Frequently Asked Questions.
Mission
“WHO WE ARE:
ACT Responsible is an international non-profit association born in the aftermath of 9/11. ACT stands for Advertising Community Together.
ACT brings together professionals from the advertising and communication industry who believe in the power of creativity to drive positive social and environmental change.
OUR MISSION:
ACT Responsible exists to inspire, promote and unite the advertising and communication industry around responsible practices and sustainable development.
Our mission is to highlight the power of creative advertising in raising awareness of major social and environmental issues, and to encourage the production of campaigns that contribute to a more just, inclusive and sustainable world.
By strengthening the reach and visibility of these messages, ACT helps accelerate understanding, break down social, generational and cultural barriers, and foster meaningful behavioural change.
Our belief
Advertising is a universal language.
Through its emotional power, it has a unique ability to influence attitudes, shape perceptions and accelerate understanding across cultures and communities.
When used responsibly, advertising can be a powerful force for good.
WHAT WE DO:
We curate campaigns, ads and creative work from around the world addressing social and environmental issues within a curated and searchable database. Each year we create a unique annual collection that we showcase, promote, discuss, celebrate, and rank them, aiming to stimulate production, foster conversations and share best practices.
Through exhibitions, events, workshops, public votings, and awards, we seek to inspire positive change by demonstrating how advertising communication can be powerful tool for social and environmental advocacy.
We mobilise a worldwide network of agencies, production companies, advertisers, institutions, NGOs, corporations and the media, who believe responsible advertising is essential to modern communication.
To achieve its goal, we’ve developed various initiatives in partnership with a network of committed players in advertising, media and education such as ACT annual exhibition showcased @ the Lions Impact Hub, ACT Tributes, ACT Good Report and the ACT Care Awards.
If you believe responsible communication is the future of advertising and would like to support this collective industry effort, consider becoming a member.
Submission and ACT Programme
By submitting work through the ACT Call for Work, your campaign, ad or creative work may be considered for inclusion across the ACT Programme and may benefit from the following opportunities:
- ACT Exhibition
Eligibility to be exhibited in the ACT Exhibition @ Cannes Lions, and potentially showcased at other selected industry events throughout the year (subject to opportunities, budget and invitations). - ACT Good Report
Eligibility to be included in the ACT Good Report, developed in collaboration with WARC Rankings. - ACT Care Awards
Eligibility to be considered for the ACT Care Awards, judged with institutional and expert partners. - ACT Tributes
Eligibility to participate in the ACT Tributes to Creativity for Good, based on public voting during Cannes Lions or other key industry moments. - ACT Good Ads Database
Eligibility to be featured in the ACT Good Ads database, ACT Responsible’s curated online gallery of purpose-driven advertising campaigns, developed in collaboration with AdForum. - Promotional visibility
Eligibility for inclusion in ACT promotional materials and communication packs, subject to editorial selection and partners’ requirements.
Please note:
If you would like your work to be excluded from certain promotional uses, please inform the ACT team at the time of submission. By settling the entry fee invoice, you agree to ACT Responsible’s rules and terms. We strongly encourage you to review them carefully before submitting.
If, at any time, you wish your entry to be unpublished or removed from ACT platforms, please contact our team and we will process your request.
All entries must be submitted through the ACT online submission platform during the annual ACT Call for Work from February to April.
Go on our website or send us an email at submit@act-responsible.org and we will guide you through the steps. Should you encounter any problems, contact hello@act-responsible.org
We cover the 17 Sustainable Development Goals developed by the United Nations – Ref here
- No poverty (Goal 1)
- Zero hunger (Goal 2)
- Good health and well-being (Goal 3)
- Quality education for everyone (Goal 4)
- Gender Equality (Goal 5)
- Clean water and sanitation (Goal 6)
- Affordable energy (Goal 7)
- Decent work & economic growth (Goal 8)
- Industry, innovation and infrastructure (Sustainable economy, Goal 9)
- Reduced inequalities (Goal 10)
- Sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11)
- Responsible consumption and production (Goal 12)
- Climate action (Goal 13)
- Life below water (Goal 14)
- Life on land (Goal 15)
- Peace and Justice, strong institutions (Goal 16)
- Partnerships for the goal (Goal 17)
As soon as your submission is complete, you will receive an invoice from your ACT Responsible coordinator. Please make sure you pay your invoice promptly by bank transfer or PayPal.
| BANK DETAILS : | |
| Account Name: | ASSOCIATION ACT RESPONSIBLE, Bord du Canal 33, 3966 Chalais, Switzerland |
| Bank Name : | UBS, rue Theodore Stephani 2, 3963 Crans-Montana, Switzerland |
| Account Number : | 0268-516802.60M |
| IBAN : | CH920026826851680260M |
| Swift : | UBSWCHZH80A |
Before submitting your entry, you must have your client’s approval authorising the campaign to be included in the ACT Responsible Programme.
