On the 20th March, IAB Europe’s The Great Debate: Sustainability brought together industry leaders for a lively discussion on the digital advertising ecosystem’s role in driving environmental and social progress. This insightful session underscored the collective responsibility of the industry in tackling emissions, ESG commitments, consumer behavior shifts, and climate disclosures.
Key Takeaways from the Sessions
The event kicked off with a presentation of the State of Readiness Report & LEAF Platform, offering a crucial benchmark of where the industry currently stands in its sustainability journey. This was followed by an engaging Q&A session that allowed attendees to gain deeper insights into sustainability challenges and solutions. Check out the latest results of IAB Europe’s sustainability readiness report here. Now in its third year, the report provides key insights into the industry’s sustainability priorities, actions taken to reduce carbon footprints, and the progress made towards more sustainable practices across Europe.
The discussion then moved into a thought-provoking panel on:
Moderated by Dimitris Beis, Data Analyst and Sustainability Lead at IAB Europe, this panel explored the roadmap for achieving environmental sustainability in digital advertising. With expert insights from Anders Pilgaard Andersen(Adform), Audrey Danthony (Impact Plus), and Katie Usiak (Google), the discussion emphasised the need for industry-wide collaboration, technological innovation, and regulatory alignment to meet sustainability targets over the next decade.
Reflecting on the discussion, Dimitris Beis noted, "The Great Debate on Sustainability provided excellent food for thought on the environmental and social impact of media. The panel discussion on how the digital ad ecosystem will achieve its environmental sustainability objectives by 2030 greatly complemented the insights shared from our State of Readiness Report”.
We then wrapped up The Great Debate with an insightful fireside chat on:
The fireside chat featured Prof. Dr. Lisa-Charlotte Wolter (International University of Applied Sciences) and Steffen Hubert (Seven.One Entertainment Group), who examined the ways media investments can drive meaningful social change. The conversation highlighted the growing demand for responsible advertising and how brands can integrate social impact into their media strategies.
Steffen Hubert encapsulated the discussion, stating, "Understanding sustainability holistically and integrating it into the established digital ad ecosystem is not a sprint. This requires constant dialogue and educational work as well as a critical examination of existing supply chains and creative and open collaboration to set standards for the future. The IAB Europe Great Debate: Sustainability has underlined that we have taken up this challenge and are on the right track.
Watch the whole event on demand here.
Moving Forward
The event reinforced that while progress is being made, there is still work to be done. Collaboration across the industry will be essential in setting new sustainability standards and ensuring long-term impact. The IAB Europe community remains committed to fostering ongoing discussions and providing the resources needed to drive meaningful change.
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.
