Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is a premier global media and entertainment company formed in April 2022 through the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc. Its sustainability program is still maturing relative to peers, with the company publishing its inaugural Sustainability Report only in April 2024, covering FY2023 performance. The 2024 Impact Report, published subsequently, outlines WBD’s evolving commitments across climate, workplaces, productions, and governance, while acknowledging significant gaps in data transparency for water, waste, and Scope 3 emissions.
Source
https://esgnews.com/warner-bros-discovery-published-its-inaugural-sustainability-report-in-april-2024/
https://www.wbd.com/impact/resources
Sustainability Strategy and Goals
WBD’s formal sustainability strategy is structured around four pillars: Our Planet, Our People, Our Community, and Our Value Chain. The company aligns its reporting with GHG Protocol standards and the TCFD framework, and created an ESG Advisory Committee of senior leadership in 2022 to steer the program following the merger. The pre-merger Discovery entity had previously set net zero by 2030 and 100% renewable electricity targets, which WBD inherited but did not formally update or consolidate until its first integrated sustainability report in 2024.
Net Zero and Carbon Emissions
WBD targets near-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2025, a 50% reduction in Scope 1 emissions from a 2021 baseline by 2030, and a parallel 50% reduction in Scope 2 emissions from the same 2021 baseline. In 2023, total operational GHG emissions (Scope 1 and 2 combined) were 221,487 metric tons CO2e, with Scope 3 emissions adding a further 1,567,625 metric tons CO2e across 3 of the 15 GHG Protocol categories, bringing the total reported footprint to approximately 1.79 million metric tons CO2e.
- 2023 Scope 1 emissions: 46,443 metric tons CO2e
- 2023 Scope 2 emissions (market-based): 170,355 metric tons CO2e; location-based: 175,044 metric tons CO2e
- 2023 Scope 3 emissions: 1,567,625 metric tons CO2e across 3 of 15 GHG Protocol categories
- 2024 total reported carbon footprint: approximately 1.36 billion kg CO2e (including Scope 1: 130.3M kg; Scope 2 market-based: 147.6M kg; Scope 3: 1.08 billion kg CO2e)
Water Stewardship
WBD’s water consumption data across its facilities and offices is not publicly disclosed as of its most recent impact reporting cycle. This is a material transparency gap given that WBD operates large studio campuses, broadcast facilities, and theme attractions globally. The absence of a water reduction target or publicly disclosed water consumption baseline represents one of the weakest reporting areas in the WBD sustainability program.
- No public data on water consumption across WBD facilities and offices as of 2024
- No water reduction targets have been published
- Water management is listed as an initiative area under WBD’s Sustainable Workplaces program, but no metrics have been disclosed
- Disneyland Paris and Sony both publish annual water data, setting a peer benchmark that WBD has yet to meet
Regenerative Agriculture
WBD does not operate a regenerative agriculture program. As a media and entertainment company, its supply chain does not include direct agricultural sourcing. The company’s environmental strategy focuses on production waste, energy use, and carbon emissions rather than food systems.
Deforestation and Biodiversity
WBD engages with biodiversity themes through its content portfolio, including CNN’s Call to Earth series and Discovery Channel’s Serengeti, which document wildlife conservation and environmental issues for global audiences. However, the company has not published operational biodiversity targets, forest protection investments, or nature-based solutions aligned to TNFD or equivalent frameworks.
- Call to Earth and Serengeti are flagship examples of WBD environmental storytelling embedded in its programming strategy
- No operational biodiversity conservation targets or investment figures have been publicly disclosed
- WBD is a member of the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance (SEA) and BAFTA albert, which cover production-related environmental impact rather than direct biodiversity investment
Packaging and Circular Economy
WBD’s packaging and circular economy activities are limited to sustainable production materials. Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden (WBSL) has collaborated with Reppatch to recycle paper materials from set production into sustainable packaging, giving recycled studio materials a second commercial life. The company has not published formal circular economy targets covering plastic content, recycled materials percentages, or packaging elimination commitments equivalent to those set by Sony or Disney.
- Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden uses recycled set paper to create sustainable packaging through its Reppatch partnership (active as of February 2026)
- No formal recyclable content percentage targets for product or production packaging have been published
- Production waste reduction is one of WBD’s five sustainable production focus areas: fuel, materials, waste, electricity, and reporting
- 39 EMA Green Seals awarded to WBD productions in 2024, with 27 receiving the Gold Seal for higher-tier sustainable production practices
Human Rights and Responsible Sourcing
WBD’s Supplier Diversity Program identifies diverse suppliers as those with at least 51% ownership from designated diverse backgrounds, including ethnic minorities, women, LGBTQ+, veterans, and persons with disabilities. The company reviews and updated its Procurement Policy during FY2023 to introduce sustainable procurement processes, and developed a supplier engagement framework in the UK focused on suppliers most material to reducing Scope 3 emissions.
