For Immediate Release | 24 October, 2024
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA), Advertising Council Australia (ACA),
Interactive Advertising Bureau Australia (IAB), and the Media Federation of Australia (MFA) today
launched the Australian Chapter of Ad Net Zero, becoming the newest territory to undertake the
mission of accelerating the decarbonisation of the advertising and marketing industry.
With the launch of the Australian chapter, Ad Net Zero now operates in territories that collectively
represent over 50% of the world’s ad spend.
In Australia, the industry’s ambition – through Ad Net Zero – is to foster the behavioural change that
is necessary for Australia to transition to a sustainable future.
The Australian Chapter of Ad Net Zero will build on the important work that has been done across
the industry over the past few years. Now is the time to bring the industry together to have a real
impact under the banner of the global framework of Ad Net Zero.
The initiative is backed by 25 foundation supporters across the industry: Arnott’s, Big Screen Video,
Benedictus Media, Dentsu, Domain, Foxtel Media, Google, GroupM, IPG Mediabrands, JCDecaux,
Lion, Meta, Nestlé, News Corp Australia, Nine, NOVA, Omnicom Media Group, oOh!Media, Publicis
Groupe, QMS Media, Scope3, SBS, Val Morgan Group, XR Extreme Reach, and Yahoo. It is further
supported by industry bodies such as Outdoor Media Association (OMA) and Commercial Radio &
Audio (CRA).
The strength of the Ad Net Zero initiative lies in its ability to empower supporters with actionable
solutions: offering expert guidance, education, and training alongside a clear five-point Action Plan to actively cut carbon emissions. This ensures that the immense influence of advertising becomes a
driving force for meaningful, sustainable change.
AANA CEO Josh Faulks said: “Sustainability is no longer a peripheral issue for brands. It has been a
priority for AANA’s members for some time. Building on all that good work, now is the optimal time
for the advertising and marketing industry to come together to drive meaningful change that helps
all of us transition to a more sustainable future.”
ACA CEO Tony Hale said: “ACA has been working with our members for over two years to introduce
the Ad Net Zero framework. Our dedicated E&S Committee has done a terrific job in educating and
encouraging members to adopt the 5-step action plan to reduce their emissions. The only way we
can effectively make meaningful change is to adopt a whole-of-industry approach. ACA is delighted
to be working alongside the AANA, IAB and the MFA as signatories to the Australian Chapter of Ad
Net Zero. This is a significant industry milestone.”
IAB Australia CEO Gai Le Roy said: “Our industry is uniquely positioned to play a pivotal role in
tackling the climate crisis – not only by reducing our own environmental footprint, but also leading
the shift towards sustainable behaviours from businesses and consumers. The global frameworks and
initiatives from Ad Net Zero combined with a strong local chapter will ensure that the industry can
move forward in a collaborate and impactful way.”
MFA CEO Sophie Madden added: “After much discussion and collaboration, it’s exciting to be
launching Ad Net Zero in Australia. Sustainability is an important driver for MFA members, with many
agencies taking their own steps towards the goal of decarbonisation. By coming together for sector-wide collaboration with a shared vision for the future, we can amplify our impact and apply globally
developed principles and frameworks to the local marketing, media and advertising landscape to
make a difference.”
The launch of Ad Net Zero in Australia follows the establishment of territories in the UK, Ireland, US,
New Zealand as well as a global supporter base.
First launched in the UK in 2020, Ad Net Zero is a global industry alliance and action plan aimed at
reducing the carbon impact of developing, producing, and running advertising to net zero. This
initiative seeks to complement and accelerate corporate action by developing and supporting
industry-level solutions, such as the much-anticipated Ad Net Zero global media sustainable
framework launched at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June.
Ad Net Zero in Australia will build on learnings from other territories to adopt and adapt the Ad Net
Zero 5-point action plan to the Australian market:
1. Reduce emissions from advertising business operations
2. Reduce emissions from advertising production
3. Reduce emissions from media planning and buying
4. Reduce advertising emissions through awards and from events
5. Harness advertising’s power to influence culture and drive positive change
Ad Net Zero Australia | Ad Net Zero Limited
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