From the Industry Trade Bodies
From ISBA
ISBA is proud to be a founding supporter of AdGreen. This annual review gives us a useful summary of the big challenges for our industry and how the AdGreen team are working hard to meet the future challenges set by brands and their agency partners.
Those brands who are already engaged with AdGreen are reaping the benefits of the carbon calculator’s analysis, and are able to make informed decisions about the carbon impact of their advertising production. This analysis, and understanding of the changes that they can make, is enabling brands to make granular, project-by-project judgments to drive down their carbon emissions in production and improve the sustainability of their marketing operations.
As ISBA members become increasingly engaged in environmental sustainability issues,AdGreen’s information guides and training modules provide valuable resources for the industry.
We’re looking forward to seeing AdGreen go further as it further expands its network of supporters and delivers updates to the carbon calculator tool. With more projects moving through the calculator, AdGreen is building a vital dataset to build a picture of industry action, solutions and future challenges.
It is never too late for brands to join this journey – the worsening climate emergency only underscores the need. We look forward to working with the AdGreen team to get more brands directly involved. While reminding us that there is serious work to be done, this review highlights the positive change that is taking place.
Stuart Macnaughtan
Head of Public Affairs and Sustainability, ISBA
From the IPA
The significant increases in calculator uptake and completion rates last year are very heartening and testament to the hard work and commitment of the AdGreen team, agencies and production partners. The forthcoming improvements to the calculator are set to be (sustainable) rocket-fuel for this upward trajectory.
I hope that anyone who struggled with the calculator in the past will give the new and improved version a try. Once we get a critical mass of producers using the tool efficiently and confidently then I’m sure we can increase the number of 50+ tCO2e projects going through the calculator and into the data set, which is important to get an accurate picture of the industry. We will also be far better positioned as an industry for our clients’ Carbon Budgets and Scope 3 reporting obligations as they arrive.
It’s great to see Superusers being celebrated. We all know it’s the right thing to do, but a little acknowledgement is always motivating.
I’d encourage any agency using sustainability services or consultants to talk to them about how best to integrate your efforts with the national and international picture through AdGreen.
Eliot Liss
Head of Production, IPA
From the APA
Since 2021, 40% of APA members have begun using the carbon calculator,which is a fantastic effort from the production community anddemonstrates each company’s continuous commitment to reducing theiron-set carbon footprint. However, we still need advertisers to make aconscious decision on where to shoot based on the carbon informationthat they are given at the start of each project from their productionpartners, otherwise no real change is being made.
We are excited to hear about the future developments that AdGreen has planned with the carbon calculator, which we hope will streamline the measurement process, and make tracking emissions more efficient for our members and the wider community. With their continuous efforts,AdGreen are transforming the industry, and the APA will continue to support both AdGreen and our members in achieving a more sustainable production landscape.
From the AOP
The Association of Photographer’s relationship with AdGreen is essential in providing a key resource to its broad membership, from those starting out in their professional journey to those who are established and would like guidance. Members of the AOP who operate as freelancers, in both stills and moving images and are regularly commissioned by ad agencies, are increasingly considering and adopting sustainable approaches to their business practice.
To support our members to deliver a sustainable approach to their business, the AOP set up a Sustainability Working Group consisting of photographers and producers, tasked with providing advice and resources on carbon reduction techniques. As one of the first activities, the group put on a sustainable in-person event with greater focus on photographers’ interests.The sold-out sustainable event was well received, featuring a session dedicated to AdGreen’sLow Carbon Future, using AdGreen’s Carbon Calculator, and importantly AdGreen’s training programme. AdGreen also features in resources we provide our membership and other visitors to our dedicated webpage Sustainability and the Environment, including an ‘Easy Green Wins for Reducing Carbon Footprint’ document, as well as the AOP’s own Carbon Audit Report.
Seeing the level of completed projects using AdGreen’s Carbon Calculator increase since2022 is a positive step. However the evidence of an increase in emissions as a result of this makes it clear more needs to be done to reduce travel emissions overall, including the use of slow-travel as a greener option.
As we anticipate the coming year with an updated AdGreen platform, and an increased focus on the business case for a professional sustainable practice for photographers and image-makers, we know the importance of undertaking this journey to net zero together as an industry, and the essential role AdGreen plays across all aspects of the advertising sector with the resources they provide.
Isabelle Doran
CEO, The Association of Photographers