Ethics & Ecology

Ad Net Zero announces second global summit for November 2022

A free-to-attend two-day online and in person event aims to champion positive change in advertising’s role to help tackle the climate crisis

Ad Net Zero, the advertising industry’s initiative to reach net zero from ad operations by the end of 2030 and harness the power of advertising to drive sustainable behaviour change, will hold its second Global Summit on 9th and 10th of November. The Summit will be broadcast live from Park Village in London to an international audience with the option for supporters to also attend in person.

This follows the inaugural Ad Net Zero Global Summit, broadcasted live from STV in Glasgow during COP26, which brought together more than 2,000 advertising professionals from around the world with the objective of accelerating positive action in advertising’s response to the climate crisis.

The summit comes at a key moment for Ad Net Zero, as it marks the initiative’s second year of progress and follows the international rollout announced at LIONS this summer in Cannes. Ad Net Zero, launched in the UK by the AA, IPA and ISBA, now counts over 100 advertisers, agencies, commercial media owners and production companies in its UK supporter base and the first international chapter in Ireland, while the Global Group comprises ten of advertising’s biggest commercial companies and ten of its largest trade associations.

In addition, the summit will celebrate the first winners of the Campaign Ad Net Zero Awards which are announced in early November. These awards have been launched in partnership with Campaign to celebrate the advertising industry’s best work in helping to build a net zero economy. The awards are inclusive of everyone from advertisers to production companies and recognise work from insight and inception to execution and impact.

Last year’s programme included speakers Sebastian Munden, Chair of Ad Net Zero and recent EVP & General Manager, Unilever UK & Ireland; Raja Rajamannar, CMCO & President, Healthcare Business, Mastercard; Nicola Mendelsohn, VP Global Business Group, Meta; Mark Read, CEO, WPP and many more.

This year’s event will include updates on carbon measurement for all aspects of ad operations, a new certification standard, updated training for advertising professionals, a review of the latest rules and regulations around environmental claims, inspirational case studies and thought leadership to challenge and encourage change.

Sebastian Munden, Chair of Ad Net Zero and recent EVP & General Manager, Unilever UK & Ireland, says: “The climate crisis is a complex global challenge, requiring positive action from everyone who works in advertising. The Summit, growing from our first ever in Glasgow last year, will review the progress we are making since then. Everybody is invited and content will cover different sectors and different action areas. We will share learning and best practice, providing practical tips on changes we can all make in the way we work and the work we make”.