- Supplier Diversity Program covers U.S. and international suppliers through a registration and vetting portal
- UK supplier engagement framework developed in FY2023, focused on hospital and facility-related Scope 3 material suppliers
- Modern Slavery Act transparency statement is published annually for the Sony Pictures and UK group entities
- Sustainable procurement processes introduced in updated Procurement Policy during FY2023
Nutrition and Health
WBD does not publish a formal nutrition and health strategy. Social investment in health sits outside the company’s current published ESG pillars, though WBD’s content includes public health-aligned programming such as CNN health journalism and documentary productions.
Community and Social Impact
WBD’s community strategy centers on its CSR pillars, including inclusion-focused employee programs and community engagement across its global markets. Following a policy shift in February 2025, WBD revised its approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion by removing the terms “diversity” and “equity” from its DEI program name and documentation, reflecting a broader political shift in U.S. corporate DE&I positioning.
- WBD’s Global Social Justice commitments existed under the WarnerMedia legacy program prior to the merger
- February 2025: WBD dropped “diversity” and “equity” from its DEI program name and formal documentation
- Community contribution activities are run across WBD’s global office network, embedded in local CSR programs
- Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden supports local community outreach as part of its BAFTA albert sustainability standard activities
Governance and Transparency
WBD’s ESG Advisory Committee, created in 2022, is composed of senior leadership and oversees the company’s sustainability strategy and commitments. The company completed a climate scenario analysis in FY2023 aligned to TCFD recommendations, supporting physical and transition risk assessment. Following a March 2024 shareholder proposal from Green Century Funds, WBD agreed to report on direct emission reduction targets, renewable energy procurement, and carbon offset purchases.
- ESG Advisory Committee of senior leaders established 2022
- TCFD-aligned climate scenario analysis completed in FY2023
- Green Century shareholder agreement (March 2024) commits WBD to enhanced climate reporting including emissions targets, renewable energy details, and carbon offset disclosure
- WBD’s average ESG score from third-party assessors is 49.85 over the past five years, with highest scores in transparency and labor practices and lowest in innovation and sustainable materials
Technology and Innovation
WBD’s primary technology-led sustainability innovation is its green production program, where the five focus areas of fuel, materials, waste, electricity, and reporting create a systematic framework for decarbonizing film and TV production at scale. Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden uses LEED-certified buildings, energy-efficient lighting, updated HVAC systems, and automated control systems including timers, motion sensors, and wireless thermostats.
Global Partnerships and Advocacy
WBD holds membership in the Sustainable Entertainment Alliance (SEA), BAFTA albert, RE100 (committed by legacy Discovery to 100% renewable electricity), and the Environmental Media Association (EMA). These memberships position WBD within the entertainment industry’s primary sustainability infrastructure but require continued investment to move beyond membership to measurable delivery.
Source
https://www.wbd.com/impact/climate-impact
https://www.wbd.com/impact/our-planet
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/warner-bros
https://tracenable.com/company/warner-bros-discovery/ghg-emissions
https://www.greencentury.com/warner-bros-discovery-to-enhance-climate-reporting/
https://wbd.com/supplier-diversity/
https://deadline.com/2025/02/warner-bros-discovery-dei-diversity-equity-inclusion-donald-trump-1236303841/
https://sustainability-directory.com/rating/services/media-entertainment/warner-bros-discovery/
Progress vs. Target Tracker
Source
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/warner-bros
https://tracenable.com/company/warner-bros-discovery/ghg-emissions
https://www.greencentury.com/warner-bros-discovery-to-enhance-climate-reporting/
https://www.wbd.com/impact/resources
https://sustainability-directory.com/rating/services/media-entertainment/warner-bros-discovery/
https://www.wbsl.com/studios/2025/05/01/albert-2025-26-studio-sustainability-standard/
Key Sustainability Innovations and Technologies
WBD’s most concrete sustainability innovations center on production-level decarbonization and building efficiency, with limited evidence of broader technology investment in materials science or circular economy platforms relative to peers.
Green Production Framework
WBD’s sustainable production strategy operates across five focus areas: fuel (reducing diesel and petrol in production vehicles and generators), materials (sourcing sustainable sets and props), waste (diversion from landfill on set), electricity (renewable energy in production facilities), and reporting (carbon footprinting for individual productions). This framework mirrors the BAFTA albert production carbon calculator, which WBD uses across its UK-based productions.
