Sustainability & Belonging at GroupM
GroupM is one of Ireland’s largest media investment companies and part of WPP, the largest global marketing communications group. GroupM and its agencies Mindshare, EssenceMediacom and Wavemaker are leading the way in the journey to net-zero, committed to meeting net-zero for its own operational emissions by 2025, and its supply chain emissions by 2030. Supply chain emissions come from the products and services bought, including their clients’ advertising campaigns, and these emissions currently account for 98% of the GroupM total carbon footprint, so partnership is critical to success.
CLIMATE ACTION
GroupM has created and open-sourced a carbon calculator designed to determine the emissions impact of media plans and will continue to share innovations for the benefit of the wider advertising industry. GroupM is also working closely with local industry bodies following the recent launch of
Ad Net Zero in Ireland. This work is led by the GroupM Ireland Sustainability Committee and includes education and training to ensure that net-zero obligations are achieved.
LEADING THE INDUSTRY
Ad Net Zero breaks down the challenge into five action points: Advertising businesses’ own operations, with commitments to curb emissions by reducing travel, fossil energy use and waste.
Advertising production, with a focus on the adoption of tools and training to curb production emissions. Media choice, specifically the adoption of a carbon calculator to measure and manage the emissions generated from media.
Awards and events and encouraging organisers to build sustainability into events.
Influencing consumer choices and behaviours through the power of advertising.
The immediate, specific actions taken by GroupM to reduce emissions across our offices relate to energy consumption, travel and waste. Bringing staff on the journey to net-zero is critical, and a Sustainability Newsletter is distributed monthly, promoting sustainable living and updating on company initiatives.
CHANGE THE BRIEF
The Mindshare Change The Brief project is a commitment to creating work that encourages attitudes, lifestyles and behaviours that are consistent with a transition to a carbonfree world. It’s grounded in the belief that every advertising campaign is an opportunity to normalise the behaviours, the products, the services and the attitudes needed to achieve a sustainable future. Sustainable behaviours identified include Eat Better, Buy Better, Travel Better, Use Less, Waste Less, and Protect Nature.
BELONGING AT GROUPM
At GroupM, we have made a conscious effort to focus on the positives of having such a diverse collection of backgrounds and beliefs represented within our group and have been very focussed on two key pillars, education and celebration. We curate, design and share digestible information in the form of videos or infographics across the group to inform us on occasions such as Black History Month, Ramadan, Autism Awareness Month, or Eid al Adha. We also try to put the emphasis on the fun side by celebrating these occasions by bringing in traditional food and decorations associated with the day or something more substantial like our recent Pride Party.
HELPING REFUGEES
In June 2022 and again in June 2023, we collectively raised €2,000 each year and visited the Irish Refugee Council in order to understand the role they play in Ireland towards supporting refugees in their rehousing and rehabilitation efforts. Along with creative partners, we constructed a pro bono multimedia advertising campaign to highlight the plight of refugees and to raise money for much needed aid. The campaign, which is ongoing, made a meaningful difference to the refugee plight here in Ireland, but there is still much work to be done in this area.