In recent months, the conversation on sustainability in digital advertising has been largely centred on the development of much-anticipated product-level standards. The anticipation is justified; brands have long expressed that the streamlining of environmental performance estimation is a key prerequisite to substantial reductions of their ad spend’s carbon footprint. A common basis for emissions models would also enable solutions providers to focus on optimisation and deal with the uncertainty created by the current variance between estimates.

Programmatic is an area of focus, commonly regarded as a hotspot in terms of a digital ad campaign’s value chain. Trust and transparency, supply path optimisation, measurement, and ad fraud prevention are all topics that share a significant intersection with environmental efficiency.

While viewing the issue of programmatic emissions through a product-level lens is certainly valuable in terms of integrating greenhouse gas (GHG) impact into the decision-making processes (especially to IAB Europe members, brought together by the digital advertising business model and value chain), an enterprise-level perspective can provide valuable insights. Cedara’s newest research report, titled Scope 1-3 Emissions Measurement for Digital Media Businesses, addresses a topic that sometimes takes the role of the elephant in the room: the interplay between product-level programmatic emissions and the total GHG footprint of ad tech platforms across the ecosystem. Cedara’s strategy is characterised by a focus on enterprise-level emissions; the figures shared in the research report represent averages of activity and intensity data collected directly from digital media businesses.

Before addressing the report’s implications, it must be noted that it is also a great educational resource for digital ad professionals seeking to build an understanding of emissions scopes within their field. The report includes a clear explanation of the emissions sources considered based on GHG Protocol’s categories. Besides product-level emissions, considerations include corporate overhead such as purchased electricity and business travel across all three emissions scopes.

What important insights are shared in the report?

1. More than 95% of a programmatic ad platform’s total emissions fall under scope 3, also known as supply chain emissions. Of those, more than 90% come from media, as estimated by the SRIxAD framework. The framework includes ad selection and delivery infrastructure as well as user devices as emissions sources.
   
2. Of those emissions tied to programmatic, about 73% are tied to auctioning calls (avail transmission, bid requests/responses) and 14% are tied to the transmission of the creative. In total, 87% of emissions result from network utilisation, and only 6% result from data centres.
   
3. In the case of managed services, 63% of emissions are associated with transmission of the creative, and 33% result from load and render on user devices.

What are the implications?

1. On voluntary reduction targets set through the Science-Based Targets initiative: digital ad emissions must be included in the emissions inventory of any firm with an environmental profile resembling the above. Quoting the report, “SBTi requires that if total Scope 3 emissions represent 40% or more of total scopes 1, 2, and 3 emissions, then they shall be included in near-term targets. SBTi doesn’t yet have an understanding of the total emissions derived from media delivery so businesses may be able to slip through by leaving out media operations. However, the media industry should assume that SBTi will have this data in the future which could have a possible effect on a business' prior net zero submission (assuming media data was not included).” Cedara’s conclusion is aligned with a previous IAB Europe blog post on SBTi and GHG Protocol.

2. On programmatic ad platforms considering their sustainability strategy: good news, upcoming standards will enable harmonised estimation of the apparent carbon hotspot in the value chain. As such, the levers for reduction are likely to become clearer. When reducing programmatic waste and addressing issues, such as excessive reselling, ad tech platforms will also be tackling their largest source of emissions. The digital advertising ecosystem must work together to support these efforts and minimise GHG impact across the value chain; these emissions are part of scope 3 for everyone involved.
   
3. On emissions modelling and placement- or campaign-level GHG estimation: additional work is required to understand the actual environmental impact of network transfers. At present, there is no clear consensus regarding the GHG intensity of the internet. It would be virtually impossible for firms within the digital advertising ecosystem to model a system so large and complex. However, there are meaningful actions that can be undertaken to ensure the intensities used are as representative as possible given they can significantly alter final estimates:
   
   1. Assess intensities derived from research and lifecycle assessments (LCA) in terms of robustness. A qualitative check can include parameters such as recency and applicability of assumptions. For example, LCAs may rely on data that is only representative of specific local markets.
      
