Industry action group Clean Creatives has penned an open letter to IPG shareholders ahead of the vote to decide its merger with Omnicom on 18 March.

In the letter, the group spotlights the legal and financial risks of working with the fossil fuel industry, with the potential unification resulting in one single agency being tied to 124 contracts with fossil fuel companies globally.

Presenting direct concerns about the “significant business and reputational risks tied to ongoing work with fossil fuel clients”, the letter urges IPG stakeholders and investors to consider the long-term factors relating to “safeguarding the value and stability of the combined company”.

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“Investors in IPG and Omnicom should understand the fossil fuel related risks for the merged companies. A combined agency means combined talent – but also combined risk from lawsuits, conflicts of interest, and reputational exposure,” said Duncan Meisel, director at Clean Creatives.

“A major Omnicom client, State Farm, was forced to cancel their Super Bowl campaign this year due to climate damages caused by fossil fuels. More steps may be required to resolve the business challenges presented by their reliance on fossil fuel clients.”

With key clients set to include ExxonMobil, Shell and Total, the letter lists specific examples of how such contracts have significantly damaged the reputation of WPP, Dentsu, and most recently Havas, which was stripped of its B Corp status after a entering into a lucrative contract with Shell.