Thread by @BrandalismUK

HSBC cause climate breakdown, profit from racist detention centres and fund weapons.

Their ads tell a different story - of social justice, sustainability and diversity. Ads are their only commitment to these values.

So we replaced them 👇👇👇 1/
#FossilBanks #BigBankBullshit

For one, whatever their latest 'net zero ambition' statements, HSBC cause climate breakdown.

Since the Paris Agreement, HSBC have pumped $87Bn into fossil fuel companies, making them the second largest financier of fossil fuels in Europe! 2/

While they use their support for @BritishCycling to launder their reputation, and make themselves seem like they understand the climate emergency - they don't.

They even sunk $1.8 Bn into fossil fuel projects in the 4 months before their #NotZero Announcement last month!

But it's important to note that @HSBC's dodgy deals go way beyond climate breakdown. Deadly fossil finance just reflects the broader contempt they have for human life.

For example, they invest huge sums in racist detention centres and private prisons: ethicalconsumer.org/money-finance/…

As this work's creator artist @tamarajadekaz said 1/2

'HSBC's announcement that they intend to double the amount black staff in senior roles by 2025 is just an attempt at sticking a plaster on a longstanding wound. (cont in next tweet)

'HSBC can't align with Black Lives Matter when they invest in detention centres and private prisons. These are arenas where state violence against black people is played out. More black faces in board rooms does nothing to mitigate the racial injustice banks like HSBC perpetuate.

HSBC's current funding is a continuation of the climate colonialism that came before.

As this piece's artist, @RudyLoewe says: “The image I created reflects the resistance by local communities in Mozambique against climate colonialism. (cont next tweet)

'as HSBC attempts to brand itself for local communities and 'heroes', they are complicit in the destruction of communities around the world. Local communities in Mozambique and around the world, are fighting against climate colonialism and that is who we should be supporting' 👏

As Rudy's quote and amazing artwork suggests, for this project, we're keen to amplify a current site battle against climate colonialism in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, as this artwork by @SoofiyaC illustrates:

Anabela Lemos from @JA4change, said: If HSBC invests in the gas industry in Mozambique, it is just as responsible as the extractive companies for the irreversibly destructive impact on communities. Companies like Total, Eni and Exxon are only able to construct this type {...}

{...}of project, and step on thousands of communities, kicking them out of their homes and territories, destroying their livelihoods, their cultures, and their rights, and stealing their future because irresponsible financiers like HSBC make it possible...
tinyurl.com/y249cysg

MZ has an extremely corrupt government-by investing in it, HSBC shows that they are as corrupt. For a country to be corrupt it needs powerful companies & banks that corrupt them. HSBC's a direct part & beneficiary, rewarding and enabling the gvmt & companies to act with impunity'

Thanks to @JA4change for their work, and to all groups working on the frontline of extraction. There's a lot of work to be done for climate activists in the West, and we're by no means perfect. With these kinds of actions for climate justice, we need to start with solidarity.

Not content with funding climate breakdown, and profiting from racist detention centres and private prisons, HSBC also funds arms production.

See here for more: caat.org.uk/resources/comp…

In total, we installed over 200 artworks across the UK, with local groups stepping forward to coordinate their call out.

Thanks to all of those, and to all our artists for making this possible with your inspiring pieces.

Love to all during this time ❤️ END/

If you've enjoyed the above, and want to find out more - head to @adfreecities national conference this Saturday - where there will be a session on HSBC's #BigBankBullshit, with @BankTrack @PlatformLondon & @JA4change

adfreecities.org.uk/conference2020/

EXPANDED THREAD 😍🥳 HSBC BRANDALISM!

MORE ON WHY WE DID IT + MORE PHOTOS!!

Different Day, Same Bullshit Ads 👇👇👇

ICYMI...

Around the UK, we've replaced <250 HSBC ads with a more appropriate reflection of the impact of their finance.

We called out HSBC's bullshit ads & the ad agencies that launder the reputations of the funders of human rights abuses around the world.

We wanted to target HSBC for a couple of reasons, as outlined above.

For one, if you live in the UK, they're probably your local climate wrecker, having pumped £67BN into fossil fuels since the Paris Agreement.

Is that... 'net zero ambition'? 🙃😒

In the last months, we've seen a wave of 'net zero commitments' from Big Banks - Barclays, Morgan Stanley, and HSBC.

If they were serious about the climate emergency, they'd stop financing it. 🤡🧐

#FossilBanks #BigBankBullshit

But HSBC are more than climate wreckers.

As many others have stated, their 'net zero' world is predicated on violence, neo-colonialism and extraction.

HSBC continues to profit from and accelerate all three.

No one should celebrate their green finance while this continues.

Yesterday, we shared the brilliant artwork and associated quotes from @SoofiyaC @RudyLoewe & @tamarajadekaz, and we'd urge you to scroll up the thread to read, and to follow their work.

The below, by Matt Manson, is just one of 1,000's of egs of HSBC's repressive tendencies.

Even today, the day of the US election, provides a reason for us to target HSBC. While their ads suggest a progressive, outward looking politics, again the figs tell another story.

They spent c.a. $90,000 contributing to Republican election campaigns!
opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.ph…

It's not just climate, and it's not just banks either.

It's also the ad agencies that launder their reputations.

👇👇👇

When ad agencies launder their clients' reputations to make money, it matters.

It skews public debate on substantive issues like climate change, human rights and colonial oppression.

Advertising is a key mechanism enabling the #BigBankBullshit we see around us today.

HSBC likes to position itself as a friendly high street bank, when actually, they're incredibly regressive.

In a dystopian twist, WunderThompson, the agency behind HSBC’s brand rehabilitation, even seems to understand their role in obscuring the abuses of their client...

Since the 'we are not an island' ad campaign launched:
📈HSBC current account sales grew 50%
⏫People switching to HSBC up 140%

But with HSBC's funding priorities...

Has anything really changed?

If you still doubt their influence, move to UK Gvmt, and in particular, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for sustainable finance. Yep, you guessed it, it's *supported* by HSBC.

*Cough* Europe's 2nd largest fossil financier *Ahem*

How does that work?

uk100.org/appg/