UK ad industry launches initiative to tackle climate emergency

Leading players in the UK advertising industry have launched Ad Net Zero – a new cross-industry initiative in response to the climate crisis to help reduce the carbon impact of UK advertising.

Ad Net Zero is initiated by the Advertising Association (AA) in partnership with ISBA and the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA). In January 2020, the three associations formed the UK industry’s Climate Action Working Group.

The working group published a report which found that the total operational carbon emissions of UK agencies could exceed 84,000 tonnes a year, with the ad industry as a whole possibly having a carbon footprint of nearly a million tons. It also found that 71% of people working across the industry are concerned about the negative impact of UK advertising on the environment, with many indicating they want their agencies to take climate action.

The initiative aims for immediate, collective industry action to help achieve net-zero carbon emissions from the development, production and media placement of advertising by the end of 2030. The Ad Net Zero hub provides a overview of industry actions such as AdGreen and relevant resources for companies and individuals interested in becoming a supporter.

Participating companies and industry associations will be asked to implement the five-point Ad Net Zero Action Plan over the next six to 12 months and their efforts to reduce the UK industry’s carbon footprint will be monitored annually.

Ad Net Zero is supported by Unilever, Sky, The Guardian, adam&eveDDB, APA, W&K, Credos, PPA, Iris, Adjust Your Set, PRCA, The Marketing Society, The Marketing Academy and Mindshare.

For more information, visit the Ad Net Zero hub or contact AA.