   2. Refine the network transmission component of GHG estimation solutions through increased levels of granularity in terms of data transfer and payloads. Furthermore, integrate modelling of content delivery networks; their usage likely has a substantial impact on total efficiency across both data centres and networks.
      
   3. Converge on specific common assumptions and protect GHG estimates from undue adjustments. Seeing as network usage represents both a large and largely uncertain portion of total emissions, it might be prudent to establish a baseline intensity until estimates can be further refined.

Cedara’s report is a valuable addition to the growing collection of work connecting advancements in product-level GHG estimation with enterprise-level accounting. With a significant portion of programmatic ad platforms' total emissions falling under scope 3, particularly from ad delivery and network utilisation, the path forward involves concerted efforts in streamlining estimation methods and targeting the most impactful areas for reduction. Embracing upcoming standards will not only clarify the carbon footprint across the value chain but also enable ad tech platforms to effectively address their largest sources of emissions, thereby supporting voluntary reduction targets such as those set by the Science-Based Targets initiative. As the industry moves towards more precise GHG intensity assessments and harmonised modelling frameworks, collaboration and transparency will be key in minimising the environmental impact of digital advertising and achieving long-term sustainability goals.

Emissions estimation, carbon footprint across the value chain, and voluntary reduction targets are just a few of the core areas IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee focuses on. If you are interested in finding out more about any of these topics, the work of the committee, or how you can get involved, please contact Colombe at michaud@iabeurope.eu or me at beis@iabeurope.eu. 

Committee participation is open to all members of IAB Europe and key resources produced by the committee can be explored in our Sustainability Hub here.

As companies look to address the environmental impact of their business activity, ambitious yet feasible emissions reduction targets are necessary. For businesses (inside and outside of the digital advertising ecosystem) reduction targets serve multiple goals; they act as benchmarks for sustainability strategies and action plans, allow firms to be held accountable to their environmental objectives, and signal a company’s commitment to decreasing its footprint. In the absence of guidelines, however, setting such reduction targets can be a difficult task to undertake. What sources of emissions must be included? What level of reduction should firms aim for? What period should reduction plans be based on, and how often should progress be checked? Having a common reference point to answer these questions is paramount. Thankfully, businesses can refer to the Science Based Targets initiative’s (SBTi) Corporate Net-Zero Standard, a framework created to guide them in becoming net-zero organisations. 

To help businesses in the digital advertising industry kick-start their reduction journey, we’ve outlined some key information on how the SBTi Standard works, how reduction targets can be set, and the specific challenges of the SBTi target adoption to the digital advertising industry below. 

We have also released a complimentary podcast episode here, where we dive into the intricate world of carbon emissions in digital advertising further with Benjamin Davy, Sustainability Director at Teads.   

How does the SBTi Corporate Net-Zero Standard work?

The framework set out by SBTi lays a path for firms to achieve net-zero, otherwise understood as the state in which a business has a (on balance) non-negative contribution to environmental degradation and climate change. As a reminder, corporate emissions are categorised into three scopes, defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol:

• Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from owned or controlled sources.
• Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the generation of purchased energy.
• Scope 3 emissions are all indirect emissions that occur in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emissions.

The SBTi Standard declares that organisations achieve net-zero by:

1. Reducing scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions to zero or a residual level consistent with reaching global net-zero emissions or at a sector level in eligible 1.5°C-aligned pathways.

2. Permanently neutralising any residual emissions at the net-zero target year and any GHG emissions released into the atmosphere thereafter.

Simply put, the definition of net-zero put forward by SBTi is based on scientific estimates of how much global emissions have to be reduced for the average global temperature to rise by a maximum of 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2050. The SBTi also defines separate reduction targets for sectors such as shipping and power generation that are significantly more carbon-intensive. Firms that operate in all other sectors may follow the generic, cross-sectoral pathway to net- zero. An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) pathway exists in the SBTi framework, which focuses on data centres, and fixed and mobile network operators. The ICT-specific pathway also features a formula to calculate a reduction target for emissions resulting from data centre operations. There is currently no SBTi pathway specifically designed for marketing and advertising activity.

How does a company set a reduction target under the Corporate Net-Zero Standard?

