Vodafone has successfully reduced the carbon footprint of its advertising and media operations by more than a third within a year, spanning 13 markets. This achievement follows the company’s efforts to measure its media-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and implement global guidelines to address them. Through its Sustainable Media Programme, launched in October 2022, Vodafone aims to align its advertising practices with its broader sustainability targets of halving value chain emissions by 2030 and achieving net-zero by 2040.

In collaboration with Dentsu, a marketing and advertising agency, and Cozero, a carbon management software provider, Vodafone analysed the environmental impact of its media activities across 13 channels. These included traditional outlets like TV, cinema, print media, and billboards, as well as digital platforms such as video, social media, and search engines. The analysis revealed a baseline of 16,958 tCO2e for media-related activities in 2023—equivalent to around 3,800 round-trip flights between London and Cape Town. By Q3 FY24, Vodafone had reduced its carbon impact by 34%, cutting emissions from 7,311.56 tCO2e in Q3 FY23 to 4,855.27 tCO2e.

Anne Stilling, Vodafone Group Director of Brand & Media said: “Vodafone has ambitious targets to achieve net zero across its entire value chain by 2040. Our industry-leading Sustainable Media Programme will play a key role in mitigating our Scope 3 emissions through ongoing benchmarking and improving the carbon impact of our advertising and media activities… By partnering with organisations like the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) to share our experience, Vodafone can also help the wider advertising industry develop and implement consistent standards to measure and reduce media carbon footprints.”

Vodafone’s data-driven approach has influenced its sustainable media guidelines, focusing on emission reductions across various media types. For instance, the company encourages shorter video ads to save playback energy, prioritises suppliers with sustainable practices, and optimises file sizes for digital displays. Additionally, Vodafone has introduced a carbon measurement dashboard to track the climate impact of its media decisions and encourages partners to report their emissions. This initiative not only aids in achieving Vodafone’s sustainability goals but also sets an example for the broader advertising industry by promoting consistent standards for measuring and reducing carbon footprints.