Cedara, the Carbon Intelligence Platform, has announced the release of an industry-first research report shedding light on the Scope 1-3 emissions breakdown by category specifically for programmatic digital media companies. The comprehensive study, compiled from data collected from Cedara clients, provides a detailed analysis of emissions utilising the standard GHG protocol, with a focus on measuring media delivery and operations using the industry-standard SRI & Alliance Digitale framework.
The research report delves into two primary categories: Corporate Overhead and Product-related emissions. Corporate Overhead emissions encompass various facets such as marketing, employee commuting, purchased electricity, business travel, and office & human resources, among others. Meanwhile, Product-related emissions originate from media operations utilising the industry framework.
Key findings from the report indicate that over 95% of emissions stem from Scope 3, with media operations accounting for 90% of that total. Conversely, Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions collectively constitute less than 5% of the total emissions for programmatic digital media companies. When breaking down media emissions using the categories from the SRI & Digitale Alliance framework, Ad Selection came in at the highest with a 77% share of emissions, followed by Broadcast at 16%, and lastly User Device at 7%.
“To make meaningful progress on reductions, we need to understand where we are and where our areas of focus should be,” said John Osborn, Director of Ad Net Zero US. “We need to take a broad view, locally and globally and across the full scope of the advertising industry and research reports like this work by Cedara help provide an informed view.”
“This research illuminates a crucial aspect of sustainability for digital media businesses,” remarked David Shaw, CEO at Cedara. “The data underscores the imperative to measure and address emissions, particularly media operations which dominate the emission landscape. It is paramount for companies to incorporate these findings into their strategies, including submissions to the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTI) for net-zero commitments, as media emissions represent a significant portion of the overall emissions.”
The report not only highlights the environmental impact of digital media operations but also underscores the necessity for concerted efforts towards mitigating emissions across the industry. Interested parties can access and download the research report directly here, providing valuable insights into the emissions landscape for programmatic digital media companies and guiding strategic sustainability initiatives.
Cedara is a client of Bluestripe Communications, part of the Bluestripe Group, publishers of New Digital Age
