Truth Teller
Whistleblow for the Planet: Extinction Rebellion launches whistleblowing platform TruthTeller.Life
Extinction Rebellion has launched its secure, anonymous whistleblowing platform, TruthTeller.Life, with a campaign of innovative actions aimed at employees of climate-damaging companies.
Extinction Rebellion is asking those with insider information to safely and anonymously reveal what they know through TruthTeller.Life. Information received will be published in collaboration with trusted media outlets.
TruthTeller is testing a new type of precision activism, by proactively seeking out potential whistleblowers in particular companies within target industries, including fossil fuel companies, banks and other businesses.
By directly approaching employees, TruthTeller is putting company bosses on notice that climate-damaging activities are at imminent risk of exposure. TruthTeller is particularly keen to expose greenwashing and spin by companies saying the right things in public while harming the planet in private.
Role: Art Director
Graphic Design by Henrik Delehag
Copy by Ben Carey
Launch actions, adapted to the lockdown conditions, where most people are working from home, have included:
Unauthorised inserts in the Financial Times titled How to Save It, spoofing the paper’s glossy consumer magazine How to Spend It and inviting FT readers to whistleblow. Inserts were placed by XR volunteers into copies of the Weekend FT (6th/7th February) on supermarket and newsagent stands.
The real Financial Times has now published two articles about TruthTeller’s launch, including an opinion piece by whistleblowing expert Margaret Heffernan.
A pioneering campaign of Linkedin online advertising, specifically addressing employees of target companies including Shell, Exxon, HSBC, HS2 (High Speed Rail) Ltd, Barclays and Standard Chartered. The ads read: “Dear HS2 employee!” and invite them to whistleblow through TruthTeller.Life.
TruthTeller’s LinkedIn ads have received an extraodinary degree of engagment, with click through rates averaging 10%, and reaching a maximum of 18%. A succesful LinkedIn campaign would normally expect a 2% click through rate.
1000’s of Posters throughout London.
1000s of calling cards being posted through letterboxes in affluent neighbourhoods inviting senior company employees to Whistleblow for the Planet while they work from home. Target neighbourhoods have so far included Kensington, Mayfair, Hampstead, Chiswick and other executive-rich areas, with more to follow.