Strategy: Towards Net Zero

As part of its commitment to protecting the environment and fighting climate change, Atresmedia drew up a Zero Net strategy in 2022, with specific emission reduction targets that will enable it to achieve zero net emissions by 2050. While Atresmedia’s activities are not particularly harmful to the environment, the Company was keen to take on this challenge in the interests of the precautionary principle. Aware that any activity can contribute to climate change and generate an environmental impact, the Company has always sought to act responsibly and get involved in the protection of the environment and the planet.

To this end, specific time-bound reduction targets have been set in a bid to limit the global temperature increase to no more than 1.5°C by 2050, in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and avoiding a climate scenario of no return. Given its responsibility and in response to growing demands regarding the need to reduce the environment impact, Atresmedia has decided to set its targets based on one of the most recognised initiatives in the market, the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), as can be seen on its website. The SBTi is an alliance between the CDP, UN Global Compact and other international institutions for the verification of emission reduction targets set by companies, which should be aligned with the scientific consensus on the level of decarbonisation needed to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Atresmedia has publicly pledged, through the SBTi initiative, to reduce its Scope 1+2 emissions by 90% and its Scope 3 emissions by 90% compared to 2019, its base year. To achieve this, new actions are being devised in addition to those already in place, all of which will help to minimise the Company’s GHG emissions.

In 2019, Atresmedia Group’s emissions —a reference point and basis for the targets set by the Net Zero strategy— were as follows: 10,051 tonnes of CO2 from Scopes 1+2 and 167,963.3 tonnes from Scope 3.

The main absolute targets assumed for the base year 2019, based on Atresmedia’s strategy, are:

Atresmedia has made its commitment public on the SBTi website and its targets are currently pending validation by the initiative.

To achieve these objectives, Atresmedia has already implemented measures such as the use of 100% renewable energy in its facilities. In 2022, 100% of the energy consumed at its San Sebastián de los Reyes center was renewable, while this figure was 92.4% for all the offices of Atresmedia Televisión and Onda Cero. Work is also ongoing to extend these measures to all the Group’s workplaces. This particular measure has led to a 93.1% reduction in Scope 2 emissions since 2019.

The measures are set out in the transition plan that Atresmedia drew up in 2022 and will be implemented progressively from 2023 onward. This plan will include a roadmap with actions to align the Company’s emission reduction targets with the SBTi, while also reducing and offsetting the Company’s carbon footprint and allowing it to achieve its short- and long-term targets.

Strategy: other measures put in place to reduce emissions

Aside from the design of its Net Zero strategy, Atresmedia continued to pursue various courses of action throughout 2022 that will ultimately allow it to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

Atresmedia reports annually on its climate change performance through the CDP questionnaire aimed at institutional investors. Thanks to the progress made by the Company, it has succeeded in steadily improving its score under this initiative from a “C” in 2019 to a “B” in 2022, for the third year running.

In 2022, the Ecology and Development Foundation (ECODES), together with the Climate Change CommunicationObservatory, launched its 2022 declaration of recommendations for climate change disclosure in the current context of ecological transition, which counts on the full support of Atresmedia. It is essentially a renewal of Atresmedia’s adherence in 2019 to the Media declaration against climate change, spearheaded by ECODES in partnership with Investigación Mediación Dialéctica de la Comunicación Social (MDCS) of the Complutense University of Madrid.

Environmental awareness

The Group allotted part of its programming to environmental concerns in 2022, notably:

•Special coverage by laSexta of the Metafuturo event, organised by the channel itself, which addressed issues related to energy and the climate emergency and which are available on ATRESplayer.

•News programme Hazte Eco tackled various issues related to climate, energy and rural communities, among other matters.

•Various episodes of El Intermedio reflected on the effects of climate change, with a healthy dose of humour and criticism, and the need to act now.

•Antena 3, laSexta and Onda Cero all provided special coverage of the COP27 held in Egypt in their news programmes.

•Salvados special on the Prestige oil disaster. To mark the 20th anniversary of the sinking of the oil tanker Prestige off the Galician coast, Salvados reconstructs the disaster in two special episodes and discusses the aftermath of the worst ever environmental disaster in Spain and one of the worst ever worldwide.