Climate Change Data

Ad Net Zero

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2020, 2024)

Reporting Period: 2020

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:Over 84,000 tonnes CO2e/year (IPA member agencies only), potentially over a million tonnes for the whole industry

ESG Focus Areas

  • Climate Change

Environmental Achievements

  • Reduced total UK agency operational CO2e emissions from IPA-member agencies (over 84,000 tonnes a year) through various initiatives.

Social Achievements

  • Launched AdGreen, a green certification scheme for advertising production.
  • Improved employee job satisfaction (91% agree knowing their organization is taking climate action would improve job satisfaction).

Governance Achievements

  • Established Ad Net Zero initiative to coordinate industry-wide climate action.

Climate Goals & Targets

Short-term Goals:
  • Achieve real net zero carbon emissions from the development, production and media placement of advertising in the UK by the end of 2030.

Environmental Challenges

  • High carbon footprint of advertising industry operations (estimated over a million tons annually), primarily from business travel (especially flights) and energy usage.
  • Carbon-intensive advertising production processes, particularly international location shoots.
Mitigation Strategies
  • Ad Net Zero action plan with five key areas: reducing operational emissions, curbing production emissions, reducing media planning emissions, curbing awards and event emissions, and harnessing advertising's influence on consumer behavior.
  • Implementation of AdGreen for sustainable advertising production.
  • Adoption of the IPA Media Futures Group Climate Charter for lower-carbon media plans.
  • #ChangeTheBrief initiative to promote sustainable solutions in campaign briefs.

Supply Chain Management

Responsible Procurement
  • Working with suppliers who have proven green credentials
  • Procuring office supplies from environmentally sustainable companies

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: Science Based Targets initiative

Certifications: AdGreen, ISO 14001, BCorp, CarbonNeutral

Reporting Period: 2024

Environmental Metrics

Total Carbon Emissions:Not disclosed
Scope 1 Emissions:Not disclosed
Scope 2 Emissions:Not disclosed
Scope 3 Emissions:Not disclosed
Renewable Energy Share:Not disclosed
Total Energy Consumption:Not disclosed
Water Consumption:Not disclosed
Waste Generated:Not disclosed
Carbon Intensity:Not disclosed

ESG Focus Areas

  • Climate Change

Environmental Achievements

  • Global group demonstrated a 1.7% drop in absolute emissions.
  • 89% of UK supporters and 73% of US supporters have set or are working towards Paris-aligned net-zero and near-term reduction targets.
  • 100% of advertisers and large-scale tech platforms within the Ad Net Zero supporter base have reduction targets or are working towards them.
  • 59% of the global group are engaging suppliers to reduce production emissions.

Social Achievements

  • Launched Every Brief Counts pilot to encourage more sustainable behaviors in advertising.
  • Developed the Ad Net Zero Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF) to enable consistent calculation of media plan emissions.
  • Partnered with organizations like Green Element, AdGreen, and isla to provide resources and training.

Governance Achievements

  • Developed voluntary standards and frameworks for all five actions of the Ad Net Zero plan.
  • Increased transparency and accountability through data collection and reporting.

Climate Goals & Targets

Long-term Goals:
  • Net zero emissions by 2050 (mentioned as a commitment by some companies)
Medium-term Goals:
  • Not disclosed
Short-term Goals:
  • Not disclosed

Environmental Challenges

  • Inconsistent scope 1-3 reporting across the supporter base.
  • Lack of disclosure of accompanying strategies to achieve reduction targets.
  • Low engagement with supply chains across Actions 2-4.
  • Low number of companies setting media emissions reduction targets and plans.
Mitigation Strategies
  • Encouraging third-party verification of GHG emissions inventories and validation of science-based targets.
  • Releasing new voluntary tools, resources, and training.
  • Developing the Ad Net Zero Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF).
  • Providing support and resources for SMEs.

Supply Chain Management

Supplier Audits: Not disclosed

Responsible Procurement
  • Engaging suppliers to reduce production emissions
  • Providing resources and guidance to suppliers

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Physical Risks
  • Not disclosed
Transition Risks
  • Toughening regulatory environment
Opportunities
  • Creating commercially exciting opportunities in the net-zero economy

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), CDP (formerly Carbon Disclosure Project), Ad Net Zero Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF)

Certifications: ISO 20121 (for Campaign Ad Net Zero Awards ceremony)

Third-party Assurance: Not disclosed

UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • Not disclosed

Not disclosed

Sustainable Products & Innovation

  • Not disclosed

Awards & Recognition

  • Not disclosed