GROW YOUR BRAND, SUSTAINABLY

The advertising industry has the power to influence people and change behaviours and mindsets, often on a mass scale. That means everyone that works in advertising can have a very real impact on the planet – for better or worse. 

At the beginning of the year one of our Producer’s, Kitty, completed the Ad Net Zero course, a coalition-led course dubbed as the advertising industries response to the climate emergency. It’s wide-reaching and covers everything from climate fundamentals and practical ways we can change the ways we work, to legislation around greenwashing and sustainable behaviour change. 

By now we’re all fairly familiar with the climate emergency. We know it’s happening now and that it’s having disastrous impacts to people and the planet. We also know urgent action is needed to stop irreversible damage. What we hadn’t realised is the scale of the advertising industry’s contribution. 

According to Ad Net Zero, an individual working in an IPA agency creates an average of 3.4 tonnes CO2e each year through work-based activities. The ‘My Climate Calculator’ estimates that to be more Co2 than flying from London to Bangkok… and back again. 

The Ad Net Zero course does a great job at not only highlighting climate issues, but also gives practical steps to start making changes within business. Their 5-part action plan starts with curtailing operational business emissions.

Further steps in the action plan include reducing production related emissions. There is a myriad of ways to make a difference here. Smaller steps involve reusing props/wardrobe, doing away with single use plastics and sourcing sustainable printing materials. Bigger moves listed include the enforcement of a no-fly policy and offsetting unavoidable emissions. 

Along with many of our peers, there is a lot that we’ll need to learn and change. It’s a long road ahead, but we are excited to discover the difference we can make.

Over the coming months we’ll be looking at our own supply chains, energy consumption, waste and more. We’ll keep you update on our progress!