By submitting an entry and proceeding with payment of the invoice, you confirm that you have read and agree to ACT Responsible’s rules and conditions.
If you have any questions regarding approvals or eligibility, please contact our team prior to submission on t hello@act-responsible.org
All creative material submitted to ACT Responsible remains the property of its respective owners.
By submitting an entry and once it has been validated, you grant ACT Responsible the right to reproduce, display and share selected materials for educational, editorial and promotional purposes related to the ACT Programme, including exhibitions, publications, digital platforms and communication activities aimed at raising awareness of social and environmental issues.
All materials used by ACT Responsible are systematically credited to the advertisers, agencies and partners involved, and clearly identified as part of the ACT Programme.
If, at any time, you wish your work to be removed from ACT Responsible’s website, galleries or exhibitions, please contact our team and we will process your request promptly.
ACT Annual Exhibition
The ACT Exhibition presents an annual selection of outstanding campaigns, ads and creative work addressing social and environmental issues, selected from work submitted as part of the ACT Programme by agencies, brands, NGOs and institutions worldwide.
Its purpose is to demonstrate the power of advertising creativity in raising awareness of critical global issues and driving positive change.
Each edition of the exhibition is showcased at Cannes Lions, within the ACT Exhibition @ Cannes Lions Impact Hub.
Please note that participation in the ACT Exhibition does not constitute entry into the Lions Awards competition.
Since 2020, the ACT Exhibition has also been accessible online via the dedicated platform actincannes.org.
Depending on opportunities, budget and demand, the exhibition may subsequently be presented in other locations and industry contexts around the world.
With the support of Cannes Lions, the ACT Exhibition is located at the heart of the Palais des Festivals within Lions Impact Hub.
It is hosted in the Foyer Debussy, just outside one of the Festival’s main theatres (1,000+ seats), which welcomes a high volume of delegates attending conferences and seminars throughout the week. This central location offers strong visibility and allows Festival attendees to discover the exhibition and take part in public voting as part of the ACT Tributes to Creativity for Good.
Since 2020, the ACT Exhibition has also been accessible online via the dedicated platform actincannes.org.
Please note that participation in the ACT Exhibition does not constitute entry into the Lions Awards competition.
The work presented in the ACT Exhibition is selected by the ACT editorial team.
The team reserves the right to exclude entries that may be considered inappropriate or offensive to national, cultural or religious sensibilities, or to public taste.
Selections are made based on the space available and ACT’s editorial objective to reflect both the diversity of submitted work and the breadth of creativity within the advertising and communication industry.
Please note that participating in the exhibition does not mean entry into the Lions competition.
You may submit the same campaign, ad or creative work to both ACT Responsible and Cannes Lions. The two organisations operate independently.
Please note that ACT Responsible and Cannes Lions are separate organisations and do not share entries, data or submission materials.
Participation in the ACT Programme or the ACT Exhibition does not constitute entry into the Lions Awards competition, and vice versa.
The ACT Exhibition at Cannes Lions is made possible thanks to the support of ACT members, sponsors and partners.
If you would like to get involved and benefit from visibility both on ACT platforms and at the ACT Exhibition @ Cannes Lions, please explore our Memberships options to find the level of engagement that best suits your organisation.
ACT Tributes
The ACT Responsible Tributes to Creativity for Good celebrate outstanding campaigns, ads and creative work dedicated to social and environmental causes.
Each year, during the ACT Exhibition at Cannes Lions, a public vote is organised both on site and online. These Tributes are not traditional awards: there is no jury selection and no competition between shortlisted entries. The Tributes are decided entirely by the public.
The trophies and certificates are symbolic recognitions, acknowledging agencies, brands and organisations that have used creativity and communication to drive positive change.
To be eligible for the ACT Tributes to Creativity for Good, a campaign must be selected for and presented within the ACT Exhibition.
The ACT Responsible Tributes to Champions of Good recognize outstanding individuals who use creativity, leadership, and influence to drive positive social and environmental change.
Presented by ACT Responsible at Cannes Lions, these tributes are non-competitive honors celebrating people, from brand leaders and non-profits to activists and advertising professionals who inspire progress, set meaningful examples, and demonstrate how communication can be a force for good.
Who can nominate? : Anyone can nominate a person they believe deserves to be recognised as a Champion of Good; there’s no restriction to specific organisations or roles.
How to nominate? : Nominations are made through an online form on the ACT Responsible homepage, where you provide details about the nominee’s impact, including why they deserve recognition, the outcomes of their work, and how their actions have made a difference. Nominations open in mid‑April and close on May 10th each year.
