Nicole LalevaOn 4th March, we hosted the fourth edition of The Great Debate: Sustainability, bringing together industry leaders from across the digital advertising ecosystem to discuss how our industry can drive meaningful environmental and social impact.
The virtual event explored the progress the industry has made in advancing sustainability, alongside the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The session featured the presentation of the latest edition of our State of Readiness Report, freshly released this week, followed by a series of discussions on maintaining sustainability at the leadership level, consumer perspectives on responsible digital practices, and the growing importance of social sustainability in digital advertising.
If you missed the event or would like to revisit the discussions, you can catch up on the sessions and key takeaways below.
We kicked off the event with a presentation of our newly released State of Readiness – Sustainability in Digital Advertising Report, delivered by our Data & Innovation Strategist, Dimitris Beis. The fourth annual edition provides a comprehensive snapshot of how the European digital advertising ecosystem is progressing on sustainability.
For the first time, the report expands beyond environmental impact to also examine social sustainability, covering areas such as privacy, media plurality, accessibility, diversity, responsible media, and accountability. The findings reveal that social impacts are now considered even more materially significant than environmental ones, highlighting the industry’s growing recognition that sustainability is about both people and the planet.
The research also shows that AI-related challenges, ad fraud, and regulatory compliance are among the top priorities shaping sustainability efforts across the ecosystem. At the same time, the report highlights encouraging progress in environmental measurement and carbon reduction efforts, while also revealing uneven readiness across organisations when it comes to sustainability reporting.
Download the full State of Readiness Report here.
We then moved into our first panel discussion, “How to Convince your CxO to Keep Sustainability Alive,” moderated by Dimitris Beis, IAB Europe. He was joined by Audrey Danthony, Impact Plus, Justin Bogdanski, Cedara, and Clement Cordeiro, DK.
During the discussion, the panel explored how brands can keep sustainability high on the leadership agenda by connecting carbon reduction efforts with tangible business outcomes, such as improved campaign efficiency and stronger long-term brand value. They also highlighted opportunities where lower carbon emissions and improved performance align, and discussed how advertisers can ensure they fully capture these optimisation opportunities across the digital advertising supply chain.
The conversation also touched on how brands can communicate sustainability progress responsibly while maintaining credibility, as well as the role ecosystem partners play in providing the data and insights advertisers need to build a strong internal case for continued sustainability investment.
We then moved into a fireside chat, “User-friendly: A Fireside Chat with Euroconsumers,” featuring Steffen Hubert, Director of External Affairs & Sustainability at Seven.One Entertainment Group and Chair of the Sustainability Standards Committee at IAB Europe, in conversation with Marco Pierani, Director of Corporate Affairs & Public Relations at Euroconsumers.
The discussion explored the social sustainability impacts of digital advertising, building on insights from the Beyond Reach Report. The speakers discussed key challenges facing consumers today, including how advertising-funded business models can influence product design and user experience, and the importance of introducing practical guardrails that protect users while maintaining the value of ad-funded digital services.
They also highlighted the opportunities for advertising to contribute to positive social outcomes, and reflected on what meaningful progress could look like for the ecosystem over the next year, both in terms of visible improvements for users and stronger industry practices behind the scenes.
Watch the fireside chat on demand here.
We concluded the event with a panel discussion on Social Sustainability Following Up From the “Beyond Reach” Report, featuring Emanuela Recalcati, part of WPP Media and Co-Chair of the Sustainability Standards Committee at IAB Europe, Prof. Dr. Lisa-Charlotte Wolter from International University of Applied Sciences, James Townsend, Stagwell EMEA, and Oliver Deane, The GoodNet.
The discussion built on insights from the Beyond Reach Report, exploring how the industry can better define, measure, and integrate social impact into digital advertising strategies. The panel examined some of the most pressing social considerations facing the ecosystem today, the current gaps in measurement frameworks, and the challenges of aligning social sustainability goals with short-term business and performance priorities.
Speakers also reflected on how brands and agencies can make social impact more actionable through improved metrics, data transparency, and stronger collaboration across the ecosystem. The conversation highlighted the importance of demonstrating the commercial value of responsible advertising, ensuring that social sustainability is recognised not only as an ethical priority but also as a driver of long-term business value.
Watch the full panel session on demand to hear the discussion and insights from the speakers.
Stay tuned for upcoming initiatives as we continue this critical conversation on sustainability in digital advertising! Visit IAB Europe’s Sustainability Hub here for more information.
For more information on the work of our Sustainability Standards Committee and how you can get involved, please get in touch with our Data & Innovation Strategist, Dimitris Beis at beis [at] iabeurope.eu.