- 39 EMA Green Seals awarded to WBD productions in 2024, with 27 Gold Seals for higher-tier sustainable practices
- Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden BAFTA albert Studio Sustainability Standard score: 83% (Very Good) in 2025/26, up from 75% in 2024/25
- BAFTA albert reports that total production carbon emissions across the UK industry were approximately 175,000 tonnes in 2024, from over 2,500 productions
- WBD integrates albert membership and EMA Green Seal criteria into production planning for film and TV globally
Sustainable Workplaces and Building Efficiency
WBD’s Burbank, California studio campus and Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden both hold LEED-certified buildings, with energy-saving lighting, updated HVAC systems, automated timers, motion sensors, and wireless thermostats installed across multiple stages and offices. The company pursued WELL building certifications alongside LEED at select locations, addressing both energy and occupant health standards simultaneously.
Renewable Energy Procurement
WBD sourced or generated 44,841 MWh of renewable energy across its global operations in FY2023, covering locations in Finland, New Zealand, Poland, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The company inherited legacy Discovery’s RE100 membership, committing it to 100% renewable electricity by 2030, but has not published a current percentage of total electricity covered by renewables.
- 44,841 MWh of renewable energy generated or purchased globally in FY2023
- RE100 membership active, targeting 100% renewable electricity at all sites by 2030
- Car charging stations installed in select offices globally
- Composting programs active in select office locations
Circular Materials in Production
Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden partnered with Reppatch in early 2026 to recycle paper and cardboard from film set production into sustainable packaging for commercial use. This is WBD’s only publicly confirmed circular materials initiative as of March 2026, making it a single notable data point rather than a scaled circular economy program.
Source
https://www.wbd.com/impact/our-planet
https://esgnews.com/warner-bros-discovery-published-its-inaugural-sustainability-report-in-april-2024/
https://www.wbsl.com/studios/2025/05/01/albert-2025-26-studio-sustainability-standard/
https://www.ncta.com/news/leaders-in-sustainable-tv-production
Measurable Impacts
WBD’s measurable sustainability data remains limited to GHG emissions (partially), renewable energy procurement, and production-level certifications. Water, waste, and biodiversity metrics have not been quantified or disclosed publicly.
Emissions Data Trajectory
Total reported carbon footprint across Scope 1, 2, and 3 decreased from approximately 1.79 billion kg CO2e in FY2023 to approximately 1.36 billion kg CO2e in FY2024, a reduction of roughly 24% in one year. This improvement may reflect enhanced measurement coverage rather than equivalent operational cuts, given that Scope 3 categories covered increased from 0 prior to FY2023 to 3 categories by FY2023, and the FY2024 reporting methodology has not been fully disclosed.
- FY2023 total footprint: approximately 1.79 million metric tons CO2e (Scope 1: 46,443; Scope 2 market-based: 170,355; Scope 3: 1,567,625)
- FY2024 total footprint: approximately 1.36 billion kg CO2e (Scope 1: 130.3M kg; Scope 2 market-based: 147.6M kg; Scope 3: 1.08B kg)
- Scope 3 emissions represent 87.62% of WBD’s total carbon footprint in FY2023
- Scope 3 disclosure covers only 3 of 15 GHG Protocol categories, leaving a material portion of the value chain footprint unquantified
Production-Level Certifications
WBD’s 39 EMA Green Seals in 2024 represent one of the higher annual totals among major studio groups, confirming that sustainable production practices are embedded at the project level even where corporate-level metrics remain incomplete. Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden’s BAFTA albert score improvement from 75% to 83% in one year demonstrates measurable progress at the facility level.
Governance and Reporting Milestones
WBD published its inaugural integrated Sustainability Report in April 2024, a significant structural advance from zero sustainability disclosure in the first two years following the April 2022 merger. The March 2024 Green Century shareholder agreement formalized obligations to disclose direct emission targets, renewable energy use, and carbon offset purchases within the calendar year.
Source
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/warner-bros
https://tracenable.com/company/warner-bros-discovery/ghg-emissions
https://www.wbd.com/impact/our-planet
https://www.wbsl.com/studios/2025/05/01/albert-2025-26-studio-sustainability-standard/
Challenges and Areas for Improvement
WBD carries more material sustainability gaps than any of its major peers in media and entertainment, driven primarily by the delayed formation of an integrated ESG program following the 2022 merger.
