IOAA and GroupM work together to advance sustainability in the OOH sector.

The establishment of a specialized task-force committee to promote sustainable practices in the Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising sector has been announced by GroupM, WPP's media investment arm, in partnership with the Indian Outdoor Advertising Association (IOAA). Along with industry experts Pawan Bansal, chairman of IOAA, and Pramod Bhandula, executive chairman of JCDecaux Advertising India, the committee, which includes Ajay Mehta, MD Cinema, OOH, and experiential marketing at GroupM, is dedicated to helping media owners implement sustainable practices. By 2027, the group wants to guarantee that 50% of all Indian advertising sites use recyclable materials.The adoption of renewable energy, especially solar power, will be the task force's top priority in order to counteract the increase in power consumption brought on by the switch to Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) advertising. The group will create a plan for converting OOH assets to renewable energy sources and improving cost effectiveness by purchasing in bulk. The team will also look into sustainable alternatives to standard flex, such cloth and polyethylene, with the goal of finding materials that are strong, lightweight, weatherproof, and recyclable.

To guarantee a cost-neutral transition, suppliers will be vetted through due diligence, and bulk agreements will be negotiated. Additionally, in collaboration with nonprofit organizations, a "Take Back Program" will be implemented to recycle discarded billboard materials. This program seeks to promote industry-wide responsibility and further reduce waste. In order to ensure that sustainable practices are widely adopted, the committee's goal is to promote environmental responsibility among media owners and partners. The World Out of Home Organization's (WOO) insights will also be used to help the OOH industry's worldwide sustainability initiatives.Using polyethylene fabric, GroupM's OOH Solutions team has already implemented sustainability initiatives with brands like ICICI, Zepto, and Blinkit, demonstrating practical solutions that adhere to sustainable standards. "As leaders in the media industry, it is our responsibility to move the needle, inspire transformation, and ensure that sustainable practices become the norm rather than the exception," emphasized Ajay Mehta, MD of Cinema, OOH, and experiential marketing at GroupM. This group will work to strike a balance between creative advertising and environmental responsibility since I firmly think that we should all do good while doing well. "Sustainability is the future of advertising, and IOAA is committed to guiding media owners towards responsible, eco-friendly practices," said Pawan Bansal, chairman of IOAA, in response to this effort. This project will not only