Under the SBTi framework, companies set two targets: a long-term target that expresses the total level of emissions reduction required in each sector, and a short-term target of a 5-10-year horizon that describes the reduction path they will take. Once their short-term target date is reached, a new short-term target is calculated. In summary, short-term targets are milestones to ensure accountability and progress towards the long-term goal of net-zero emissions.

1. Setting organisational boundaries & developing an emissions inventory

The first step to establishing SBTi targets is developing a complete greenhouse gas inventory in compliance with the GHG Protocol, which includes 95% of scope 1 and 2 emissions, as well as a complete scope 3 inventory. When setting organisational boundaries, companies must select one of the following consolidation approaches for this inventory:

A. Equity Share - emissions from an operation are accounted for by a firm according to its share of equity in the operation.

B. Financial Control - all emissions that the firm has financial control over are accounted for.

C. Operational Control - all emissions that the firm has operational control over are accounted for.

Scope 3 inventories used for SBTi submissions must be developed per the GHG Protocol Scope 3 Standard and GHG Protocol Scope 3 Calculation Guidance. These documents contain criteria for determining which upstream and downstream activities should be accounted for. The Scope 3 Standard also provides a list of activities that must always be included in a company’s emissions inventory for science-based targets submission. These are referred to as mandatory scope 3 emissions.

Two-thirds of mandatory scope 3 emissions must be included in the short-term target if scope 3 emissions represent more than 40% of a company’s total emissions, and 90% must be included in the long-term target regardless. By making this distinction, the SBTi Standard provides some leeway to companies facing scope 3 assessment challenges.

Regarding scope 1 and 2 emissions, 95% must be covered by both near-term and long-term reduction targets.

2. Setting targets

Companies can then set short- and long-term targets relative to a base year they define. The company’s emission profile from the base year must be representative of its current environmental performance and allow for ambition in terms of improvement. Subsidiaries may set their own targets, but must also be included in the parent company’s SBTi submission using the selected consolidation method.

Unless a company’s SBTi submission is based on sector-specific targets, near-term targets are calculated based on a reduction rate of 4.2% per year, and long-term targets are fixed at an overall reduction of 90%. These are absolute emissions targets, referring to the total of a company’s emissions rather than the GHG intensity of its activity. For scope 2 emissions, targets may be substituted by an 80% and 100% renewable energy procurement target by 2025 and 2030 respectively. Renewable energy certificates (RECs) and virtual power purchase agreements (VPPAs) are accepted here.

Scope 3 targets may be defined separately either in terms of physical intensity, using a self-defined metric (e.g. CO₂e per kb), or economic intensity, using CO₂e per unit of value added. These must be reduced by at least 7% year-on-year and 97% overall. Another option for near-term scope 3 targets is to set supplier and customer engagement targets, which aim for SBTi target establishment across a firm’s value chain.

What are a company’s commitments under the SBTi?

The SBTi framework allows businesses to set credible, verifiable targets that are informed by the current scientific understanding of the effect of global economic activity on climate change. Companies that wish to set emissions reduction targets using the Corporate Net-Zero standard must embark on an extensive process to develop verified emissions inventories and targets. The SBTi publishes a record of all targets set under the framework and checks for compliance with the Standard’s requirements on a rolling basis. As such, the organisation can ensure that firms with active targets are working to carry out their commitments - by issuing annual emissions reports, for example. Companies that are found to be non-compliant risk being removed from the SBTi database.

SBTi targets are a long-term commitment for companies; besides pledging that it will achieve net-zero before 2050, a company with SBTi targets also commits to issue short-term targets and report progress perpetually until net-zero is achieved.

What are the challenges relative to SBTi target adoption in digital advertising?