Who chooses the annual winners? : The ACT Advisory Board reviews all nominations mid may, deliberates, and conducts open votes to select the yearly winners. The ACT Champions of Good are then announced on Thursday afternoon during Cannes Lions Festival week in June.
ACT Good Report
The ACT Good Report is an annual ranking developed by ACT Responsible in collaboration with WARC Rankings.
It highlights outstanding campaigns, ads and creative work selected from submissions to the ACT Programme, recognising creative excellence in addressing social and environmental issues, promoting sustainability and advancing responsible communication.
The ACT Good Report provides a global benchmark of purpose-driven creativity across agencies, brands and organisations worldwide.
The ACT Good Report is based on a broad editorial corpus of campaigns, ads and creative work identified by ACT Responsible throughout the year, including work sourced through continuous editorial monitoring and submissions to the ACT Programme.
From these submissions, selected campaigns, ads and creative work are identified and included in the ACT Good Report based on editorial criteria such as creativity, innovation, quality of execution and relevance to social or environmental issues.
Please note:
Submitting work to ACT Responsible does not contribute to the official WARC Rankings. However, selected work submitted to the ACT Programme may be included in the ACT Good Report, which is developed in collaboration with WARC Rankings.
The ACT Good Report is based on a corpus of campaigns, ads and creative work addressing social and environmental issues, identified throughout the year through editorial monitoring and submissions to the ACT Programme.
The ranking combines the visibility and performance of selected work across ACT Responsible initiatives, including:
- the ACT Exhibition @ Cannes Lions
- the ACT Care Awards
- the ACT Tributes to Creativity for Good (public vote)
- the ACT Good Ads Database (editorial selection and engagement)
This ACT performance is combined with data from WARC Rankings, which assess a campaign’s performance across major international creative awards, according to WARC’s published methodology.
More information about the ACT Good Report is available here.
Please note:
Submitting work to ACT Responsible does not contribute to the official WARC Rankings. However, selected work submitted to the ACT Programme may be included in the ACT Good Report, which is developed in collaboration with WARC Rankings.
ACT Care Awards
The ACT Care Awards were launched by ACT Responsible in 2008 in collaboration with the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA).
They are organised with the support of the European Parliament, and each year aim to involve representatives from European institutions, including Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), as part of the judging process.
The ACT Care Awards recognise outstanding campaigns, ads and creative work that demonstrate how advertising and communication can contribute positively to society and the environment.
They highlight creative excellence across a wide range of issues, including public health, environmental protection, sustainable consumption, public safety, disability inclusion, human rights, domestic violence, child protection, homelessness, education and other major societal challenges.
The ACT Care Awards are part of the ACT Programme and follow the same annual ACT Call for Work. There is no separate submission for the Awards.
ACT Responsible uses AdForum technology as a technical submission platform. All entries are managed, reviewed and validated by ACT Responsible.
Work submitted during the ACT Call for Work may be considered for the ACT Care Awards once the submission has been paid and validated.
Key information
- The ACT Call for Work runs from February-April
- Entry fees apply, with degressive pricing for multiple submissions
- A submission is not part of the ACT Programme and not eligible for the ACT Care Awards until payment has been received and validated
For any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out at submit@act-responsible.org
Yes, please write to submit@act-responsible.org to specify your request.
Note that the fee remains the same as for the ACT Responsible Program: €450 per campaign.
ACT Good Ads database
Each year, ACT Responsible curates and maintains a searchable, open-access database of purpose-driven advertising campaigns addressing social and environmental issues.
The ACT Good Ads database is continuously enriched throughout the year through editorial selection by ACT Responsible, as well as through campaigns submitted via the ACT Call for Work, which are automatically included in the Gallery once validated.
Developed in partnership with AdForum, the ACT Good Ads database is designed to be searchable, clickable and free to access, and is widely distributed across professional platforms and partner websites.
All content featured in the database follows Adforum.com’s Terms of use and privacy policy as applicable to the hosting and distribution environment.
The ACT Good Ads database is here to help you find information about social and environmental advertising and responsible communication. This is for your own personal, non-commercial use. It is forbidden to reproduce, sell or distribute it to anyone else. If you want to make a suggestion or change, let us know, as you cannot alter the content directly on the site.
Subject to the rights of original advertisers, agencies and rights holders, and in accordance with the Terms of Use of AdForum, MayDream, the parent company of AdForum, or its subscribers or licensors own all the copyrights, trademarks and intellectual property rights on the site. You must fully respect these copyrights.
If you think we’ve infringed upon any copyrights, tell us right away and we’ll remove it from our site.
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