Ethics & Ecology

Green Element explained: What do they do and why are they so important for the ad industry?

Carbon Footprint Reduction

IPG Mediabrands is a group of 13,000 media and marketing specialists in over 130 countries….. their market-based carbon footprint per capita decreased by 72% per person.

You may have come across the name Green Element. They recently worked with the UK Advertising Association in drawing up recommendations for reductions as part of the stated aim for the UK ad industry of real net zero by 2030.

As an Environmental Management Consultancy, Green Element have over 20 years of experience in sustainability, offering a range of environmental services to all types of organisations all over the world.

Helping agencies to significantly reduce their carbon footprint

But some of their greatest accomplishments have been in the ad industry and they’ve been working with advertising agencies for many years, the likes of IPG (Interpublic group) and Engine. For their clients they help them to reduce their environmental impact and bring down financial costs year on year.

Their work covers a plethora of reduction activities including carbon foot printing, implementing and maintaining environmental management systems and conducting energy audits, although their initiatives are not just limited to these activities.

IPG Mediabrands

 IPG Mediabrands is a group of 13,000 media and marketing specialists in over 130 countries and since Green Element began working with the business in 2014 until 2019, their market-based carbon footprint per capita decreased by 72% per person.

This phenomenal achievement was accomplished by changing to renewably sourced electricity, increasing the recycling rate and reducing overall consumption. A total saving of 10,741 Kg per person of CO₂ was achieved through a totally collaborative effort.

Green Element helped to launch and facilitate Mediabrands green team, who now meet once a month, providing ongoing support and guidance that has further enabled Mediabrands to reduce their impact year on year.

Chris Howell, Creative Director, Communications at Mediabrands said “Green Element are experts in their field, and the team go above and beyond to help us meet our targets and report effectively and accurately. A true partner, they feel like an extension of our team, and it’s this close working relationship that is so valuable to our business”

In addition to helping Mediabrands, Green Element also work closely with other agencies under the IPG umbrella, along with other companies such as Engine, Firefish and Iris.

The work Green Element do with all these agencies is centred around mapping their carbon emissions, implementing Environmental Management Systems, and helping them to reduce their environmental impacts.

UK Advertising Association

 As well as working closing with individual organisations in 2020 Green Element also calculated the carbon footprint of the entire advertising industry in the UK. This was done through a carbon mapping study over a three-year period for the Advertising Association. The results were reported in 2020, which included data gathered from 167 marketing and advertising companies.

Green Element calculated the points below:

1. Total carbon emissions for all people (328k) working in the UK advertising industry.
2. Total carbon emissions for all people (25k) working in UK advertising agencies.
3. Tonnes of tCO²e* per person per year for UK advertising industry and advertising agencies.
4. Sector analysis between different companies from technology and design to production.
5. Industry comparison comparing emissions per person with emissions from a comparable industry
6. Total carbon emissions for all people (328k) working in the UK advertising industry.
7. Total carbon emissions for all people (25k) working in UK advertising agencies.
8. Tonnes of tCO₂e per person per year for UK advertising industry and advertising agencies.
9. Sector analysis between different companies from technology and design to production.
10. Industry comparison comparing emissions per person with emissions from a comparable industry.

Not only did Green Element provide the UK advertising industry’s carbon footprint analysis but also made recommendations for reduction, which can be read in the Advertising Associations Ad Net Zero report here, which aims to reach real net zero by end 2030.

Measuring and implementing reduction strategies is clearly a highly complex process but James Best, the chair of the Advertising Association, said of Green Element “They were highly professional in their approach and analysis, they were patient in dealing with our learning curve and they made a complex issue manageable. They successfully combined a depth of understanding of the issue with an equal understanding of our needs; it was a pleasure to work with them”.

Green Element say they strive towards helping their clients achieve environmental excellence. If you would like to find out more about the work they do visit their website and start making a difference today!