“We are in the middle of an urgent environmental crisis. Our planet is being destroyed for profit, and top ad agencies conceal the damage from the public.”
Polina Zabrodskaya, March 2025
After an ad creative challenged “sustainable” claims she believed were misleading, she faced retaliation and was forced to resign. Her case shows how greenwashing in advertising punishes whistleblowers while enabling the industry to shield its clients from scrutiny of their real environmental impacts. Supported by Climate Whistleblowers, Polina Zabrodskaya exposes these issues as public interest matters.
The Case
Polina Zabrodskaya, a former Creative Partner at UK ad giant AMV BBDO, has been taking her old agency to an employment tribunal, claiming harassment, discrimination, and unfair dismissal after challenging what she saw as greenwashing while working in major campaigns for Mars Inc.’s Galaxy and Sheba brands.
In 2021, she objected to a Galaxy slogan, “Making chocolate better, one piece at a time,” pointing out reports of child labour and environmental damage in cocoa production. Her concerns were ignored, and she was excluded from key meetings. A CBS investigation later revealed Mars sourced cocoa from children as young as five.
The following year, she questioned Sheba’s claim of “100% sustainably-sourced” fish, doubting the credibility of the heavily criticised MSC certification that Sheba’s products carry. After raising the issue with a senior Mars executive, she was suspended for “inflammatory comments.” An internal investigation cleared her, but her grievance was rejected, prompting her resignation in 2024.
Speaking to DeSmog, Polina Zabrodskaya described the moral toll of promoting messages she believed to be misleading, and the isolation she faced for speaking up. She has called for stronger whistleblower protections, legal support, and public hearings to expose how advertising can mask corporate environmental harm.
Why It Matters
Her case highlights a growing challenge for the advertising industry: sustainability claims that look good on paper but crumble under scrutiny. As greenwashing erodes public trust and stalls genuine environmental progress, the need for transparency and accountability in advertising has never been greater. Protecting and supporting those within agencies who have the courage to speak out is essential.
What was CW’s role?
Climate Whistleblowers (CW) has been a dedicated partner in Polina Zabrodskaya’s courageous fight to expose greenwashing in the advertising industry. From the start, we provided secure communication tools, legal guidance, and strategic advocacy to help bring her concerns to light while protecting her from potential retaliation. In partnership with Equal Justice Solicitors and Doughty Street Chambers, we continue to support her employment tribunal claim against AMV BBDO.
Beyond legal support, CW played a central role in amplifying Polina’s voice on the global public stage. Her disclosures have been featured in outlets such as the Financial Times and DeSmog, ensuring her story reaches decision-makers and the wider public. Our collaboration is ongoing: CW continues to support her advocacy efforts for environmental accountability in the advertising sector and beyond.