Near-Zero Scope 1 and 2 Target for 2025 is Effectively Missed
WBD’s stated target of near-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2025 is not credible given that its 2024 Scope 1 and 2 combined total remains at approximately 277.9 million kg CO2e, more than 2.7 times the Scope 1 total alone from 2023. No pathway or year-over-year reduction plan has been published that explains how this target would be met within its stated timeline. This represents the most visible commitment-to-performance gap in WBD’s entire sustainability program.
Scope 3 Disclosure Covers Only 3 of 15 Categories
WBD discloses Scope 3 across only 3 of 15 GHG Protocol categories, leaving the overwhelming majority of its upstream and downstream value chain emissions unquantified. With Scope 3 representing 87.62% of its total reported footprint, this gap makes it structurally impossible to set or track a credible net zero pathway without broader category coverage.
No Published Water or Waste Targets and Data
WBD has no publicly disclosed water consumption figures, water reduction targets, or waste diversion rates for any of its global facilities. This positions WBD below the baseline disclosure standard of its major media peers and limits its ability to achieve credibility on resource stewardship.
DEI Program Restructuring Risk
WBD’s February 2025 decision to remove “diversity” and “equity” from its DEI program name and formal documentation introduces reputational and governance risk at a time when ESG investors are tracking social pillar commitments with greater scrutiny. The company has not published a revised framework or quantified social inclusion targets to replace the terminology changes.
Scope 3 Reduction Target Absent
Unlike Disney (27.5% Scope 3 reduction target by 2030) and Sony (25% by FY2030), WBD has not published a Scope 3 emissions reduction target. Given that Scope 3 accounts for 87.62% of WBD’s total footprint, the absence of a Scope 3 target is the single most important structural omission in its climate strategy.
Source
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/warner-bros
https://tracenable.com/company/warner-bros-discovery/ghg-emissions
https://sustainability-directory.com/rating/services/media-entertainment/warner-bros-discovery/
https://deadline.com/2025/02/warner-bros-discovery-dei-diversity-equity-inclusion-donald-trump-1236303841/
https://www.greencentury.com/warner-bros-discovery-to-enhance-climate-reporting/
Future Plans and Long-Term Goals
WBD’s published long-term goals remain limited to its 2030 50% Scope 1 and 2 reduction targets and 100% renewable electricity ambition through RE100. The company has not published a 2050 net zero commitment or a full lifecycle sustainability roadmap equivalent to Sony’s Road to Zero or Disney’s 2050 framework.
Renewable Electricity to 100% by 2030
WBD’s RE100 commitment to 100% renewable electricity by 2030 is the most clearly articulated long-term environmental goal in its current portfolio. Given that only 44,841 MWh of renewable energy was sourced or generated in FY2023 and the total electricity base has not been disclosed, the credibility of this commitment depends entirely on an accelerated procurement program that has yet to be publicly mapped out.
Emission Reduction Targets for 2030
The 50% reduction targets for both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions from a 2021 baseline remain the company’s primary operational climate commitments. WBD has not publicly confirmed the 2021 baseline figures, making independent progress tracking difficult and reducing the credibility of the stated percentage targets.
Sustainability Reporting Maturity
The Green Century shareholder commitment from March 2024 is expected to produce fuller disclosure on carbon offsets, renewable energy percentages, and direct emission targets by the end of 2024. If WBD delivers this reporting in its 2024 Impact Report cycle, it would represent a material structural advance that sets the foundation for science-based target adoption and formal Scope 3 strategy development.
Production Sustainability Scaling
WBD’s green production framework has the potential to scale EMA Green Seal and BAFTA albert certification across a larger share of its global production slate. Leavesden’s improvement to 83% BAFTA albert score signals momentum that, if replicated across WBD’s Burbank, Atlanta, and international studio campuses, could meaningfully reduce production-related Scope 3 emissions.
Source
https://www.ncta.com/news/leaders-in-sustainable-tv-production
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/warner-bros
https://www.greencentury.com/warner-bros-discovery-to-enhance-climate-reporting/
https://www.wbsl.com/studios/2025/05/01/albert-2025-26-studio-sustainability-standard/
Comparisons to Industry Competitors
WBD sits materially behind its two primary media and entertainment peers on nearly every dimension of sustainability maturity, disclosure quality, and target credibility.
WBD’s 2.5-year delay in publishing a sustainability report after its April 2022 merger created a governance vacuum that continues to limit its standing in ESG benchmarks. Disney’s SBTi-validated targets, 38% Scope 1 and 2 reduction already achieved, and 157,000+ tons of waste diverted in FY2024 set a peer standard that WBD has not yet approached in any measurable category. Netflix’s full renewable energy certificate match since 2022 and its NCS offset portfolio, while a lighter model than Disney’s physical infrastructure, both exceed WBD’s current renewable energy credentials.
