More Global Organisations Commit To Ad Net Zero International Roll-Out

PubMatic and Reckitt back expansion of advertising industry’s climate initiative

NEW YORK, October 19, 2022: PubMatic and Reckitt have joined the Ad Net Zero Global Group to support the international roll-out of the climate action initiative, a development celebrated at a special VIP reception at the British Consulate during Advertising Week New York, hosted by His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for North America and HM Consul General New York, Emma Wade-Smith OBE. This news follows the recent appointment of John Osborn, former OMD and BBDO US CEO, as the first Ad Net Zero USA Director.

The Global Group was established at LIONS in June 2022 and these new supporters join the world’s major advertising agency holding companies, dentsu international, Havas, Interpublic Group, Omnicom, Publicis Groupe and WPP, Unilever – one of the world’s largest advertisers, global tech companies, Google and Meta, European media company Sky, US trade bodies, ANA, 4A’s (American Association of Advertising Agencies) and IAB, the WFA representing global advertisers, European and global agency associations, EACA and Voxcomm, and the IAA. Ascential, owners of LIONS, also support the Global Group’s efforts, helping convene international action to help tackle the climate emergency, alongside the three original founding UK trade bodies of Ad Net Zero, the AA, the IPA and ISBA.

The Global Group remains open for more international organisations to join and help the roll-out plans. One of its key tasks will be to explore how the industry can determine a consistent and robust framework for the measurement and management of GHG emissions from media, which by WPP estimates account for around 55% of the emissions from advertising operations. A working group, chaired by Reckitt’s Global Media Director, Craig Fryer, will determine what the best options are, using the expertise of the global membership’s organisations and seeking advice and input from other interested parties.

Sebastian Munden, Chair of Ad Net Zero, and former Executive Vice President, Unilever UK & Ireland, said: “The commitment to decarbonise our industry and harness its power to promote more sustainable behaviours continues to grow. This group of leaders have come together to find ways to drive long-lasting change to our industry’s carbon footprint that ensures companies thrive and compete into the future without damaging the planet. They will be wrestling with some of the biggest issues we face but I’m confident we will make swift and effective progress together.”

John Osborn, Ad Net Zero USA Director, said: “This expansion of support comes at a critical time for action. The US ad market, which represents 40% of the world’s ad spend, can make a huge impact on progress – we’re determined to see this happen in 2023 as we build out the US chapter. I urge any business leader interested to get in touch and join this initiative.”

Fabrice Beaulieu, Chief Marketing, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, Reckitt, said: “At Reckitt, our ambition is to be net zero by 2040, because we understand the impact that climate change is having on everybody’s health, our lives and our world. Our ambition covers everything we do, reducing the carbon footprint of our factories, our brands, and their communications. Signing this pledge with Ad Net Zero recognises the breadth of our carbon footprint. It reaffirms our ambition and our purpose at Reckitt, to protect heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner and healthier world.”

Johanna Bauman, Chief Marketing Officer, PubMatic, said: “PubMatic is committed to building digital advertising’s supply chain of the future – one that is transparent, efficient, effective, and also responsible. The challenges of environmental sustainability are too big for any one company to address alone, and we must collectively align on standards, implementation frameworks and target outcomes. We are proud to join our peers from across the ecosystem to drive Ad Net Zero’s global and local efforts forward. Together, we can make progress achievable to all and drive substantive change across our industry.”

Craig Fryer, Global Media Director, Reckitt, said: “There is a real challenge on how the industry accurately measures the carbon emissions from media and there isn’t currently a clear action plan on how to address this issue. I am delighted to lead the Ad Net Zero Global media working group conversation to identify one solution for such an important initiative, so we have a uniform way of measuring and then reducing the carbon emissions within our media plans.”

About Ad Net Zero

The Ad Net Zero 5-point action plan pledges to decarbonise advertising operations, with businesses committing to robust, verified plans to reduce their emissions. It also pledges to use the power of advertising to accelerate the switch to more sustainable products and services for consumers. The programme provides a roadmap for action in all ad markets, with the flexibility to adapt and develop-market specific solutions. It offers tools readily available internationally, like the AdGreen carbon calculator to help to measure and reduce emissions from advertising production. For more information, please visit www.adnetzero.com.

The Ad Net Zero Global Group is supporting roll-out in major advertising markets with immediate focus on the US and the EU, working in partnership with the UK team. The next update will be presented at the Ad Net Zero Global Summit which will take place online on November 9 and 10, alongside COP27. Going forward, progress will be shared and discussed at Cannes Lions each summer and the Global Summit each November, in line with the COP event, to maintain momentum during this critical decade.

The global advertising industry, as measured by advertising media investment, was worth $594,322bn in 2020. The top 20 advertising markets account for 89.3% of this spend and these markets continue to be the focus for the rollout of the programme following the US and Europe.

Ad Net Zero received a WFA President’s Award at Global Marketer Week in Athens earlier this year, in recognition of the cross-industry collaboration to drive essential operational change. The global roll-out follows formation of the first international chapter of Ad Net Zero in Ireland, led by the country’s trade association, the Institute of Advertising Practitioners in Ireland (IAPI).