Quentin Bordage
Kolsquare has released a new open-source carbon footprint calculator to work out the environmental impact of influencer marketing campaigns.
Let’s not forget that influencers have enormous power to spark conversations and raise awareness about important issues, including sustainability.”
— Quentin Bordage, CEO at Kolsquare.
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, February 14, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The hidden environmental cost of influencer marketing is staggering: a single influencer with 3M followers produces 1.072 tonnes of CO₂e per year—equivalent to 481 Paris-New York flights.
With the EU pushing for increased corporate sustainability, brands can no
Why social media’s energy is worse than you think
According to recent data published by the UN, the digital economy, including devices, data centres and ICT networks currently accounts for up to 12% of the global energy use. With a market value that exceeded $ 24 Billion in 2024, and over 54% of Influencer Marketers planning to expand their business even further in 2025, the Creator Economy is undeniably a contributor to global CO₂ emissions.
Social platforms use enormous amounts of energy with TikTok consuming the most – 0.96gEqCO2 per minute, followed by Reddit, YouTube, Pinterest and LinkedIn. Kolsquare’s whitepaper also reveals that media buying and digital ad creation using marketing tech generates the equivalent of 91 million litres of petrol every month in the UK, France, Germany, the US and Australia combined.
"Our industry is built around growth and scalability—so it’s even more important to scale responsibly," said Quentin Bordage, CEO and Founder of Kolsquare. "You can’t improve what you can’t measure - that’s why quantifying the impact of our actions is the first step in understanding where emissions come from and what can be done to reduce them.”
How it works
Kolsquare’s Carbon Footprint Calculator analyses elements of a campaign, such as travel, the environmental impact of social media platforms (TikTok has a carbon footprint of 57.6g per hour of browsing, the equivalent of charging a phone 7 times), product shipping, accommodation etc, and gives a reading measured gEqCO₂ which stands for grams of CO₂(carbon dioxide). It’s a complex process as many elements are involved.
"There are limitations and evaluating your carbon impact will never be 100% accurate. However, measuring and calculating it allows us to see where we can make changes to reduce or offset it by planting trees or carrying out other similar activities. The more we know about the carbon impact of our activities, the more we can do to reduce it." said Michella Saliby, Chief Product Officer at Kolsquare.
How Ibis Styles campaign reduced carbon footprint
A recent campaign led by Kolsquare partner Greenstory for Ibis Styles illustrates how accurate measurement and data-driven choices can help reduce the environmental impact of influencer marketing: By prioritising local travel over flights, the campaign saved 1.968 tons of CO₂—the equivalent of an average household’s energy consumption for three months.
"We are not just a data-driven company; we are also purpose-driven, and we know that transparency is essential for making informed decisions," added Bordage. "Beyond individual campaigns, this initiative also aims to quantify our industry's footprint as a whole—so we can drive positive change for the future together."
To complement the Carbon Footprint Calculator, Kolsquare has developed an in-depth whitepaper, featuring expert insights, case studies, and best practices on how to run Influencer Marketing campaigns with a lower environmental impact.
Beyond measurement, the guide seeks to raise awareness about climate change and highlight how influence can be used more responsibly.
"Let’s not forget that influencers have enormous power to spark conversations and raise awareness about important issues, including sustainability," concluded Bordage. "By integrating them into our sustainability journey, our industry amplifies its voice, opening the conversation and inspiring others to play their part. Every step, every data point, and every individual counts—let’s work together to use #InfluenceForGood."
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