you will be able to edit and remove your participant name in the waiting room before joining. No one else on the call will be able to see you are watching. Here are additional steps you can take to join the Zoom meeting anonymously. If there are additional steps we can take to reduce your risk, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Special guests
TJ Jordan is an investigative reporter who focuses on greenwashing and climate action delay strategies. His investigations about ad and PR agencies have been published in outlets including The Guardian and The Financial Times, and he was named Emerging Journalist of the Year at the 2025 Covering Climate Now awards. He joined DeSmog in the summer of 2023 after five years working in the advertising and marketing industry.
Ellen Ormesher is an investigative reporter and researcher, whose work at DeSmog exposes how the advertising and PR industries protect and promote some of the world’s biggest polluters. She is also completing postgraduate research on justice in environmental governance at the University of Edinburgh. Her reporting has appeared in outlets including The Guardian, and she was named Young Environment Reporter of the Year at the 2026 Chartered Institute of Journalists awards. She joined DeSmog in 2024 after two years as a Senior Reporter at The Drum, where she led coverage of ESG and greenwashing in the marketing industry.
About the hosts
Clean Creatives is a global campaign group building a movement of advertising and PR professionals cutting ties with fossil fuel companies. Through research, tools, and a network of over 1,500 pledged agencies, Clean Creatives works to end fossil fuel influence in the communications industry.
Climate Whistleblowers is a Paris-based NGO dedicated to protecting individuals who expose wrongdoings that worsen the climate crisis. They provide legal defense, media assistance, and security support to whistleblowers — and work with investigative journalists to ensure disclosures have real impact.