Initiatives

The research sector is taking steps to be part of the solution to the growing climate crisis. Our profession has two key responsibilities: to mitigate our impact on the environment and help our customers understand their own impact and recommend solutions.

With an increasing number of clients demanding a commitment to sustainable working practices from suppliers, we launched the MRS Net Zero Pledge in June 2021. To date over 90 market research organisations have signed up committing to be carbon  neutral by 2026. 

The MRS Net Zero Pledge tracking survey results


In July 2023, we surveyed the 90+ MRS Net Zero Pledge signees to find out how they were faring in terms of measuring a baseline for their current emissions – and breaking these down into the three scopes where respondees had them. Pledgees report varying degrees of progress towards measuring and reducing carbon emissions. For those who shared their 2022 results with MRS, the majority (54%) do not have the mechanisms and reporting infrastructure available to regularly report their CO2e emissions. However the future looks brighter with 67% looking to have an SBTi net zero target in the next 12 months as well as 42% aiming to become B-Corp as well.

See the MRS Net Zero Pledge tracking report

How to get your agency to Net Zero 


Our panel of experts look at the realities of tracking emissions and how some pioneering organisations are organising their measurement processes. Hear the results from the 2023 tracking survey on how research organisations signed up to the MRS Net Zero Pledge are faring in measuring and reducing their emissions. Our panel also discusses some of the tools available – what’s useful and what’s not for getting to grips with measurement and reduction of emissions.  

Panel: Caroline Wren, Managing Director, MTM; Jack Young, Consultant for Sustainable Transformation Practice, Kantar; Walter Tucker, Customer Relationship Manager, Compare Your Footprint; Mark James, CEO, Differentology 

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