According to IAB Europe’s latest State of Readiness Report, only 18% of firms have set environmental reduction targets, through SBTi or otherwise, with a further 15% of respondents claiming they are in the process of establishing targets. The digital advertising ecosystem, spanning from advertisers to publishers, has certain unique challenges to address relating to greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory development and reduction target-setting:

1. Lack of consistent application of protocol and standards. Not all greenhouse gas inventories are born equal. Apart from the obvious comparison that can be drawn between the levels of reduction that different companies aim to achieve, inventories and targets can also vary significantly depending on which activities are accounted for, and how their resultant emissions are modelled. Most importantly, in the absence of sector-specific guidance related to corporate emissions reporting, multiple interpretations of GHG Protocol and SBTi standards may be valid and verifiable. The selection of which scope 3 activities to include can range from business to business. Certain activities may be excluded because the firm does not have access to high-quality data, and including the activity would reduce the overall quality of the GHG inventory. In the long-term, the SBTi states inventories will cover the sources of at least 90% of scope 3 emissions. Before we get there, the current list of mandatory scope 3 emissions sources may not suffice in addressing major components of the digital advertising value chain. For example, from a publisher's perspective, the emissions resulting from SSP activity would fall under Scope 3.11 in the GHG Protocol, “Use of Sold Products”. These are indirect use-phase emissions that are excluded from the Scope 3 Standard’s minimum boundary and considered optional.

2. Technical complexity and interdependence. Most firms report scope 3 emissions that outweigh their scope 1 and 2 emissions. This is especially true for the digital advertising ecosystem, where a majority of companies rely on partners for services such as cloud storage and computing. In addition, multiple ad tech, data, verification, and measurement platforms are activated for each delivered impression. While there are vendors trying to map the programmatic supply chain and offer estimates for GHG emissions across it, further work is required to increase the quality of their models and enable businesses to truly understand their scope 3 emissions. Optimally, both the demand and supply side should source corporate intensity figures directly from their tech partners to be compliant with recommendations in the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard. At the moment, they may not even be able to identify all the businesses included in their programmatic supply/demand chain at one point or another, rendering accurate scope 3 reporting impossible.

3. Reliance on major diversified firms. The digital advertising industry is reliant on key tech providers with operations that are diversified both in terms of scope and geography. Companies looking to develop GHG inventories and set SBTi targets require emissions data that is specific to the services they purchase and business units they partner with. However, corporate emissions reports often lack the level of granularity required to obtain intensities at a business unit or media product level, leaving firms with no information on the level of emissions that should be included in their scope 3. This challenge may be addressed should tech providers issue product-level intensities, the need for which is highlighted in GHG Protocol documentation in the cases of diversified suppliers.
   
4. Lack of education is highlighted as a key obstacle to environmental sustainability by 90% of the industry according to our report. We must not forget that the conversation on sustainability is still at a nascent stage, and a lot more work is required to move the digital advertising industry along the learning curve. As more business leaders are educated on the importance of sustainability, and pressure from clients, partners, investors, and regulatory bodies grows, we are bound to see the pool of businesses with SBTi targets grow as well. At the moment, our research suggests that a non-negligible part of the digital advertising industry still regards sustainability as an unknown or potential cost centre rather than an opportunity.

5. Lack of financial resources. As aforementioned, the development of a GHG inventory and the setting of SBTi targets represents a substantial commitment, with financial implications. Firms may be holding off for now due to the cost of establishing a dedicated sustainability lead or working with an external advisor or consultancy. Furthermore, they may be hesitant to commit to the long-term costs associated with collecting scope 1, 2, and 3 data, publishing annual emissions reports, and investing in GHG footprint reduction. In an unstable market environment, and one in which firms are burdened with adapting to paradigm shifts such as the deprecation of third-party cookies, sustainability may not top the priority list for all.

Designing an emissions reduction strategy can be challenging, but it’s important that businesses make a start by setting targets.  To help businesses in the digital advertising ecosystem take action, our Sustainability Standards Committee brings industry stakeholders together to create and share best practices and develop standards that help reduce the amount of energy consumed and emissions produced by digital advertising.

Committee participation is open to all members of IAB Europe and key resources produced by the committee can be explored in our Sustainability Hub here. 

For more information on the committee and how you can get involved, please reach out to Lauren Wakefield - wakefield@iabeurope.eu or Dimitris Beis - beis@iabeurope.eu. 

Thanks to the support of our event host Meta and event partner Ad Net Zero, we enjoyed a packed morning full of thought-provoking and inspiring content and discussions as we look to collectively drive and achieve key sustainability goals in our industry.

Check out the summary of all the key highlights below.