Source
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/warner-bros
https://tracenable.com/company/warner-bros-discovery/ghg-emissions
https://www.wbd.com/impact/our-planet
https://esgnews.com/warner-bros-discovery-published-its-inaugural-sustainability-report-in-april-2024/
What to Watch: 12 to 18 Month Indicators
Three signals between March 2026 and September 2027 will most determine whether WBD’s sustainability program begins to close the gap with its peers.
Publication of a Scope 3 Reduction Target and Expanded Category Coverage
WBD’s FY2025 Sustainability Report, expected in mid-2026, will indicate whether the company expands its Scope 3 disclosure beyond the current 3 of 15 GHG Protocol categories and publishes its first formal Scope 3 reduction target. Without this, any claim of alignment with a 1.5°C pathway or SBTi validation is blocked, and institutional ESG investors will continue to flag WBD as structurally non-compliant with sector best practice.
- FY2023 Scope 3 disclosure: 3 of 15 GHG Protocol categories
- Scope 3 accounts for 87.62% of WBD’s total FY2023 reported carbon footprint
- Disney covers 8 of 15 categories; Sony covers multiple categories under its SBTi-validated framework
Green Century Climate Reporting Deliverables
WBD committed under its March 2024 Green Century agreement to report direct emission reduction targets, renewable energy procurement details, and carbon offset disclosure by end of 2024. The extent to which these disclosures were delivered, their quality, and whether they included a formal 2021 baseline for the 50% reduction targets will be clear in its next Impact Report. If the commitments were only partially met or materially incomplete, this signals a governance accountability failure that may trigger further shareholder action.
- March 2024 commitment: enhanced climate reporting by end of 2024
- Reporting to cover: direct emission reduction targets, renewable energy efforts, and carbon offset purchases
- Non-delivery or incomplete delivery would represent a breach of a public shareholder commitment
Renewable Energy Procurement Acceleration Toward RE100
WBD sourced only 44,841 MWh of renewable energy globally in FY2023 against an RE100 commitment to 100% renewable electricity by 2030. With four years remaining, the gap between current procurement and full coverage is extremely large relative to Disney’s 25% renewable electricity base and Sony’s 40.1%. Any announcement of a power purchase agreement, virtual PPA, or large-scale renewable energy contract between 2026 and mid-2027 will indicate whether WBD is actively executing on this commitment or treating it as aspirational.
- FY2023 renewable energy: 44,841 MWh in five countries
- RE100 target: 100% renewable electricity at all global sites by 2030
- Peer benchmark: Sony at 40.1% (FY2024), Disney at 25% at Walt Disney World alone
Source
https://www.greencentury.com/warner-bros-discovery-to-enhance-climate-reporting/
https://tracenable.com/company/warner-bros-discovery/ghg-emissions
https://ditchcarbon.com/organizations/warner-bros
https://www.ncta.com/news/leaders-in-sustainable-tv-production
WBD is the least mature of the three major media and entertainment companies examined, and that assessment must be made in context: the company has only existed for four years, published its first sustainability report in year three, and is building its ESG infrastructure while simultaneously managing significant financial restructuring and debt. The 2024 inaugural report and the March 2024 Green Century commitment represent genuine structural advances rather than incremental improvements on a preexisting system.
The most consequential issue is not the gaps in water and waste data, which are material but common in early-stage sustainability programs. The more serious problem is WBD’s near-zero Scope 1 and 2 target for 2025, which appears to have been carried forward from legacy Discovery targets without adjustment and is now effectively unachievable based on published FY2024 emissions data. A target that exists on paper but cannot be defended with published numbers is a governance liability, not an aspirational driver.
Three strategic takeaways for practitioners benchmarking or replicating this program. First, the merger integration period is a high-risk window for ESG continuity: WBD’s two-and-a-half-year gap in consolidated sustainability reporting demonstrates that without explicit ESG integration provisions in merger planning, pre-merger commitments and data baselines are effectively lost. Second, WBD’s green production framework, anchored by BAFTA albert, EMA Green Seals, and LEED certifications, is the most credible and operationally embedded element of its current sustainability program, and practitioners in asset-heavy media companies should prioritize production-level decarbonization as the most tractable near-term lever. Third, the Green Century shareholder engagement model, which produced a binding climate reporting commitment from a company that had produced no integrated sustainability report in its first two years, demonstrates the effectiveness of targeted shareholder proposals as a tool for accelerating ESG disclosure where voluntary action is insufficient.
