TikTok partners with Scope3 for transparent ad campaign emissions tracking

TikTok announced on June 10, 2025, a new partnership with Scope3, marking a significant milestone in the advertising industry's sustainability efforts. The collaboration enables TikTok's advertising clients to transparently measure carbon emissions generated by their ad campaigns on the platform for the first time.

According to the official announcement, this partnership addresses growing industry demands for environmental accountability. "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. The new measurement capabilities provide brands with detailed insights into their digital advertising footprint while supporting broader decarbonization goals.

The implementation utilizes Scope3's first-of-its-kind, open-source emissions model designed to accurately measure emissions across ad selection, media distribution and creative delivery. The methodology aligns with the Ad Net Zero Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF), ensuring industry-standard measurements. Scope3's platform has already measured over 130 billion impressions for thousands of TikTok advertisers across more than 32 languages during the past year.

Technical measurement framework

The solution analyzes various data inputs across different ad formats to determine gCO2epm (grams of CO2 equivalent per thousand impressions). This measurement combines TikTok's first-party emissions data, campaign data, and industry standards to ensure optimal accuracy in reporting and third-party verification.

TikTok's approach encompasses three key elements: transparency, measurement, and reduction. Transparency ensures clients understand their advertising activity's environmental impact on the platform. Measurement enables easy tracking and reporting of emissions associated with TikTok activities. Reduction provides information needed for informed carbon reduction decisions.

"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."

The partnership represents advancement in TikTok's broader sustainability strategy. When brands advertise on TikTok, the emissions generated fall under that brand's scope 3 (indirect) emissions while also forming part of TikTok's operational (scope 1 & 2) emissions. This creates mutual benefits as TikTok's continued business decarbonization helps reduce advertising clients' scope 3 emissions.

Industry expansion for sustainability measurement

Scope3 also announced its partnership with Triton Digital on August 4, 2025, expanding sustainability measurement capabilities to digital audio advertising. The collaboration with Triton Digital, the world's leading audio measurement platform and part of iHeartMedia, brings carbon emissions measurement to podcasts and streaming audio for the first time.

This partnership makes Triton the first Scope3 Verified platform in the audio space. Publishers can leverage carbon reporting to differentiate premium audio inventory, while advertisers gain visibility into the emissions footprint of audio campaigns alongside other channels in their media mix.

According to Benjamin Masse, Triton's Chief Product Officer, the collaboration represents industry-first development of carbon measurement frameworks for audio, naturally a lower-carbon alternative to other media forms. The expansion demonstrates growing industry momentum toward comprehensive sustainability measurement across all digital advertising channels.

TikTok's sustainability commitment

The announcement follows substantial progress in establishing TikTok's sustainability credentials. In 2023, TikTok, as part of ByteDance, committed to operational carbon neutrality by 2030. The plan includes reducing operational emissions by 90% and addressing the remaining 10% through high-quality carbon offsets.

TikTok has partnered with Climeworks for a portfolio including Direct Air Capture technology, Biochar, and Reforestation. This partnership will remove 5,100 tons of CO₂ from the air by 2030. The company also joined Ad Net Zero in 2024, affirming its commitment to follow their Action Plan supporting the advertising industry's transition to net zero.

Additionally, TikTok committed to sourcing 100% renewable electricity for global operations by 2030. The company's new data center in Norway, which came online in April 2025, runs entirely on renewable energy, demonstrating concrete progress toward these goals.

Marketing industry implications

For advertising professionals navigating increasing sustainability demands, this partnership provides crucial infrastructure for environmental reporting. The collaboration addresses growing concerns about digital advertising's environmental impact while enabling data-driven sustainability strategies.

The partnership arrives as brands face mounting pressure to demonstrate environmental responsibility across all operations, including marketing activities. Digital advertising's carbon footprint has gained significant attention as companies work toward net-zero commitments and respond to stakeholder demands for transparency.

Success rates for TikTok's brand safety tools have averaged 98.6% according to recent measurements. This high performance suggests strong platform capabilities that could extend to sustainability measurement tools, potentially providing advertisers with reliable environmental impact data.

The availability of campaign-level emissions data enables marketers to optimize for lower environmental impact while maintaining advertising effectiveness. This capability supports emerging sustainability-focused marketing strategies where carbon efficiency becomes a campaign optimization metric alongside traditional performance indicators.

Platform evolution and competitive landscape

TikTok has demonstrated consistent platform evolution with recent brand suitability control enhancements and search advertising capabilities. The sustainability partnership continues this trajectory of adding sophisticated advertiser tools while addressing industry priorities.

The timing coincides with broader digital advertising industry changes, including privacy regulation impacts and increased emphasis on environmental responsibility. These developments position TikTok ahead of competitors in providing comprehensive sustainability measurement for social media advertising.

Data-led decision-making capabilities enable clients to better understand advertising footprints, optimize campaigns for lower impact, and make informed decisions supporting sustainability goals. This approach transforms sustainability from a general corporate commitment into specific, measurable advertising outcomes.

The partnership makes TikTok the latest major platform to address advertising sustainability, following similar initiatives across the industry. However, the collaboration with Scope3's established measurement framework provides immediate credibility and industry-standard methodologies rather than proprietary approaches.

The global availability of the solution ensures consistent measurement capabilities across TikTok's advertising markets. This standardization enables multinational brands to apply uniform sustainability metrics across regional campaigns and compare environmental performance across different markets.

Implementation and availability

The Scope3 solution is immediately available to TikTok advertisers globally through the platform's advertising interface. Implementation requires no additional setup from advertisers, as the measurement occurs automatically within existing campaign structures.

Reporting includes campaign-level emissions data, brand-specific insights, country-level breakdowns, and benchmarking against market averages. This comprehensive reporting enables both tactical campaign optimization and strategic sustainability planning.