Opening Remarks

The event kicked off with Angie Gifford, Vice President, EMEA from Meta taking to the stage to outline her own personal experience as to why climate change is critical. After witnessing firsthand the severe rate at which the icecaps are melting in Greenland, she went on to say that what we are doing as an industry right now “is not enough” and that we all have our part to play in “moving the needle” to driving real change. Angie outlined the commitment Meta has made in this area, highlighting they have maintained net zero emissions for their global operations since 2020 and have an ambitious goal to reach net zero emissions for their value chain in 2030.

Our event host Christy Cooper, Global Director of Industry Relations from Meta added more insight into what needs to happen in order to shift focus and drive action. “As an industry, we are all committed optimists but now is the time for us to take more decisive action”. She reiterated that Meta is keen to support client and agency partners with their goals to measure the emissions of digital advertising, and was one of the founding partners of Ad Net Zero. Christy’s sentiment ran through the event, reminding us all that we cannot just talk to the converted, we have to reach those still not taking action with their sustainability plans. 

Anthony Falco, Global Director at Ad Net Zero then took to the stage to share the work that Ad Net Zero is doing to help the industry to decarbonise the production, distribution, and publication of advertising. He outlined the Ad Net Zero five point action plan, which provides a framework for businesses to make progress when it comes to decarbonising the ad industry and promoting sustainable consumer behaviour. This is categorised into these categories :

• Getting our own houses in order
• Reducing emissions from the advertising process
• Using influence to change behaviour 

He also discussed how they are embarking on driving an industry-wide commitment to measurement and reduction, and how they plan to scale these efforts across the Globe.

Find out more about Ad Net Zero here.

Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe then shared the work of IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee, and how it is working hard to bring industry stakeholders together to share expertise and deliver vital work that helps to reduce the amount of energy consumed and emissions produced by the delivery of digital advertising. She explained that the work is split into the following key areas and how this work contributes to wider industry initiatives:

• ESG Definitions & Business Guidance: Education and best practice tools for the industry  
• ESG Methodology & Framework: Focusing on the challenging task of environmental impact assessment 
• ESG Policy & Regulation: Regulatory and policy taxonomy mapping

Great Work: A Spotlight on Best Practices

Isabelle Quevilly, Director of Creative Shop, NEMEA at Meta took to the stage, to share a fantastic example of brands driving action and change by showing the WFF campaign Meta created to reduce the amount of meat consumed. The case study showed how brands can use the power of digital advertising to speak directly to consumers, to encourage them to make small changes that can make a huge difference to our planet.

The campaign potentially had an impact of 33K tons GHG emissions reduction  (with 91,600 people declaring they made little swaps, such as swapping meat for a vegetarian diet once a week).

Isabelle was then joined by IAB Europe’s Marketing & Communications Director, Lauren Wakefield for an insightful Q&A discussion. Key highlights included:

• Don’t be afraid to tap into creativity and consider how influencers can be used to create an impact on consumers.
• Whilst it’s important to avoid the trap of greenwashing, we shouldn’t shy away from discussing environmental issues but rather embrace innovative ways of speaking to consumers. 
• We must be prepared to fail, so that we can learn, improve, and continue to create great, engaging work that makes a difference.
• The roles of the CMO and CSO and how they work together should also be considered. Sustainability is everyone’s problem and cross-team collaboration is essential to its success.

Measurement: The Carbon Emissions of Advertising

We then moved to the topic of measurement, which was one of the main action points of the event. In order to create real change and move the needle it is imperative that our industry has consistent measurement standards in place, so that we can benchmark our efforts and accurately represent the reduction of carbon emissions. At IAB Europe, we are currently working on a gap analysis of presently available options for greenhouse gas estimation throughout the digital media supply chain. Our aim here is to provide the industry with a full, clear picture of what frameworks, methodologies, and estimators are available so that more informed decisions can be made.

We invited our panel to take to the stage to discuss this in more detail.

Moderated by Phil Smith, Director General of ISBA, who was joined by Craig Fryer, Global Media Director at Reckitt, Laura Wade, Head of Sustainability Strategy at EssenceMediacom, and Dimitis Beis, Data Analyst & Sustainability Manager at IAB Europe the panel discussed how we are working across the industry to align on a global measurement framework to measure the emissions of ads. 

