Editorial

UN urges companies using animals in adverts to donate to wildlife charities

The United Nations has asked companies that use animals in their marketing to set aside 0.5  percent of their media spending budget for wildlife conservation. The initiative dubbed Lion’s Share, is

  • PublishedMarch 26, 2019

The United Nations has asked companies that use animals in their marketing to set aside 0.5  percent of their media spending budget for wildlife conservation.

The initiative dubbed Lion’s Share, is a call for corporate entities in all UN member states to make voluntary contributions every time an animal appears in their adverts.

He says the new fund aims to raise US$100 million (Sh10 billion) annually in the next three years. The money will be invested in initiatives and programmes that benefit animal welfare, conservation and their environments worldwide.

According to the Director of UNDP’s Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, said the initiative aims at raising Sh10 billion annually in the next three years which will be used to conserve wildlife habitats and protect animal welfare.

“We’re not compelling firms to contribute to Lion’s Share Fund but rather creating moral compassion and awareness on the need to support wildlife conservation. Everyone is commercially abusing the wildlife to advertise their products from airlines, hotels, banks, manufacturing firms, but despite this profit-making significance, animals do not always get the support they deserve,” he said in an interview with the Nation

Two weeks ago, UNDP signed a major partnership agreement with global outdoor advertising firm JCDecaux Group, the latest partner to join the Lion’s Share Fund campaign.

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