GroupM UK Among the First to Attain New IAB Gold Standard Certification 2.0

Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) Gold Standard Certification 2.0 now incorporates Transparency & Consent and addresses privacy concerns within the digital supply chain. 

London, 23 September 2020 — GroupM U.K., WPP’s media investment group, today announced that all five of its U.K. agencies plus GroupM U.K. and Xaxis U.K. have been awarded Gold Standard Certification 2.0 from the IAB.  

IAB’s Gold Standard Satisfaction aims to bring together industry programmes to combat ad fraud, increase brand safety and improve the digital advertising experience for users. Companies need to take three steps to certify: implement IAB Tech Labs’ ads.txt, undergo a TAG Brand Safety audit and adhere to the principles set out by the Coalition for Better Ads. 

GroupM U.K., Xaxis UK, Mindshare, MediaCom, Wavemaker, Essence and m/Six have all been certified to the renewed Gold Standard Certification 2.0, which now incorporates steps to address privacy concerns within the digital supply chain – demonstrating the collective commitment across the group to tackling privacy concerns head on and always adhere to the latest industry standards.  

In 2018, GroupM was one of the first major media holding groups to attain the 1.0 Gold Standard Certification at its launch in January of the same year. 

Stevan Randjelovic, Director of Brand Safety and Digital Risk at GroupM EMEA comments: “We are delighted and proud to have achieved the IAB Gold Standard 2.0 certification across GroupM in the U.K. The new IAB standard raises the accountability bar and provides additional assurances that appropriate measures are taken to fight fraud and maintain brand-safe and suitable environments. We invite our partners to subscribe to the Gold Standard and endorse it as a means to increase transparency throughout the industry.” 

For more information on the principles, visit https://www.iabuk.com/news-article/iab-uk-launch-gold-standard-20-renewed-certification-criteria