Key takeaways from the discussion included:

• As the concept of measuring carbon emissions in digital advertising is still nascent and there are many different solutions available, as well as a variety of approaches across different markets, it is difficult for the industry to navigate measurement. 
• As an industry, we need consistency in order to create meaningful change and to find common denominators across existing estimators, so that we can use this as a benchmark for reduction.
• Due diligence is necessary but we also need more prioritisation (especially from marketers). We must face the pressure, overcome competitive values, and build trust and transparency. This needs to happen now so that we can move on and make a tangible difference. It’s “about building the plane whilst flying the plane” and creating an “active hope movement”. 
• There is consensus that the industry needs to get to the same point but there also has to be education first and to make a framework that is easy to adopt. The solution has to be the right one. 
• The WFA and GARM have experience in this area and are working with Ad Net Zero, with the support of other Industry Associations including IAB Europe, to develop a Global cross-channel framework to improve the environmental efficiency of media activity by enabling reductions throughout the media planning, buying and reporting process.
• The industry should embrace the importance of continuous learning and not hesitate to question agencies and industry associations to help drive reduction solutions and change.
• Finally, look at the number of partners in your supply chain and control the range and depth of quality to eliminate waste.

Policy: The Future of EU Regulation on Sustainability

We then moved on to the topic of policy and regulation as IAB Europe’s Public Policy Manager, Ines Talavera de la Esperanza discussed the current policy and regulatory sustainability landscape in the EU, including relevant passed and live legislation that we should be aware of. She also shared her predictions for the end of the year and the potential impact of the EU Parliament 2024 elections. 

You can view the content shared on relevant regulations here, with the main takeaway being that she predicts that the new 2024 EU parliament will be a catalyst for more regulation that is likely to have an impact on digital advertising when it comes to sustainability. 

What’s Next?

To round everything up Christy Cooper, Global Director of Industry Relations at Meta invited Townsend Feehan, CEO of IAB Europe, and Stephen Woodford, CEO of the Advertising Association to the stage to discuss their thoughts on the content covered and what we should expect next:

Here’s what they had to say:

Stephen - “We are at a tipping point. In terms of the climate crisis, we are now 20 years ahead of where we should be. With this being the hottest year on record, our planet is in crisis. As an industry, we are not going fast enough, and every day that we are not making progress we are adding to the problem. 2024 has to be a tipping point and we have to do so much better.”

Townsend - “How do we get more committed optimists? Is it that we need more resources and funding to do this? We need total candor from members about what we are doing as industry associations. Where are we getting in the way of solving the problem? Tell us honestly what we can do more of so we can drive positive action.”

In summary, the energy and passion of our industry can get ahead of regulation, but we have to make this happen now. The main action point is to drive those not yet working on plans into action and through the work of our committee, alongside our Global allies including GARM and Ad Net Zero, we need to focus on getting measurement in place so that we can finally see the change we are making. We need facts and hard numbers, and we all need to act. 

Overall, it was an amazing opportunity to be in a room full of “committed optimists”. Whether it’s harnessing new creative approaches, fostering action through impactful campaigns, seeking knowledge, or finding other ways to just do better, we look forward to continuing our work together and to achieving sustainability in digital advertising. 

Brussels, Belgium, 8th June 2023 -IAB Europe, the leading European-level industry association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem, today announced the release of a new European IAB Common Commitment Agreement on Sustainability signed by 20 National IABs and Federations across Europe. The Commitment demonstrates the need and wants from National Federations for a collaborative and consistent approach to the measurement methodology of carbon emissions. This includes the regulatory and policy taxonomy, and the mapping and standardisation of best practices for the delivery of ads across the digital supply chain.

Uniting on Sustainable Digital Advertising: Reducing Carbon Emissions and Taking Climate Action

The digital advertising industry has identified that the carbon emissions associated with the internet, devices, and supporting systems have reached nearly 4% of global greenhouse emissions. With these emissions projected to double in the near future, it is crucial for the industry to acknowledge the climate crisis and take decisive action now. This will help to ensure a sustainable advertising choice for brands while most importantly, helping to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the digital advertising ecosystem.

