Vodafone: Cutting Scope 3 Emissions in Advertising

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(Credit: Vodafone)
Vodafone is making progress in its commitment to halving its Scope 3 emissions by 2030 by slashing its media and advertising emissions

Vodafone has reduced its environmental impact by slashing the carbon footprint associated with its media and advertising activities.

The telecom giant has achieved a substantial reduction in emissions, impressively decreasing its media and advertising carbon output by more than a third in just one year.

This achievement spans 13 markets and follows Vodafone's commitment to setting a clear benchmark for media-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

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These efforts are part of a larger strategy that aligns with the company's ambitious sustainability goals, which include halving its value chain emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2040.

In October 2022, the company unveiled its Sustainable Media Programme. This initiative, geared towards lowering emissions linked to its global media and advertising activities, has now gained recognition as an award-winning programme.

It supports Vodafone's comprehensive sustainability strategy, reinforcing its commitment to tackle emissions throughout its entire value chain.

Teaming up with the marketing agency Dentsu and carbon management software provider Cozero, Vodafone embarked on a meticulous analysis of its climate impact across both digital and traditional media in 2023.

This detailed study covered a variety of channels, including TV, cinemas, newspapers, magazines, billboards and digital platforms such as social media, video and search.

Vodafone managed to quantify 85% of its media-related activities, establishing a baseline of 16,958 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e).

To put this into perspective, these emissions are comparable to approximately 3,800 round-trip flights between London and Cape Town.

Through refining its practices, Vodafone achieved a significant reduction in its quarterly media emissions, dropping from 7,311.56 tCO2e in the third quarter of the fiscal year 2023 to 4,855.27 tCO2e in the same quarter of the following year—a 34% decrease.

Anne Stilling, Vodafone Group Director of Brand & Media, explains: "Vodafone has ambitious targets to achieve net zero across its entire value chain by 2040.

Anne Stilling, Vodafone Group Director of Brand & Media

"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 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."

Media emissions analysis

As part of its comprehensive emissions analysis, Vodafone uncovered significant differences in the energy intensities among various advertising channels.

Digital Out Of Home channels, including cinema and outdoor digital billboards, emerged as particularly energy-intensive in terms of advertising impact per unit.

Conversely, traditional TV, while accounting for the highest total emissions, ranked as one of the most efficient mediums in terms of emissions impact per unit.

These insights have been instrumental in refining Vodafone's Sustainable Media Guidelines, which propose practical steps to minimise emissions across different channels:

Onscreen: Employ shorter videos, target specific audience segments, and schedule ads during peak attendance periods.

Out of home: Partner with sustainability-focused suppliers, reduce file sizes for digital displays, and zone ads for maximum relevance to target audiences.

Print: Assess the emissions associated with paper supplies and printing processes, work with suppliers who utilise clean energy sources, and deploy targeted distribution strategies.

Online: Opt for optimised video files, reduce wasteful ad placements, and prefer streaming over downloading for ad delivery.

Audio-visual: Schedule shorter videos on Wi-Fi to reduce data-related emissions and work with broadcasters to find environmentally friendly ad placements.

Vodafone has also implemented a carbon measurement dashboard, enabling its teams to monitor the climate impacts of their media planning and purchasing decisions in real-time.

Moreover, the company encourages vendors and partners to report their emissions-generating activities, fostering transparency throughout its value chain.

Vodafone is not just measuring and reducing emissions—it's setting a clear path forward with its Climate Transition Plan, first published in May 2024.

Margherita Della Valle, CEO of Vodafone Group

Vodafone Group CEO Margherita Della Valle summarises the challenge ahead: "We have established Vodafone’s climate ambitions – to reach net zero by 2040.

"Now we are focused on the most challenging part: executing the plan to achieve our goals and make the transition to a low-carbon economy."


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