The 2025 CAN Annual Report – Turning Principles into Performance
The CAN team are proud to share the 2025 Conscious Advertising Network Annual Report. This year’s report reflects on a moment of real change for the industry, and the progress we’ve made together in responding to it.
Across 2025, political pressure, platform shifts, and the rapid acceleration of AI began to fundamentally reshape the advertising system. At the same time, the open web continued to come under strain, with quality journalism struggling, harmful content often rewarded, and trust becoming harder to earn.
But alongside these challenges, something else became clear: there is real appetite for change.
Over the past year, CAN has been invited into critical global conversations (from UN forums to government discussions) ensuring advertising is part of the solution on issues like information integrity, climate action, human rights, and child safety. We’ve also updated our Guides, launched CAN’s Guiding Principles, and begun work with the United Nations on a roadmap for the industry.
This report captures what that shift looks like in practice, and the role our members are playing in building an effective advertising industry that works for everyone.
What’s Inside
A Turning Point for the Industry
An overview of the forces reshaping advertising, from AI disruption to the challenges facing the open web, and why this moment demands action.
From Principles to Practice
The launch of CAN’s Guiding Principles and six updated Guides, designed to help organisations embed responsible advertising into day-to-day decisions across creative, media and supply chains.
Our Impact & Advocacy
Highlights from our work bringing advertising expertise into policy and global discussions, including contributions to UN initiatives, COP30 conversations, and UK government engagement.
Member Spotlights
Our Top 2025 members putting CAN’s Guiding Principles into practice, demonstrating how conscious advertising delivers both societal and commercial impact.
Research & Insights
Key work from across the year, including partnerships and reports on child safety, inclusion, and climate information integrity.
Membership & Community Growth
A growing network of over 200 organisations, alongside insights from our annual member survey, including what’s working and where members want us to go next.
What’s to Come in 2026
Our continued work with the United Nations on AI and information integrity, new case studies on transparent supply chains, and the development of an international charter for accountable climate advertising.
Everything CAN produces is free and accessible to the whole industry, and membership does not require a fee. This is a deliberate choice to keep the work open, impartial, and inclusive, but it also means we rely on voluntary support to sustain and grow our impact.
If our work has supported your organisation, we invite you to consider making a donation. Contributions help fund independent research, policy and advocacy work, the development of practical tools, and give us the flexibility to respond quickly to emerging issues across advertising and media.
To get involved, support our work, or find out more, contact hello@consciousadnetwork.org.
