In the race to balance planet and profit, media companies are rewriting the sustainability playbook. Forget rigid corporate jargon—2025’s approach is all about action, rebranding, and smart partnerships. Here’s how the industry is adapting without fanfare.
The “ESG” Backlash and the Rise of Stealth Sustainability
Remember when every corporate report flaunted “ESG” in bold letters? That era is fading fast. New research shows only 6% of S&P 100 companies used “ESG” in their 2025 sustainability report titles—down from 40% in 2023. But don’t mistake this for retreat. Companies now emphasize terms like “impact” and “resilience” while doubling down on climate targets. Example? Nearly 90% of major firms still uphold emissions goals, proving action outlasts buzzwords.
DOOH Advertisers Put Carbon on the Balance Sheet
Imagine judging ad campaigns not just by clicks but by carbon footprints. Moving Walls (a digital out-of-home leader) now lets brands measure emissions for every billboard or transit ad through Cedara’s Carbon Intelligence Platform. The tech analyzes everything from energy used in screen production to the emissions of ad delivery trucks. As Srikanth Ramachandran, Moving Walls’ CEO, puts it: “Sustainability is now a performance metric—like reach or engagement.”
Supply Chains Get a Green Glow-Up
Gone are the days of tunnel vision on office recycling. Media giants now tackle Scope 3 emissions—those sneaky greenhouse gases from suppliers and partners. Think server farms for streaming platforms or print paper sourcing. The 2025 mantra? “Map, measure, then fix.” One streaming company recently slashed 15% of its carbon output simply by switching to cloud providers using renewable energy.
DEWA and Arab Media Summit—A Case Study in Green Partnerships
When Dubai’s electricity and water authority (DEWA) became the sustainability partner for the 2025 Arab Media Summit, it wasn’t just about branding. The collaboration mandates solar-powered venues, zero-waste catering, and carbon-neutral broadcasting. Such partnerships signal that sustainability is no longer a solo act but a team sport.
The Silent Shift: From Reports to Real-World Impact
While terminology evolves, deadlines aren’t budging. Take Netflix’s 2022 “zero waste” pledge for productions—now standard across studios. Or The New York Times’ supplier code requiring climate disclosures from paper mills. As Andrew Jones of The Conference Board notes: “Companies aren’t abandoning ESG; they’re just calling it something shareholders won’t heckle at meetings.”
Key Takeaways:
- Rebranding Resilience: “Sustainability” replaces “ESG” as the term du jour, but commitments remain.
- Carbon Accounting Goes Mainstream: Advertisers treat emissions like budget lines.
- Supply Chain Domino Effect: Greening one link (like cloud servers) cascades industry-wide.
References:
- https://wan-ifra.org/2025/05/u-s-policy-landscape-for-the-news-media-industry/
- https://instituteofsustainabilitystudies.com/insights/lexicon/what-a-strong-corporate-sustainability-strategy-looks-like-in-2025/
- https://www.videoproduction.news/sustainability-in-the-media/
- https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/last-year-just-25-of-big-companies-used-esg-in-their-report-titles-the-slowdown-continues-in-2025-302441386.html
- https://igad.int/igad-launches-2025-media-awards-to-spotlight-excellence-in-climate-journalism/
- https://www.digitalsignagetoday.com/news/moving-walls-teams-with-cedara-on-sustainable-initiative/
- https://esa.org/about/what-does-ecology-have-to-do-with-me/
- https://mediaoffice.ae/en/news/2025/may/06-05/dewa-arab-media-summit
