CB Q&A: Kate Young on SBS’s Media Sustainability Challenge and the opportunity for brands
The SBS Media Sustainability Challenge, which offers $500,000 in free SBS advertising inventory, will close for entries at the end of the week. Ahead of the deadline, Kate Young, National Manager – SBS CulturalConnect, talked to Campaign Brief about why the challenge matters, the opportunity for brands, and why the national broadcaster is doubling down on the sustainability space.
Kate, talk us through the Sustainability Challenge and what made you want to bring back the challenge for a second year?
SBS sits uniquely at the intersection of public purpose and commercial media, giving us both the responsibility and the opportunity to lead important conversations that shape Australia’s future.
Over the years, we’ve proudly led the discussion around diversity in advertising. Through our Diversity Works initiative, launched in 2016, we challenged the industry to rethink how it approaches representation – encouraging brands and agencies to better reflect the real Australia in their marketing and to embed diversity more meaningfully into their creative thinking. And now 10 years on, look at how far our industry has come!
The aim of the Sustainability Challenge is to create a similar shift. Sustainability is one of the most defining issues of our time, and we know advertising provides a powerful vehicle to shape attitudes and influence behaviour. By bringing the challenge back for a second year, we want to continue inspiring creative that normalises more sustainable choices and promotes better environmental practices in everyday life.
Last year we saw some incredible entries, which reinforced just how ready the industry is to lead in this space. By again putting $500,000 in advertising inventory on the table, we’re giving brands a meaningful platform with a highly influential audience to turn ambition into action, and demonstrate what real leadership in this space can look like.
What sort of response did you see from brands and creative agencies last year?
We were blown away with the response. Honestly, you put these ideas into the ether and there’s always a moment wondering whether the creative community will rally and bring their best ideas – and last year they absolutely did!
The jury had a real challenge choosing between the final five campaigns for the winner; they were all excellent pitches, each bringing their unique ideas and products, but we were very pleased when the NRMA launched its EV campaign towards the end of last year.
What will the judges consider a strong entry?
In terms of what the judges are looking for, consumer impact carries the greatest weighting. We want ideas that will genuinely inspire or motivate Australians to adopt more environmentally sustainable behaviours, whether that be through compelling storytelling, education, or by making sustainable choices feel achievable in everyday life.
Authenticity and innovation are also essential. The strongest entries will demonstrate a genuine commitment to sustainability and clearly show how the brand enables more environmentally conscious behaviour, not just good intentions.
And of course, creative excellence matters too. Ideas should be grounded in strong consumer insight, driven by a clear communications objective, and designed to connect meaningfully with the intended audience.
Alongside all of this, the judges are keen to hear how your idea can be supported by a production approach that genuinely reflects the values behind the campaign through eco-friendly production methodologies that reduce emissions.
As they say, you’ve got to be in it to win it. We’ve made the first round intentionally simple, asking brands/agencies to submit a 30-second TVC script and 500 words addressing the criteria (see here), and you could find yourself shortlisted to pitch in the final stage.
Where is SBS on its sustainability journey? You’ve been well ahead of other broadcasters, right?
Five years ago, strategically SBS made a decision to put sustainability and ESG principles at the core of our business. You can read more about that decision here. At the heart of SBS is our purpose to contribute to social cohesion – and having a stable and sustainable planet underpins a cohesive society. Over five years we’ve done a lot in terms of measuring and tracking our carbon footprint, switching to 100% renewable energy, putting in clear Net Zero targets, and taking major steps to reduce our emissions – but also more broadly we’ve been helping brands and agencies who are also on this journey with solutions like SBS Brief Green.
What is the opportunity for brands in this space?
The environmental challenges facing the planet are clear, and there’s growing expectation that everyone has a role to play in reducing environmental impact. But alongside that responsibility, there’s a clear opportunity for brands and agencies to lead and drive meaningful change around sustainability.
Younger Australians, in particular, expect the brands they engage with to demonstrate authentic commitments to sustainability. From a CulturalConnect perspective, we’re seeing more and more briefs where sustainability isn’t a bonus; it’s a given. The brands that will lead in the coming years are those that move early, act authentically and integrate sustainability into everyday behaviours – rather than treating it as a one-off message.
The Sustainability Challenge is about giving brands the opportunity to show what leadership looks like, in a trusted environment, with a highly influential and engaged audience.
Applications for the 2026 SBS Media Sustainability Challenge close this Friday, March 6 at 5pm AEDT.
For any questions please contact [email protected].
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