Please enter your access code:

Spotted: Few people stop to think about the carbon emitted by browsing the internet, but running and cooling servers and powering data transfer uses a lot of carbon. Each video or display ad impression represents an average of one gramme of CO2 emissions, which may not sound like a lot, until you consider how many ad impressions are viewed worldwide.

Now, Sharethrough, an omnichannel supply-side advertising exchange, and Scope3, a supplier of supply chain emissions data, have partnered to create GreenPMPs, the first supply-side platform (SSP) to offer media with net-zero carbon emissions.

The GreenPMP initiative enables brands to allocate a portion of their ad spend towards the funding of high-quality carbon removal activities, in order to compensate for the carbon emissions generated by running digital ad campaigns. Ultimately, this should make it easier for brands to reach their goals of net-zero emissions.

The programme places a Green icon on ads to alert consumers that it is sustainable. Using Sharethough’s GreenPMPs site, advertisers can measure their emissions across the entire programmatic supply chain in real time, using data from Scope3. Using a Carbon Emissions Estimator, advertisers can get an approximation of how much carbon waste an ad campaign could potentially generate, and then remove their ads from high-emission or low-performing sites to reduce their overall campaign emissions.

Surveys show that consumers tend to favour brands that demonstrate their sustainability and eco-credentials. In the archive, Springwise has spotted other brands making a sustainable change, including a pasta brand that saves energy by promoting passive cooking and a fashion brand that promotes clothing resale.

Written By: Lisa Magloff