In response to this urgent need, IAB Europe, along with National IABs and Federation signatories, is committed to providing guidance and support to organisations on their sustainability journeys. By working collectively, they aim to establish consistent European standards, practices, and solutions that address the critical issues of sustainability.

The Common Commitment reflects a shared vision and dedication to a comprehensive work plan. This plan will be delivered by IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee and will involve developing strategies, guidelines, and taxonomies that align with regulations and policies while considering the broader aspects of sustainability, including environmental, social, and economic impacts. It will also help elevate work being done at a National level to bring it up to a European level in a consistent manner and will prioritise the reduction of carbon emissions specifically associated with digital advertising and emphasise the importance of climate action. 

By uniting its efforts, the digital advertising industry can take significant steps towards a more sustainable future, mitigating the environmental impact and contributing to the United Nations' 17 sustainable development goals. 

Commenting on the release of the Commitment, IAB Europe’s CEO, Townsend Feehan said, “The aspiration to reduce CO₂ emissions in the digital advertising supply chain will test our capacity to act in unison more than any other policy or business goal.  The Common Commitment we are announcing today is a modest but critical step, enabling our European network to collaborate at an unprecedented pace internally and bringing critical mass to our engagement with global partners."

The Participating National Federations can be viewed here:

• Markus Plank, President, IAB Austria
• Carsten Rasner, Managing Director, BVDW
• Marianne Bugge Zederkof, CEO, IAB Denmark
• Arthur Millet, CEO, IAB France (Alliance Digitale) 
• Elena Tsakiridou, General Manager, IAB HELLAS 
• István Sopov, Chairman, IAB Hungary
• Suzanne McElligott, CEO, IAB Ireland
• Sergio Amati, CEO, IAB Italy
• Saskia Baneke, Delfgaauw, Managing Director, VIA Netherlands 
• Camilla Grund, CEO, INMA - IAB Norway
• Wlodzimierz Schmidt, CEO & Chair, IAB Poland
• Luís Falcão, Operations Director, IAB Portugal
• Gabriel Patru, President, IAB Romania 
• Nenad Milic , Executive Director, IAB Serbia 
• Zoran Savin, CEO, IAB Slovenija
• Reyes Justribó, CEO, IAB Spain
• Kenneth Danielsson, CEO, IAB Sweden
• Burak Ertaş, Chairman of the Board, IAB Türkiye 
• Jon Mew, CEO, IAB UK
• Anastasiya Baydachenko, CEO, IAB Ukraine

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors:

About IAB Europe

IAB Europe is the European-level association for the digital marketing and advertising ecosystem. Its mission is to promote the interests of the industry, and enable cross-ecosystem collaboration amongst its national federation and corporate members to drive solutions to shared challenges and develop frameworks, standards, and programmes that contribute to sustainable growth and innovation.

About IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee

IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee was formed in October 2022 with the primary focus of bringing the industry together to create standards for the delivery of digital advertising and to help all industry participants to reduce the amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions produced through the use of digital media.

This virtual event brought industry experts together to discuss the state of readiness of our industry today. Speakers explored what is currently available to help drive the reduction of carbon emissions produced by the delivery of digital advertising and dived into what else needs to be done in order to achieve a sustainable future for our industry. 

In this post, you will find an overview of each of the sessions as well as links to the video recordings for you to view in your own time. Enjoy!

Keynote Presentation: Sustainability in Digital Advertising  – Andrew Hayward-Wright, Programmatic & Sustainability Advisor, IAB Europe

In this keynote presentation, Andrew Hayward-Wright, IAB Europe's Programmatic & Sustainability Advisor shared an overview of our industry to see where we are and how far we have progressed in our journey toward sustainable digital advertising. He also revealed why the time for us to act is now.

View the State of Readiness Report here and watch the session recording here

Panel Discussion with Audience Q&A: What’s Happening at a Local Level? Current Initiatives from National IABs

A panel of National IAB representatives shared some of the latest initiatives worked on at a local market level and discussed how we can bring these initiatives to a European and Global level.

