The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA), Advertising Council Australia (ACA), Interactive Advertising Bureau Australia (IAB), and the Media Federation of Australia (MFA) have officially taken the wrappers off the Australian chapter of Ad Net Zero.

This global initiative is aimed at accelerating the decarbonisation of the advertising and marketing industry. With the launch of the Australian chapter, Ad Net Zero now operates in territories representing over 50% of the world's ad spend.

The initiative is backed by 25 foundation supporters across the industry, including 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. Industry bodies such as the Outdoor Media Association (OMA) and Commercial Radio & Audio (CRA) also support the initiative.

Ad Net Zero provides supporters with actionable solutions, expert guidance, education, and training, along with a five-point Action Plan to actively cut carbon emissions. The initiative was first launched in the UK in 2020 and has since established territories in the UK, Ireland, US, New Zealand, and now Australia. The Australian chapter will adopt and adapt the Ad Net Zero 5-point action plan to the Australian market.

Ad Net Zero is a global climate action program that aims to help the advertising industry tackle the climate emergency by decarbonising ad operations and promoting sustainable products, services, and behaviours.

AANA CEO Josh Faulks stated, “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 added, “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 the industry is uniquely positioned to play a pivotal role in tackling the climate crisis. "That's 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 sustainability is an important driver for MFA members, and noted many agencies have been 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.”