Consumers are placing significant trust in brands to drive sustainability within digital advertising—and advertisers are taking notice.
To explore this growing trend, we surveyed 1,000 consumers about their views on sustainability in the digital landscape. The insights reveal a clear shift toward eco-consciousness, with increasing demand for transparency and environmentally responsible practices shaping the future of consumer engagement and advertising strategies in 2025 and beyond.
The Consumer Lens
Today’s consumers seek brands that align with their values, with 71% favoring those actively working to reduce their carbon footprint.
Brands as the Driving Force for Change
For consumers, trust in brands to drive change surpasses faith in governments, with 62% trusting companies over governments in the fight against climate change. Transparency is also key—83% of consumers want brands to be more open about their sustainability efforts.
2025 Prediction: Sustainability will continue to be a major influence on purchasing decisions, particularly among younger generations. With 76% of Gen Z and 73% of Millennials prioritizing sustainability, mindful consumption will become the norm rather than the exception.
Changing Online Habits for a Greener Future
Consumers are not only seeking sustainability in the products they buy but also in the way they engage with digital media.
- 75% would be willing to turn off internet access for two hours a day to reduce carbon emissions.
- 70% would consider cutting back on video streaming if it positively impacted emissions.
However, awareness remains low—80% of consumers do not realize that simply browsing the internet generates carbon emissions.
2025 Prediction: Education will play a crucial role in driving behavioral change. As awareness grows, expect more consumers to adapt their digital habits in favor of sustainability.
The Advertiser Lens
Navigating Ad Spend & Vendor Selection with Sustainability in Mind
With sustainability a growing priority, advertisers are embedding eco-conscious initiatives into their strategies. A separate study conducted by Forrester Consulting and commissioned by Equativ and Sharethrough, revealed how advertisers are considering sustainability in the way they buy media.
- 79% consider environmental and social issues when directing ad spend.
- 63% report challenges in sustainably sourcing new inventory.
- 75% say sustainability-related features are important when selecting ad tech vendors.
2025 Prediction: As brands seek sustainable advertising solutions, platforms that offer carbon footprint tracking and emissions offset initiatives will be in high demand. Advertisers will also place greater emphasis on working with partners who align with their environmental and DEI commitments.
Towards a Greener, More Transparent Media Ecosystem
As we move into 2025, sustainability will remain central to both consumer and advertiser behavior. Companies that embrace transparency, make meaningful commitments, and collaborate on sustainable solutions will lead the way in shaping a greener media landscape.The infographic below highlights key findings from surveys of both consumers and advertisers, offering valuable insights and trends to watch for in 2025. You can also download the full infographic here.
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Consumers are placing significant trust in brands to drive sustainability within digital advertising—and advertisers are taking notice.
To explore this growing trend, we surveyed 1,000 consumers about their views on sustainability in the digital landscape. The insights reveal a clear shift toward eco-consciousness, with increasing demand for transparency and environmentally responsible practices shaping the future of consumer engagement and advertising strategies in 2025 and beyond.
The Consumer Lens
Today’s consumers seek brands that align with their values, with 71% favoring those actively working to reduce their carbon footprint.
Brands as the Driving Force for Change
For consumers, trust in brands to drive change surpasses faith in governments, with 62% trusting companies over governments in the fight against climate change. Transparency is also key—83% of consumers want brands to be more open about their sustainability efforts.
2025 Prediction: Sustainability will continue to be a major influence on purchasing decisions, particularly among younger generations. With 76% of Gen Z and 73% of Millennials prioritizing sustainability, mindful consumption will become the norm rather than the exception.
Changing Online Habits for a Greener Future
Consumers are not only seeking sustainability in the products they buy but also in the way they engage with digital media.
- 75% would be willing to turn off internet access for two hours a day to reduce carbon emissions.
- 70% would consider cutting back on video streaming if it positively impacted emissions.
However, awareness remains low—80% of consumers do not realize that simply browsing the internet generates carbon emissions.
2025 Prediction: Education will play a crucial role in driving behavioral change. As awareness grows, expect more consumers to adapt their digital habits in favor of sustainability.
The Advertiser Lens
Navigating Ad Spend & Vendor Selection with Sustainability in Mind
With sustainability a growing priority, advertisers are embedding eco-conscious initiatives into their strategies. A separate study conducted by Forrester Consulting and commissioned by Equativ and Sharethrough, revealed how advertisers are considering sustainability in the way they buy media.