Watch the session recording here

Panel Discussion with Audience Q&A: State of Play: What Are Corporate Companies Doing Today?

In this session industry experts shared some of the great work and initiatives they have seen in our industry to ensure sustainable digital advertising to date. They discussed current examples and different advertising techniques & technologies that are or are working towards being environmentally and socially responsible, while also being economically viable.

Watch the session recording here

Keynote Presentation – Confronting the Climate Emergency: How can the Media do Better – James Fleetham, Head of Client Sales, The Guardian 

Watch the session recording here

Panel Discussion with Audience Q&A  – How Do We Advance Sustainability in Digital Advertising

A panel of industry experts rounded up the above-mentioned initiatives and discussed what needs to happen next as we aim to advance and achieve sustainability in digital advertising.

Watch the session recording here 

If you're keen to learn more about sustainability in digital advertising and want a quick 101 overview from those most in the know why not check out our new Explainer Video here.

But before we can start to drive real change, we need to be clear on what we mean by sustainable digital advertising when it comes to the supply chain. Whilst there is a lot of key work being done at a local level, right now, the industry lacks a clear and consistent overall European and Global definition of what the delivery of sustainable digital advertising actually means. And if we are to create valuable work and make meaningful change, we must have a common definition and language in place.

As such, IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee has worked together to establish a definition for Sustainable Digital Advertising, as outlined below. This definition forms the basis of the key work and road map that the committee is working on.

Definition of Sustainable Digital Advertising

Sustainable digital advertising refers to the practice of using digital marketing and advertising techniques and technologies in a way that mitigates the negative impact on the environment and society, whilst also being economically viable.

This includes the digital supply chain, and the technologies used to deliver the ad from the agency or advertisers system to the end user’s screen, and covers the three pillars of sustainability. This does not encompass the creative production process, advertised emissions, or activities outside of this scope.

Environmental Sustainability in Digital Advertising [Updated 29th February 2024]

Environmental sustainability in digital advertising refers to the adoption of actions and strategies by digital advertising stakeholders to reduce and ultimately minimise the aggregated negative environmental impact of business activity across the digital advertising value chain. First by reducing the environmental impacts resulting from the lifecycle of IT resources associated with the delivery of digital ads, including but not limited to Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and their effect on the climate emergency, and finally through investment in decarbonisation efforts and voluntary contribution to positive environmental initiatives where reduction is not possible.

Social Sustainability in Digital Advertising

Social sustainability in digital advertising refers to the impact that the industry has on people and communities. This includes, but is not limited to, employment, diversity and inclusion, data privacy and ethics, brand and browsing safety, online veracity of information, and fraud and transparency, meaning that organisations consider the impact of their actions, products, and services on the wider society and not just on customers and suppliers.

Economic Sustainability in Digital Advertising

Economic sustainability in digital advertising refers to the ability of a company or industry to generate profits, and support itself, its employees, and its community financially over the long term. It can be impacted by factors such as the cost of delivering digital ads, the efficiency of operations, and the level of demand for digital advertising services.

It is important for companies to align their sustainability practices with the CSRD, which requires a growing number of companies to report on their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance.

By considering all three pillars of sustainability [environmental, social, economic] digital advertising companies and individuals can make choices that address the need for immediate action to tackle the climate crisis, whilst considering the needs of the future. In doing so organisations will help to ensure the long-term health and prosperity of the industry and the communities it serves.

The IAB Europe Sustainability Standards Committee recognises the great work being done across all sectors of our industry to drive the sustainability agenda and is actively engaged with other key initiatives such as IAB Tech Lab and Ad Net Zero. The committee work track is also open to input and guidance to ensure outputs are progressed with success. You can find more information on the committee and how you can get involved below.

About IAB Europe Sustainability Standards Committee

IAB Europe’s Sustainability Standards Committee was formed in October 2022 with the primary focus of bringing the industry together to create standards for the delivery of digital advertising and to help all industry participants to reduce the amount of energy consumed and carbon emissions produced through the use of digital media.

The committee is open to all IAB Europe members, including corporate companies and National IABs from across Europe.

For more information and to join the committee please email communication@iabeurope.eu