Nielsen Holdings plc, commonly known as Nielsen, is a global leader in audience measurement and data analytics, headquartered in the United States. Founded in 1923, the company has evolved significantly, establishing itself as a pivotal player in the media and consumer insights industry. With major operational regions across North America, Europe, and Asia, Nielsen provides comprehensive solutions that empower businesses to understand consumer behaviour and market trends. Nielsen's core offerings include audience measurement, marketing effectiveness, and consumer insights, distinguished by their robust data analytics capabilities and innovative methodologies. The company is renowned for its Nielsen Ratings, which have become the gold standard in television audience measurement. With a strong market position, Nielsen continues to drive industry standards, helping clients navigate the complexities of an ever-changing marketplace.
How does Nielsen Holdings's carbon action stack up? DitchCarbon scores companies based on their carbon action and commitment to reducing emissions. Read about our methodology to learn more.
Mean score of companies in the Research Services industry. Comparing a company's score to the industry average can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
Nielsen Holdings's score of 30 is higher than 56% of the industry. This can give you a sense of how well the company is doing compared to its peers.
In 2019, Nielsen Holdings reported significant carbon emissions, with Scope 1 emissions totalling approximately 5,224,928,000 kg CO2e and Scope 3 emissions at about 73,590,420 kg CO2e. Within the Scope 3 category, business travel accounted for approximately 18,415,980 kg CO2e, while employee commuting contributed around 54,022,000 kg CO2e. Comparatively, in 2018, Nielsen's Scope 1 emissions were about 1,201,174,000 kg CO2e, and Scope 3 emissions reached approximately 615,382,000 kg CO2e, with employee commuting alone responsible for about 49,838,000 kg CO2e. Despite these figures, Nielsen has not publicly committed to specific reduction targets or initiatives, as indicated by the absence of documented reduction targets or climate pledges. The company does not appear to inherit emissions data from a parent organisation, maintaining its own reporting standards. Nielsen's emissions data reflects its operational impact and highlights the need for ongoing climate commitments in the industry.
Access structured emissions data, company-specific emission factors, and source documents
| 2018 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope 1 | 1,201,174,000 | 0,000,000,000 |
| Scope 2 | - | - |
| Scope 3 | 615,382,000 | 00,000,000 |
Nielsen Holdings's Scope 3 emissions, which decreased by 88% last year and decreased by approximately 88% since 2018, demonstrating supply chain emissions tracking. Their carbon footprint includes supplier sustainability and value chain emissions data across Scope 3 categories, with "Employee Commuting" being the largest emissions source at 73% of Scope 3 emissions.
Climate goals typically focus on 2030 interim targets and 2050 net-zero commitments, aligned with global frameworks like the Paris Agreement and Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to ensure alignment with global climate goals.
Nielsen Holdings has not publicly committed to specific 2030 or 2050 climate goals through the major frameworks we track. Companies often set interim 2030 targets and long-term 2050 net-zero goals to demonstrate measurable progress toward decarbonization.