- 79% consider environmental and social issues when directing ad spend.
- 63% report challenges in sustainably sourcing new inventory.
- 75% say sustainability-related features are important when selecting ad tech vendors.
2025 Prediction: As brands seek sustainable advertising solutions, platforms that offer carbon footprint tracking and emissions offset initiatives will be in high demand. Advertisers will also place greater emphasis on working with partners who align with their environmental and DEI commitments.
Towards a Greener, More Transparent Media Ecosystem
As we move into 2025, sustainability will remain central to both consumer and advertiser behavior. Companies that embrace transparency, make meaningful commitments, and collaborate on sustainable solutions will lead the way in shaping a greener media landscape.The infographic below highlights key findings from surveys of both consumers and advertisers, offering valuable insights and trends to watch for in 2025. You can also download the full infographic here.
Behind Headlines: 180 Seconds in Ad Tech is a short 3-minute podcast exploring the news in the digital advertising industry. Ad tech is a fast-growing industry with many updates happening daily. As it can be hard for most to keep up with the latest news, the Sharethrough team wanted to create an audio series compiling notable mentions each week.
Consumers are placing significant trust in brands to drive sustainability within digital advertising—and advertisers are taking notice.
To explore this growing trend, we surveyed 1,000 consumers about their views on sustainability in the digital landscape. The insights reveal a clear shift toward eco-consciousness, with increasing demand for transparency and environmentally responsible practices shaping the future of consumer engagement and advertising strategies in 2025 and beyond.
The Consumer Lens
Today’s consumers seek brands that align with their values, with 71% favoring those actively working to reduce their carbon footprint.
Brands as the Driving Force for Change
For consumers, trust in brands to drive change surpasses faith in governments, with 62% trusting companies over governments in the fight against climate change. Transparency is also key—83% of consumers want brands to be more open about their sustainability efforts.
2025 Prediction: Sustainability will continue to be a major influence on purchasing decisions, particularly among younger generations. With 76% of Gen Z and 73% of Millennials prioritizing sustainability, mindful consumption will become the norm rather than the exception.
Changing Online Habits for a Greener Future
Consumers are not only seeking sustainability in the products they buy but also in the way they engage with digital media.
- 75% would be willing to turn off internet access for two hours a day to reduce carbon emissions.
- 70% would consider cutting back on video streaming if it positively impacted emissions.
However, awareness remains low—80% of consumers do not realize that simply browsing the internet generates carbon emissions.
2025 Prediction: Education will play a crucial role in driving behavioral change. As awareness grows, expect more consumers to adapt their digital habits in favor of sustainability.
The Advertiser Lens
Navigating Ad Spend & Vendor Selection with Sustainability in Mind
With sustainability a growing priority, advertisers are embedding eco-conscious initiatives into their strategies. A separate study conducted by Forrester Consulting and commissioned by Equativ and Sharethrough, revealed how advertisers are considering sustainability in the way they buy media.
- 79% consider environmental and social issues when directing ad spend.
- 63% report challenges in sustainably sourcing new inventory.
- 75% say sustainability-related features are important when selecting ad tech vendors.
2025 Prediction: As brands seek sustainable advertising solutions, platforms that offer carbon footprint tracking and emissions offset initiatives will be in high demand. Advertisers will also place greater emphasis on working with partners who align with their environmental and DEI commitments.
Towards a Greener, More Transparent Media Ecosystem
As we move into 2025, sustainability will remain central to both consumer and advertiser behavior. Companies that embrace transparency, make meaningful commitments, and collaborate on sustainable solutions will lead the way in shaping a greener media landscape.The infographic below highlights key findings from surveys of both consumers and advertisers, offering valuable insights and trends to watch for in 2025. You can also download the full infographic here.
Founded in 2015, Calibrate is a yearly conference for new engineering managers hosted by seasoned engineering managers. The experience level of the speakers ranges from newcomers all the way through senior engineering leaders with over twenty years of experience in the field. Each speaker is greatly concerned about the craft of engineering management. Organized and hosted by Sharethrough, it was conducted yearly in September, from 2015-2019 in San Francisco, California.
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