The partnership builds on TikTok's existing Safety Suite, which includes pre-campaign controls, in-flight tools, and measurement options for advertisers. Integration with established advertiser workflows ensures sustainability measurement becomes part of standard campaign management rather than requiring separate processes.

For marketing teams under pressure to meet sustainability goals, the integration with TikTok and Triton Digital offers new opportunities for smarter planning, better optimization, and responsible growth. The expansion across social and audio channels provides comprehensive coverage of key digital advertising environments.

Timeline

• 2023: TikTok, as part of ByteDance, announces commitment to operational carbon neutrality by 2030
• 2024: TikTok joins Ad Net Zero, committing to follow their Action Plan for industry net zero transition
• April 2025: TikTok's new data center in Norway comes online running on 100% renewable energy
• June 10, 2025: TikTok announces partnership with Scope3 for carbon emissions measurement
• August 4, 2025: Scope3 announces partnership with Triton Digital for audio advertising sustainability measurement

Related Stories

• TikTok's brand suitability controls evolution
• Privacy regulation impacts on advertising
• Programmatic advertising sustainability trends

Key Terms Explained

Scope3 Emissions Scope 3 emissions represent indirect greenhouse gas emissions that occur in a company's value chain, including purchased goods, services, and activities like digital advertising. For brands advertising on TikTok, the emissions generated from their campaigns fall under their scope 3 category, making measurement crucial for comprehensive carbon accounting. This classification system, established by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, helps organizations understand their complete environmental impact beyond direct operations.

Carbon Neutrality Carbon neutrality refers to achieving net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by balancing emissions produced with an equivalent amount removed from the atmosphere. TikTok's commitment to operational carbon neutrality by 2030 involves reducing operational emissions by 90% and offsetting the remaining 10% through high-quality carbon removal projects. This goal represents a comprehensive approach to environmental responsibility across the platform's global operations.

gCO2epm (Grams of CO2 Equivalent per Thousand Impressions) This standardized measurement unit quantifies the carbon emissions generated per thousand advertising impressions served. The metric enables advertisers to compare environmental impact across different campaigns, platforms, and media formats using a consistent framework. By measuring gCO2epm, marketers can optimize campaigns for both performance and environmental efficiency, creating new sustainability-focused optimization strategies.

Ad Net Zero Global Media Sustainability Framework (GMSF) The GMSF provides industry-standard guidelines for measuring and reducing carbon emissions in digital advertising. Developed by Ad Net Zero, this framework establishes consistent methodologies that platforms and advertisers can adopt for transparent emissions reporting. Scope3's alignment with GMSF ensures that TikTok's emissions measurements follow recognized industry standards and enable reliable cross-platform comparisons.

Digital Advertising Sustainability This emerging field focuses on reducing the environmental impact of online advertising through measurement, optimization, and conscious media planning. As brands face increasing pressure to demonstrate environmental responsibility, digital advertising sustainability provides frameworks for incorporating carbon considerations into marketing strategies. The discipline encompasses everything from server efficiency to creative optimization for lower emissions.

First-Party Emissions Data First-party emissions data represents carbon footprint information collected directly by platforms about their own operations, including data centers, content delivery networks, and infrastructure. TikTok's use of first-party emissions data in Scope3's calculations ensures accuracy by incorporating actual operational measurements rather than industry estimates. This approach provides more precise campaign-level emissions reporting for advertisers.

Carbon Offset Projects Carbon offset projects involve activities that remove or reduce greenhouse gas emissions to compensate for emissions produced elsewhere. TikTok's partnership with Climeworks includes Direct Air Capture technology, Biochar, and Reforestation projects designed to remove 5,100 tons of CO₂ by 2030. These projects address the final 10% of emissions that cannot be eliminated through operational efficiency improvements.

Transparency and Accountability These principles drive the growing demand for measurable environmental impact data in digital advertising. Transparency involves providing clear, accessible information about emissions generated by advertising activities, while accountability requires taking responsibility for environmental impact through concrete reduction actions. The TikTok-Scope3 partnership exemplifies this approach by making campaign emissions visible and actionable for advertisers.

Campaign Optimization Traditional campaign optimization focuses on performance metrics like cost per acquisition and conversion rates, but sustainability considerations add environmental impact as a new optimization dimension. Advertisers can now optimize campaigns for lower carbon emissions while maintaining performance goals, creating opportunities for environmentally conscious media planning. This evolution transforms sustainability from a reporting exercise into an active campaign management strategy.

Industry Standards and Verification Third-party verification and industry standards ensure credibility and consistency in emissions measurement across the advertising ecosystem. Scope3's open-source methodology and alignment with established frameworks provide advertisers with confidence in reported emissions data. Industry standards enable meaningful comparisons between platforms and campaigns, supporting informed decision-making for sustainable advertising strategies.

Summary

Who: TikTok partnered with Scope3, a third-party carbon emission measurement platform, with Ian Gill (Global Head of Sustainability at TikTok) and Brian O'Kelley (CEO of Scope3) leading the initiative.

What: A partnership enabling TikTok advertisers to transparently measure and reduce carbon emissions from their ad campaigns using Scope3's open-source emissions model and industry-standard methodologies.

When: Announced June 10, 2025, with global availability beginning immediately. Scope3 also announced a similar partnership with Triton Digital on August 4, 2025.

Where: Available globally across all markets where TikTok advertising exists, with additional expansion to audio advertising through the Triton Digital partnership.

Why: To address growing industry demands for environmental accountability, support brands' scope 3 emissions reduction goals, and advance the advertising industry's transition to net zero as part of TikTok's broader 2030 carbon neutrality commitment.