Category: Sustainability

Immediate is the first media owner to offer a solution enabling advertisers to achieve their specific sustainability goals while simultaneously maximising media performance.

IM Clear provides a comprehensive and measurable approach to responsible advertising, measuring ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals against the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. This ranges from environmental factors through to good health, wellbeing, and reducing inequality.

Powered by The GoodNet’s innovative GoodIQ data, IMClear provides pre and post-campaign ESG reporting and analysis for campaigns running across its portfolio of brands. This includes assessing content, corporate practices, and technology, against over 50 data sources. In aligning a campaign with an advertiser’s sustainability goals, it provides an overall ESG media score and bespoke reporting. IMClear also monitors and optimises the performance of the media.

James Florence, Head of Advertising Technology, Immediate commented: “IM Clear represents a paradigm shift in how brands can connect with their audiences in a responsible and impactful way. Sustainability has rocketed up the priority list for advertisers, while at the same time shifting beyond Carbon measurement and into broader ESG commitments. Our partnership with The Good Net empowers clients to meet these broader ESG objectives and, crucially, still drive business results. This aligns perfectly with Immediate’s purpose-driven mission to bring joy to audiences while doing right thing by our people and the planet.”

Guy Jones, Co-Founder, The GoodNet added: “According to a recent Dentsu survey, balancing performance and sustainability is the second biggest challenge for marketers in 2025. We recognised a significant gap in the market for a holistic sustainable advertising solution that can be customised to an advertiser’s ESG commitment. IM Clear, used our GoodIQ data to provide a comprehensive and measurable approach that drives both sustainability and business performance.”

The launch comes as upcoming EU regulations on ESG reporting requirements will impact more businesses, with marketing a key metric.

IM Clear offers advertisers a flexible approach which includes:

• Access to Immediate’s portfolio of trusted websites.
• Select impactful ad formats with a sustainable twist, including video and rich media.
• KPIs to match formats and goals, such as CTR, viewability, and VTR.
• Access to Immediate’s award-winning and low-carbon first-party targeting solutions, including sustainability interested audiences.
  
  

IM Clear’s measurement suite, includes:

• Customised client pre-campaign recommendations and evaluation from GoodIQ.
• Post-campaign reporting on ESG index score and alignment with advertiser’s custom ESG priorities.
• KPI performance of ESG media vs. climate risk media.
• Carbon emissions measurement and optional carbon offsetting.
  
  

Immediate has made reducing its environmental impact and promoting sustainable choices a strategic priority, both in its operations and content. Immediate sites rank in the top 15% of 11,000+ domains on the ESG Media Index and the company won the Best Practice in Sustainability in Media Award at Campaign’s Ad Net Zero Awards 2024.

Love Paper is a global campaign promoting the sustainability and attractiveness of print, paper, and paper packaging.

Run by not-for-profit organisation, Two Sides, Love Paper educates with positive stories from the sector, from its environmental credentials to its ability to improve mental wellbeing, learning, and enhance creativity.

37% of European consumers believe paper and paper packaging are bad for the environment. Whilst only 18% believe the paper recycling rate exceeds 60%, when in fact it’s 79%, the highest of any material in Europe. In addition, 62% of the energy used to produce paper and paper packaging in Europe comes from renewable sources.

To support Love Paper Week, printers, paper merchants, packaging manufacturers, and all those who operate within the sector are encouraged to use the materials available to inform their clients, customers, and consumers more widely why paper is a sustainable and effective medium.

According to the most recent figures from the Forest and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nation (FAO), between 2005 and 2020, European forests where the majority of paper is sourced grew by more than 58,390 km² – an area bigger than Switzerland – this amounts to 1,500 football pitches of forest growth every day.

UK publishers use FSC-certified paper, the Forest Stewardship Council defines a strict set of standards that paper products must meet in order to prove that they are truly environmentally and socially responsible.

Find out more and how you can get involved here.

Further reading:

Paper Fact File

More about the Love Paper campaign

Sources:

Two Sides Trend Tracker Survey, 2023

Cepi, Key Statistics, 2023

Between 2022 and 2023, Immediate has made significant strides in reducing its carbon output. This latest report reveals the company has reduced emissions across its operations by 6% over the last 12 months, as it embeds a culture of sustainability across the business. There have been notable improvements in several key areas.

Print publications
Immediate recorded a 9% reduction in print intensity emissions. This was driven by a 12% reduction in magazines printed, alongside a reduction in paper tonnage and increased energy efficiencies at our printers. Meanwhile, transport and distribution emissions were reduced by 13% by moving Radio Times to a printer with on-site mailing capabilities.

Energy consumption

Optimising energy usage in its offices and production facilities has helped Immediate reduce its energy-related emissions. All its offices are now powered by 100% renewable energy backed by REGO certificates (Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin).

Supply chain
Immediate has worked with its suppliers to identify and implement more sustainable practices, reducing its carbon footprint associated with procurement. The company is on course to meet its 30% reduction goal by 2030 and to achieve this ambitious target, the company has implemented a range of initiatives.

Strengthening internal tools and processes
Immediate has developed robust governance structures and policies to guide its sustainability efforts. Over the past year, the company has strengthened and widened its carbon data collection to include more of its Scope 3 emissions. This involves working with its suppliers to gather more accurate data and use fewer assumptions. 

Developing industry partnerships
The company has been a founding signatory of the PPA Action Net Zero Pathway, working with other publishers to accelerate change.

Promoting sustainable content
Immediate is committed to using its platforms to inspire audiences to live sustainable lives, with a focus on training staff in climate literacy and embedding a culture of sustainability across the business. Immediate hosts an annual all-company Climate Action Day bringing all its people together from across the business to learn, reflect, and take action on sustainability as well as a regular programme of workshops across the year.

Michelle Whitehead, Head of Sustainability, Immediate commented: “Our commitment to sustainability is not just a business strategy, it’s a key consideration for everything we do. Our latest report demonstrates the progress we’ve made in reducing our environmental footprint and promoting eco-friendly practices within our industry.”

“We’re in a privileged position to be able to use the power of our brands to support our audiences to live sustainable, healthy, and happy lives. We want to help our audiences understand the need for climate action, how it is relevant to all our lives, and how we can all be part of the solution. We aim to bring attention to critical issues, normalise sustainable choices, and share uplifting narratives of positive change. 

She continues: “We’ve always been focused on sustainability but at the start of 2024 we supercharged our efforts. We launched the Good Food Planet Friendlier brand to signpost sustainable content. And in May, Good Food became the first food publication to list carbon calories alongside more common nutritional data. We’re also focused on our people, supporting climate literacy and embedding a culture of sustainability across the business.”  

You can view the report in full here.

For more information on the PPA’s Action Net Zero Pathway, click here.