TikTok partners with Scope3 to help clients transparently measure and reduce ad campaign emissions

TikTok has partnered with Scope3, the third-party carbon emission measurement platform, to provide advertising clients with a new way to transparently measure the carbon emissions associated with their ad campaigns on TikTok.

This new partnership will help brands track their environmental impact and support their wider efforts to reduce carbon emissions across their digital supply chains, something that is as important to many of our partners as it is to us.

The partnership marks an important step forward for both TikTok and the industry in building greater transparency and accountability around advertising emissions.

Measuring what matters

Scope3's platform makes it easy for brands, agencies and media partners to visualise, measure and reduce emissions across the advertising supply chain.

When brands advertise on TikTok, the emissions generated fall under that brand's scope 3 (indirect) emissions, whilst also forming part of TikTok's operational (scope 1 & 2) emissions.

This means that as TikTok continues to decarbonise its business operations - as outlined in our climate commitments below - it is also helping brands that advertise on the platform reduce their own scope 3 emissions.

Data-led decision-making

This collaboration will allow clients to better understand their advertising footprint, optimise campaigns for lower impact, and make informed decisions to support their sustainability goals.

At the core is Scope3's first-of-its-kind, open-source emissions model, built to accurately measure emissions across ad selection, media distribution and creative delivery. Aligned with the Ad Net Zero Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF), Scope3’s methodology enables agencies, advertisers and platforms to explore and act on emissions data with confidence.

Our approach with this partnership is threefold:

1. Transparency: Ensure clients are aware of the impact of their advertising activity on TikTok.

2. Measurement: Enable clients to easily measure and report on the emissions associated with their activity on TikTok.

3. Reduction: Provide clients with the information they need to make informed carbon reduction decisions.

The Scope3 solution will offer the most accurate reflection of the carbon emissions impact of advertising on TikTok, making use of 1st party emissions data, campaign data and industry standards to ensure optimal accuracy in reporting and 3rd party verification. The new solution will analyse various data inputs across different ad formats to ascertain gCO2epm (grams of CO2 equivalent per thousand impressions).

"This partnership with Scope3 marks a significant milestone in helping clients measure and reduce their carbon emissions through their ad campaign," said Ian Gill, Global Head of Sustainability at TikTok. "By building robust emissions data at both the corporate and campaign level, we are paving the way for actionable carbon reduction strategies. TikTok and Scope3 are committed to helping advertisers unlock insights, drive reductions and achieve sustainable growth in support of their environmental goals.”

"You can’t reduce what you don’t measure, and you can’t build trust without transparency, said Brian O'Kelley, CEO of Scope3. "We’re pleased to partner with TikTok to help its clients measure their campaigns’ emissions and deliver that transparency. Accountability in emissions isn't just about reporting numbers; it's about using that data to change your actions and take responsibility for your business decisions. That's how we drive systemic change and make the advertising ecosystem sustainable."

A growing sustainability journey

This announcement follows a period of significant progress in establishing TikTok's sustainability credentials. In 2023, TikTok, as part of ByteDance, announced our commitment to operational carbon neutrality by 2030, which we plan to achieve by reducing our operational emissions by 90% and tackling the remaining 10% through high quality carbon offsets. These include a partnership with Climeworks, which will remove 5,100 tons of CO₂ from the air by 2030, through a portfolio of Direct Air Capture technology, Biochar, and Reforestation.

Last year, TikTok also joined Ad Net Zero, affirming our ambition to follow their Action Plan to support the advertising industry in its transition to net zero. Finally, we have also committed to sourcing 100% renewable electricity for our global operations by 2030; our new data centre in Norway, which came online in April this year, runs on 100% renewable energy.