Ocean Outdoor scales environmental impact with Pinwheel

Ocean Outdoor has confirmed the continuation of its partnership with sustainability platform Pinwheel, entering a third year of collaboration focused on science-led environmental programmes funded through advertising spend.

The initiative channels a portion of agency media investment into verified conservation and climate projects, spanning plastic recovery, marine biodiversity protection and carbon research activities.

Measurable environmental impact across multiple regions

Since its launch, the programme has directed investment into projects across 16 countries on three continents. According to programme data, more than 43,000 kilograms of plastic waste have been recovered and recycled through funded collection schemes operating in locations including India and Tanzania.

Marine conservation efforts delivered through SEE Turtles have supported the protection of approximately 195,000 turtle hatchlings across five countries, reinforcing nesting site conservation and community-led protection programmes.

In parallel, Coralive has expanded coral farming initiatives in Kenya and Madagascar, deploying coral nursery infrastructure to restore degraded reef ecosystems.

Carbon research projects led by Hourglass Climate are also underway in North Carolina, examining ocean alkalinity and its potential role in atmospheric carbon removal and ecological recovery.

Agency participation in funding decisions

The projects are vetted by Pinwheel and selected through a voting process involving agency and client partners, who determine how portions of their advertising spend are allocated across the initiatives.

The model integrates sustainability decision-making into media planning workflows, positioning environmental funding as part of campaign investment choices.

Nick Shaw, CEO, Ocean Outdoor UK: "Pinwheel allows our agency partners to directly contribute to verified frontline environmental programmes. The results are measurable and meaningful, backed by the environmental scientists we work with who have provided clear, firsthand accounts about how the money is being used. It’s a tough market, and funding remains hard to come by, but I hope our in-depth impact report will encourage more agency partners to come on board with us in 2026."

Gavin Sheppard, CEO, Pinwheel: "Ocean Outdoor’s commitment to climate and nature action is an exemplar of focused, thoughtful work that achieves real world results. Now in their third year of work with Pinwheel, they have shown long term support for four exceptional projects, providing long term security that help achieve exponential gains. Ocean are also involving agency partners in the allocation of funding, driving awareness and engagement of this critical activity."

Long-term funding model expands

The partnership sits within Ocean Outdoor’s wider sustainability strategy, which allocates 2 percent of UK advertising revenue in screen space to environmental and charitable organisations through its Drops in the Ocean programme.

Recent reporting indicates the scheme has contributed close to £9 million in advertising value to non-profits over multiple years, supporting conservation and climate initiatives globally.

www.oceanoutdoor.com

www.pinwheel.earth

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