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Ad Net Zero hits five-year milestone
New data underlines the importance of sustainability in business growth.
Georgie Moreton
Deputy Editor, BITE CreativebriefAs Ad Net Zero hits its five-year milestone, new data from its supporter base reveals the importance of sustainability in business growth.
Ad Net Zero is a global climate action programme working to help advertisers and the supply chain futureproof and drive more sustainable growth. Today (2nd December) marks five years since its UK launch and three years since the programme expanded across seven major chapters across the US, Ireland, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and the UAE.
New research from Ad Net Zero’s supporter base demonstrates that sustainability action is a key driver of business growth, not just compliance. In the UK, 62% report achieving ‘stronger client or partner relationships’, while 52% cite ‘enhanced employee engagement or retention’ as a result of taking action on sustainability.
Proving the ROI of more sustainable practices is a key component of the work of Ad Net Zero. The programme works to move the industry from individual initiatives to a unified, globally recognised framework for collective positive action.
With robust data underlining the importance of sustainability as a driver of business growth, Ad Net Zero aims to drum up further industry support.
“The data is undeniable: businesses leaning positively into sustainability - whether advertiser, agency, media owner, or tech platform - are gaining a competitive advantage. They are building better relationships, driving staff engagement, and realising cost benefits through efficiency and waste reduction,” says Sebastian Munden, Global Chair, Ad Net Zero.
Munden continues: “The data shows the green economy is growing considerably faster than the rest of the economy, and Ad Net Zero supporters are fast capitalising on this exciting new business opportunity.”
To drive further uptake from across the industry, Ad Net Zero is introducing a new membership structure for 2026 made up of Supporter, Supporter+, and Accelerator. The tiered approach ensures that any business can access what they need and capitalise on the momentum of the sustainable economy.
ITV has been a supporter of Ad Net Zero since its launch. Speaking on the programme, Kate Waters, Director of Client Strategy and Commercial Marketing, ITV, said: “Whether it's through your advertising production, your choice of media distribution or the power of the advertising campaigns you can deliver to help accelerate change, the Ad Net Zero programme provides a place for sustainability knowledge to be shared, and for progress to be made.”
Celebrating a five-year milestone with robust data and calling on support from the industry, Ad Net Zero brings to life how a sustainable economy is beneficial for profit, people and planet.
![5 years of Ad Net Zero[2][6].jpg.jpeg](/application/files/2717/6466/6723/5_years_of_Ad_Net_Zero26.jpg.jpeg)
Five Years of Action: Key Milestones and Progress
Ad Net Zero’s 5-point Action Plan remains the central framework driving measurable change across the industry:
ACTION 1 - Reduce Emissions Across Business Operations: The ROI of Full-Time Resource
· Investment Pays Off: The research reveals a clear link between resource commitment and performance. 86% of respondents with dedicated, full-time sustainability teams reported “stronger client or partner relationships,” versus only 36% of those relying solely on voluntary ‘green teams.’
· Cost Savings: 52% of UK supporters achieved direct cost savings or operational efficiencies by reducing emissions, underscoring sustainability as a core efficiency strategy.
ACTION 2 - Reduce Emissions from Advertising Production: Tackling AI’s Carbon Footprint
· Industry First: AI Usage Measurement: Today, AdGreen introduces a groundbreaking 11th activity area to its Carbon Calculator: AI Usage measurement. Created in collaboration with Hiili, this new functionality is an essential step toward transparency, allowing users to more accurately measure the emissions generated by AI tools within advertising workflows.
· Scale of Impact: By immediately integrating AI measurement, AdGreen is helping the industry balance innovation with responsibility as AI's energy demands rapidly grow. AdGreen will host a webinar on December 4th, 2025, to demonstrate the new functionality.
ACTION 3 - Reduce Emissions from Media Planning and Buying: Establishing a Global Standard
· Voluntary Standard: The Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF) is rapidly becoming the industry’s voluntary standard for quantifying media emissions, the largest part of advertising’s supply chain footprint. The GMSF is supported by advertising holding companies, leading global platforms, media owners and brands.
· Forward Roadmap: OOH data guidance will be available in February 2026, and an updated framework – v1.3 – will be presented at Cannes Lions 2026 alongside new work in partnership with WARC to understand advertising’s global impact as a global benchmark.
ACTION 4 - Reduce Emissions Through Awards and from Events: Embedding Sustainability in Creative Excellence
· Record Engagement: The fourth edition of the Campaign Ad Net Zero Awards recorded a 26% increase in entries YoY, demonstrating growing commitment to measuring sustainability alongside commercial success.
· Industry Adoption: Other awards organisers, including Cannes Lions and D&AD, have adopted approaches that build these critical considerations into their judging criteria.
· Insight Library: A growing bank of case studies from award winners is available for free, providing actionable insights, learnings, and inspiration.
ACTION 5 - Encourage More Sustainable Behaviours: New Global Accountability
· The Power of Creative: The Every Brief Counts initiative continues to provide tools to embed sustainable behaviours into creative briefs. This work is translating into campaign success, exemplified by the ITV, MG OMD & DESNZ campaign, which broadcast how low-carbon heat pumps can be the new normal to an audience of 3.5 million, winning the 2025 Campaign Ad Net Zero UK Grand Prix.
· New Measurement Standard: Kantar is collaborating with Ad Net Zero on the new Sustainable Behaviour Ad Tracker, analysing the LINK ad testing database quarterly. This gives the industry its first global, consistent benchmark, showing a huge opportunity for growth (currently 5.3% of ads pretested globally show sustainable behaviour).
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