Top clients and agencies join industry climate campaign

Many of the biggest names in advertising and marketing – including Dentsu, Facebook, Google, Havas, Omnicom Media Group, Publicis Groupe, Sky, Unilever and WPP – have signed up to support the initiative to help UK industry respond to the climate crisis and achieve net zero carbon emissions by the end of 2030.

Ad Net Zero, which is headed by the Advertising Association, ISBA and the IPA, has announced its supporter base as it readies for a critical year in climate action.

The list of supporters, all of which have made a contribution to help the UK advertising industry achieve net zero by end 2030 through funding, specialist expertise and resourcing are: Accenture Interactive, APA, APRCO, Campaign Collective/PRCA, Channel 4, Coffee and TV, Dentsu, Direct Line, DMA, Droga5, E.ON, Facebook, Google, Guardian, Hallam, Havas, IAB UK, IPA, ISBA, ITV, JCDecaux UK, Karmarama, The Mill, Nexus, Omnicom Media Group, Park Village, PPA, Publicis Groupe, Rock Kitchen Harris, Rothco, Royal Mail, Sky, St Luke’s, Sky, STV, Unilever, Wieden+Kennedy and WPP.

In addition, Google has joined the AdGreen consortium in support of the zero carbon / zero waste ad production standard.

The supporters met as a collective for the first time this month, at a summit chaired by Unilever UK & Ireland , EVP and general manager Sebastian Munden to drive the activation of the Ad Net Zero Action Plan, unveiled in late 2020.

Five separate working working groups have been formed to make rapid progress across the Ad Net Zero action plan:

Tracking, analysing and assisting the continued reduction of carbon emissions from ad business operations, chaired by James Best, Credos;

Reducing emissions from advertising productions, chaired by Advertising Association CEO Stephen Woodford;

Reducing emissions from media choices, led by the IPA’s Media Futures Group;

Greening up the industry’s awards and events, chaired by DMA managing director Rachel Aldighieri;

Using advertising’s positive Influence, chaired by Advertising Association director of communications Matt Bourn.

Stephen Woodford said: “First, thanks to all the supporters from across our industry that have come together to make a fast start on this Action Plan. As a collective, our ambition is to set our industry on a clear path to net zero with immediate actions to measure, track and reduce the carbon impact of the way our industry operates. We will also be focusing on how UK advertising’s creativity can support the rapid shifts in consumer behaviour needed to address the climate emergency that we all face.”

Google UK & Ireland managing director Ronan Harris added: “At Google, we always strive to do what’s best for the planet, as demonstrated by our recent pledge to operate all our data centres on carbon-free energy by 2030.

“Equally, we are committed to helping the UK advertising industry wherever we can achieve its aim to be net-zero. As part of that, we look forward to contributing to Ad Net Zero and AdGreen through our expertise, insight, and resources.”

According to a recent study, nearly three-quarters (71%) of people working across the industry are worried about the negative impacts of the sector on the environment; more want their agencies to take climate action.

Many agencies and companies across the industry have taken their own steps to work more sustainably, with new policies and commitments being announced by firms large and small. But the group insists more needs to be done collectively.

People across the sector want advertising to be part of the solution to the climate crisis, through the role it can play in influencing corporate policy and consumer behaviour, helping people make more sustainable choices in what they buy, use, and do. Some 91% agree that knowing their organisation is taking climate action would improve their job satisfaction.

Ad Net Zero was established to provide space for this necessary collaboration. Working together, the supporters will drive carbon-curbing policies throughout the advertising eco-system and will strengthen and extend the sector’s response to a shared challenge.