Who we are
We are the industry body for digital advertising, here to build a better future for digital advertising for the benefit of everyone. Our mission is to enable smarter business – by delivering a better kind of profit that benefits both the planet and its people. From our policy work to research studies, and from our sustainability initiatives to our inclusion work, we host events and training, set standards and educate those that work in digital advertising about how to get the most out of it - and how to do it responsibly.
Our membership spans media owners, publishers, agencies, ad tech companies and brands. From Google to The Guardian, MIQ to Mindshare and TikTok to The Trade Desk - take a look at our members directory.
As an industry body, we offer a genuinely unique place to develop a career because we not only get to work with a broad range of companies across the industry, but also have plenty of opportunities to learn about digital advertising and innovation.
Life at IAB UK
Ways of working
Although IAB UK is a small team of 25, we deliver a great deal of important work and build strong relationships with our members. So much so that some people move on from a successful career at the IAB to work at one of our member companies - such as Google or TikTok - as the next chapter.
We are a Flexible First qualified employer, which means that we’re committed to flexible working on the basis that it is a primary influencing factor in closing the gender pay gap, by delivering gender equality. It also means that everyone – whether they are parents or carers, are neurodiverse, live further away from London or just desire more flexibility - can balance their work around other commitments in their lives.
At the IAB, we work both from home and from our office in Covent Garden, with many of us coming into the office two days each week. Some of our team are also based further afield, including the Yorkshire Dales. On Wednesdays, we all enjoy a free lunch together in the office. Recognising that needs evolve, we run an annual (anonymous) staff survey to understand levels of motivation and satisfaction and identify what can be improved in relation to the work we do and the environment we offer.
Overall, we are proud of the work environment and culture we have created at the IAB – in fact, our company has been recognised as one of 'Campaign's Best Places to Work' in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 and in 2024 by The Sunday Times as one of the Best Places to Work.
Culture
We are a social and upbeat team at the IAB, with different areas of expertise and a great ability to pitch in together to deliver big events and initiatives. We celebrate success, whether it's the completion of a big project or something small but important that helps us all. Socially, we have a book club, hold team bonding days, after work quizzes and some people bring their dogs into the office. Big hearts also reign at the IAB and we are regular competitors in the annual industry Sprintathon for Cancer Research UK’s Stand Up To Cancer campaign.
We are proud of our values, which everyone in the team helped shape and they help guide us in how we act every day:
- We collaborate - we bring everyone together to achieve more. Whether that’s uniting the industry or working collaboratively as a team
- We are brave - we don't shy away from the difficult stuff. From the deprecation of cookies to shining a light on what needs to change to make the industry more environmentally sustainable
- We are trusted experts - we're knowledgeable and curious. We have to be on the ball in this industry, because there’s always something new, and we are excited to learn and share what we know
Growing & thriving
We recognise that career development is important when looking at a new role. We’re not the largest organisation and so we don’t have dozens of promotional windows opening up across the year, but we do take our teams’ careers seriously.
We offer training in coaching skills to all managers so they can have productive career conversations with their teams; encourage staff to speak to qualified, external coaches at Sanctus about their personal development; and help staff identify their personal career drivers so they know what really matters to them at work.
We want everyone to be able to thrive in their role, so in addition to external training, individual training and our own IAB training courses, we make time for everyone to stay up-to-speed with developments in tech and advertising. Knowing our styles and strengths is vital when it comes to development, so everyone is invited to take a DISC survey and StrengthScope profile, which identifies an individual’s communication styles and strengths so they can channel them effectively. We build on this by ensuring the whole team can perform at its best, for example by investing in all company training and coaching.
Working at the heart of the digital ad ecosystem also means being able to access amazing opportunities above and beyond a typical organisation - such as being invited to attend events across the industry and having plenty of opportunities to grow your network across a wide range of market-leading companies. Our staff gain a fantastic perspective of the market as companies grow, merge and start up – all of which provides a brilliant platform from which to launch their next career chapter when the time comes.
We also know that sometimes the best personal growth happens away from our laptops. That is why we are proud of our Sabbatical Scheme, which has seen team members take eight weeks to dedicate to their personal passions like cycling, skiing, travelling or spending more time with a young family or, as our Chief Industry Officer did, undertaking a course in countryside conservation.
More on development at IAB UK
Entering the industry
Hear from our Marketing Executive, Jess, about how the IAB has helped her kickstart a career in digital advertising.
Learn more
Training at the IAB
Our Director of Marketing, Tom, explains how the IAB commits to the professional development of all staff members.
Learn more
Career progression
Catherine, our Head of Partnerships, explains how she has developed her career by working across different departments at the IAB.
Learn more
Sustainability
Our mission, “Enabling better business”, encompasses our focus on the planet. We care about our carbon footprint and so take measures to be more sustainable as a company – be it in our office or at our events.
We have been recognised as Carbon Neutral by the Carbon Footprint Standard, have an internal climate group, run an IAB sustainability group for our members and are actively working with the wider industry to drive towards becoming carbon zero.
Our team activities involved volunteering to clean the shore of the Thames by collecting litter and planting trees in Enfield to help prevent flooding. Find out more here.
Diversity & inclusion
As a representative of the industry, D&I is important to us in terms of our culture, the suppliers we work with and the people we put on stage at our events. We ask suppliers about their commitments and run a D&I group for members to help accelerate efforts in making the digital advertising industry a more inclusive and equitable place to work – you can find out more here.
We are aware that many of us that work at the IAB are white and we are striving to achieve more diversity in our team. To work towards this, we have compared interview intakes from both blind and non blind CVs and work with recruiters that focus on finding more diverse candidates.
We are committed to the All In Plan, which aims to build a more inclusive advertising industry and are proud to have been recognised as an All In Champion. All In was created by the Advertising Association, IPA and ISBA to build a workplace where everyone feels they belong.
Equal opportunities
We want to build a digital advertising industry that is for everybody and, to that point, we support equal opportunities for everyone. We value and respect all differences in people (seen and unseen). One of the ways we do this is by actively encouraging staff to work in ways that best suit their needs and our flexible working policy outlines the options available. We encourage applicants to talk to us at the interview about flexibility, equipment or other support you need. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we promise not to judge you for asking. Our office is closed between Christmas and New Year, but we give staff the option to use this paid holiday for an alternative religious or cultural holiday should they prefer.
Find out more about flexible working in our short film, which explores shared parental leave and returning from maternity leave to IAB UK.
We do not stipulate having a degree for any of our roles and ensure that all entry-level wages are above the London living wage. We have run an internship programme to give an individual outside of the industry hands on work experience and the opportunity to meet many big players in the industry. We supported this person in finding a permanent role in the industry at the end of their internship, and for the next few months of their journey.
Wellbeing
We have lots of support available at the IAB to ensure everyone can be themselves at work and have what they need when life gives them lemons. Line managers are trained to be supportive of people’s needs, while optional monthly Sanctus sessions offer staff mental health support.
We give staff £50 to spend on a wellbeing app of their choice - whether that's Headspace or yoga or something else. We have trained Mental Health First Aiders within the team.
We also finish early on a Friday so we can make the most of our weekends. Our CEO Jon further explains the wellbeing offering at IAB UK.
Starting out & coming back
All new starters are appointed a ‘buddy’ outside of their direct team, to help them settle in. This has helped new joiners to build connections and quickly feel part of the IAB. Watch to find out more about the buddy scheme. For those returning to work after a career break - whether that’s parental leave or a period of not working - we have a Return to Work Champion to help support during that period of transition.
