GroupM Introduces Global Framework for Media Decarbonization

New measurement methodologies enable assessment of ad-based carbon emissions across all channels and markets, supporting the delivery of WPP’s industry-leading net zero commitments

Methodology to be shared with industry bodies and organizations committed to media decarbonization in push for standardized approach to measurement

London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney (July 19, 2022) — GroupM, WPP’s media investment group, today introduces the approach it will take to measure and reduce ad-based carbon emissions using a newly developed global carbon measurement framework. The framework is an innovative, new set of measurement methodologies designed to break down the media value chain and define the necessary data inputs to measure carbon emissions across all five stages of the advertising lifecycle for all formats, channels and markets in accordance with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s standards.

The establishment of a globally scalable approach to carbon measurement is a major step GroupM is taking to deliver on its commitment to decarbonize its media supply chain by 2030, as announced by WPP in April 2021. It provides the parameters, data inputs and methodology necessary to power what we believe to be the industry’s most robust global carbon calculator, which will be available to GroupM clients later this year and will allow media planners to map the total carbon footprint of advertising campaigns from development to delivery.

“Our clients want to prioritize media investment with publishers and platforms that are actively decarbonizing their media supply,” said Christian Juhl, GroupM’s Global CEO. “While we applaud the many steps taken to quantify ad-based carbon emissions in recent years, having different standards across companies, platforms, and markets is delaying meaningful action. By sharing this global framework, we hope to begin aligning our industry behind a consistent set of standards that will create clear goals and incentives for rapidly decarbonizing the media supply chain.”

Rankin Carroll, Chief Brand and Content Officer, Mars Wrigley, said: “At Mars, we are committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions across our full value chain, including all of our scope 3 emissions. We are pleased to see GroupM’s efforts to meet this challenge with a roadmap that others can also use to make an immediate and positive impact on their carbon footprint.”

Jérôme Amouyal, Media Performance Insights Director, AXA, said: “We have seen that our industry has an increasing number of calculators, but not an aligned reduction plan. It is important that we as a collective get behind a robust, actionable solution that accelerates decarbonization. We believe that market approaches such as GroupM’s will lead the way in educating, informing and enabling vital change in the industry. We’re looking forward to working with them to have the right framework to inform our future buying decisions.”

To develop its decarbonization framework, GroupM worked with independent specialists in carbon measurement and incorporated input from clients, industry partners, third parties, and experts across GroupM and WPP. In addition to providing standards and processes for measuring carbon emissions, the framework also outlines steps advertisers can take immediately to accelerate their decarbonization efforts. These include buying fewer but higher-quality ads, cutting the complexity of the supply chain by reducing intermediaries, and buying low-carbon media products.

To encourage the establishment of industry-wide standards for carbon measurement across channels and formats, GroupM will make the methodologies and processes supporting its new framework available to industry bodies and organizations committed to decarbonizing the media supply chain setting a target approved by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Sebastian Munden, Chair, Ad Net Zero, said: “Action 3 of the Ad Net Zero action plan is all about getting the whole industry to the point where we can accurately track, report and therefore reduce the carbon footprint of all media channels. This is no easy task, especially as we scale the efforts of Ad Net Zero globally. We would need an agreed standardized approach that works for all parts of the ecosystem: advertisers, agencies, media and tech. This move by GroupM is hugely welcome, and a very timely development to help deliver those aims. Through the new Ad Net Zero Global Group recently announced at Cannes Lions, we will explore how this approach can be scaled right across the industry.”

The details of GroupM’s media decarbonization framework are summarized in Calculating a Cleaner Future Now: A Unified Methodology for Accelerated Media Decarbonization, a report published by GroupM today. To download the report and learn more about GroupM’s global framework for media decarbonization and WPP’s wider net zero commitments, visit GroupM.com and WPP.com. Parties interested in more information about the framework or who would like to obtain access to the complete report and methodology underpinning the framework should reach out to [email protected].

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Quotes for attribution:

Krystal Olivieri, Global Chief Innovation Officer at GroupM & Choreograph: “The severity of the climate crisis requires the entire industry to prioritize media decarbonization and reducing the carbon output of advertising activities. As GroupM, we’ve invested in creating this framework as the first iteration of a structured and scalable measurement methodology aligned to the GHGP. However, this work isn’t meant to serve us alone, so we implore the entire industry to align, improve and scale this methodology together to create a better future for media and the world we live in.”

Kieley Taylor, Global Head of Partnerships at GroupM: “GroupM is a staunch advocate on behalf of client interests, suitable contexts and now, a path forward to manage and measure carbon emissions from media activity. As we implement this framework, we will work collaboratively with publishers and platforms to ensure all our partners have access to the training and resources they need to meet the new data benchmarking and reporting standards it will require.”

Oliver Joyce, Global Chief Transformation Officer at GroupM agency Mindshare: “If we all continue to work on this problem independently, we’re going to have a very limited impact on carbon emission reductions,” said. “This framework and the research behind it is our attempt to consolidate the industry around a unified vision of decarbonization, starting with defining consistent parameters around boundaries, then agreeing on what data is required and coming together on a calculation methodology. It took us 10 to 15 years to get meaningful progress on privacy, and five to eight years to get meaningful progress on harmful content. We simply do not have that much time to align around what carbon measurement and carbon reduction look like.”

Alexandra McGee, Sustainability Strategy and Innovation Manager at WPP: “A year ago, we (WPP and GroupM) showed that it is possible to calculate global media emissions in WPP’s baseline emissions statement. We now want to drive rapid change and support this incredible, creative industry to recognize the problem and decarbonize our supply chains as quickly as possible. Our people are approaching tackling climate change as an innovation challenge and opportunity to better support our business, our clients, and our vendors rigorously reduce emissions.”