Decarbonising WPP

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Decarbonising WPP

In 2021 we set near-term science-based targets to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions in line with limiting global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, and the aims of the Paris Climate Agreement:

84% absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 2025 (2019 baseline)
50% absolute reduction in Scope 3 GHG emissions by 2030 (2019 baseline)

These targets, which are verified by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi), are unique in our industry: we are the first marketing communications company to include the emissions from media placement and production (two thirds of our total carbon footprint) in our targets.

We have also committed to offset residual emissions to reach net zero across our own operations (Scope 1 and 2) by 2025 and our supply chain (Scope 3) by 2030.

Four in five of our 50 largest clients have set, or are committed to setting, science-based targets through the SBTi. Clients look to us to help them find and scale solutions as they implement their own transition plans. We continue to create innovative campaigns that help clients deliver on their own commitments, access new consumer markets and respond to evolving consumer and stakeholder expectations.

Our Green Claims Guide and training provides principles and practical tips for making effective green claims that are not misleading in any way. In 2024, we made training accessible to all WPP employees through our new Sustainability Academy and delivered bespoke training to clients in potentially higher-risk sectors.

If you work at WPP you can access our Green Claims Guide and training, here.

Reducing emissions

As we implement our transition plan, we continue to focus on three areas:

Decarbonising the business: reducing emissions and building climate resilience across our own operations
Transitioning our products and services: innovating to offer lower carbon products and services to our clients
Supporting clients' emissions reduction: supporting our clients as they implement their own transition plans and adapt to climate-related risks and opportunities

To help drive progress towards our carbon reduction targets, we have identified five emissions hotspots that generate the largest proportion of emissions across our total footprint:

The energy we use in our buildings and how they are heated and cooled accounts 80% of our owned emissions (scopes 1 & 2). We are committed to sourcing 100% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025 and we continue to reduce emissions across our campuses across their lifecycle.

Actions:

Resilience: Build a future-fit real estate portfolio, able to adapt to changing environmental risks and business needs
Low carbon and circular spaces: Mitigate the environmental impact of our buildings by reducing carbon emissions, promoting energy efficiency and using circular economy principles
Healthy and productive spaces: Create spaces that support productivity eg through biophilic design (connecting buildings with the natural environment)

The technology we use accounts for about 6% of our footprint. We're reducing emissions across our technology infrastructure and assets, and optimising the opportunities of AI.

Actions:

Modernised infrastructure: Migrate to and replace infrastructure with energy efficient or cloud-based technologies
Circular economy: Assess products based on full lifetime impact and put processes in place to manage lifecycle
AI and innovation: deployment of AI and emerging technologies efficiently and responsibly

Procurement, including company cars, air travel, and other activities, contributes about 16% of our footprint. We are supporting emissions reduction across our supply chain, focusing on carbon strategic suppliers who account for the majority of emissions from the goods and services we buy.

Actions:

Process: Integrate environmental, social and governance topics (including climate change) into procurement processes and supplier assessment
Supplier engagement: Targeted engagement with carbon strategic suppliers
Value chain management: Support suppliers to quantify and reduce their emissions with targeted support and knowledge sharing

The emissions generated by filming ads and the production of other content on behalf of clients are responsible for 14% of our supply chain carbon footprint. Hogarth, our production agency, continues to innovate and invest in generative AI and virtual production technologies that allow for more efficient ways of generating content.

Actions:

Benchmarking and insight: Use real time, data-driven insights to target areas of greatest carbon reduction potential and innovation opportunities for clients
Technology: Invest in AI and virtual production technologies to deliver emissions reductions
Creating momentum: Enhance production capabilities and support employee training to drive best practice adoption

Media buying accounts for more than half of our footprint. We were the first among our peers to include emissions associated with media placement in our carbon reduction targets. We work to optimise performance of media for clients while reducing emissions.

Actions:

Supply chain optimisation: Optimise supply chain and explore technology to lower our media carbon footprint
Partner engagement: Work with partners, vendors and clients to reduce emissions across the value chain
Media delivery: Support media vendors with their emissions reduction plans, and help clients align their media spend with their own climate commitments