FAQs: Find out more about getting Gold Standard certified

1. What is the Gold Standard?

The Gold Standard is an industry initiative run by IAB UK that aims to reduce ad fraud, uphold brand safety, improve the user experience, bolster supply chain transparency, and help compliance with GDPR e-privacy law. It does this by combining existing industry initiatives and tools from IAB Tech Lab, IAB Europe, TAG, and the Coalition for Better Ads. 

2. How long has the Gold Standard been around?

The Gold Standard launched in 2017, following a high-profile brand safety investigation that revealed advertisers had unwittingly been appearing alongside illegal content online. The core aims of the first iteration of the Gold Standard were to address ad fraud via the implementation of IAB Tech Labs’ ads.txt, brand safety via TAG’s Brand Safety Certification and improving the user experience by adhering to The Coalition for Better Ads’ advertising standards.  

A second iteration of the Gold Standard (Gold Standard 2.0) launched in 2020, incorporating IAB Europe’s Transparency & Consent Framework (TCF) as well as IAB Tech Lab’s sellers.json and OpenRTB SupplyChain Object into the criteria. 2022 saw the release of the Gold Standard 2.1, adding IAB Tech Lab’s DemandChain Object as well as accommodating for a wider scope of companies including audio and gaming.  

In 2023, versioning was removed from the Gold Standard, with all certified companies required to adhere to the latest standards, including IAB Tech Lab’s Open Measurement SDK. The most recent updates to the Gold Standard, made in early 2025, include adding steps into the criteria that specifically address transparency and standardisation within CTV and retail media for the first time, as well as introducing a sustainability pillar. New steps include CTV companies supporting IAB Tech Lab’s VAST CTV Addendum 2024 to enhance interoperability and efficiency in video ad delivery, while Retail Media Networks aligning with the media metrics in IAB Europe’s Retail Media Measurement Standards.  You can read more about the updates here. 

3. What are the benefits to being Gold Standard certified?

Being Gold Standard certified demonstrates to advertisers that you’re committed to upholding industry best practice and creating a sustainable future for digital advertising. Many media agencies make it a condition that the partners they work with are Gold Standard certified, while our cohort of Gold Standard advertiser supporters – including Unilever, Tesco, McDonald’s and Nationwide – pledge to work with Gold Standard certified digital ad suppliers wherever possible.

4. How much does it cost to be a part of the Gold Standard?

For most companies, the only costs associated with the Gold Standard are the TAG Brand Safety certification and the audit conducted by ABC. 

Certification for Retail Media is conducted by ABC and therefore incurs different costs. We estimate these to match or, in some cases, be less than the cost of a regular certification. 

5. What is TAG & how much does the Brand Safety Certification cost?

The Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG) is “the leading global initiative fighting criminal activity and increasing trust in the digital advertising industry.” TAG was created by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As), Association of National Advertisers (ANA), and Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB US). It has merged with the UK’s cross-industry, independent body (previously known as JICWEBS) to work collaboratively with companies throughout the digital ad supply chain. TAG advances its mission of eliminating fraudulent traffic, facilitating the sharing of threat intelligence, and promoting brand safety by connecting industry leaders, analysing threats, and sharing best practices worldwide. 

Part of the IAB Gold Standard criteria is to obtain a TAG Brand Safety certification. TAG’s Brand Safety Certification programme aims to significantly reduce the risk of the misplacement of advertising on digital media of all types, thereby upholding brand safety and protecting the integrity of digital advertising. 

The cost of getting TAG brand safety certified is dependent on your company income, so it varies from company to company, but prices start from £3,000 a year. As part of TAG certification, your company will have to get audited by ABC, which will come at an additional cost. Similar to TAG, the cost is dependent on company income. 

Please note: A TAG Brand Safety certification is not required for companies that fall under the retail media category. 

6. Is the Gold Standard process independently audited?

Yes - ABC independently audits the Gold Standard certification process every year. In its July 2024 audit, ABC determined that the latest version of the Gold Standard had been well managed and communicated to IAB members, with decisions to certify companies as Gold Standard being substantiated by sufficient evidence. It found that previous recommendations from ABC had been successfully implemented even with a period of staff transition. The audit’s conclusion was as follows:  

‘We found the IAB Gold Standard processes for maintaining and updating the Gold Standard requirements, and collecting, assessing and storing audit evidence, to be designed and operating effectively. We have agreed some recommendations for improvement with the Gold Standard team for the process of dealing with delayed and unresponsive members.’ 

The next audit is due in 2025. If you have any questions about this process, please contact [email protected]. 

7. How do Gold Standard renewals work?

The Gold Standard is assessed on an annual basis to check if any new requirements need to be added. When a new specification is released for the Gold Standard it must be adhered to by a certain deadline in order to maintain Gold Standard certification. Upon release of the new requirements companies will have a few months to adopt them before their certification is removed. For example, the changes introduced in January 2025 will apply to all new Gold Standard certifications immediately, but companies that are already Gold Standard certified will have until 30 April 2025 to comply with them, or as their annual recertification comes up (whichever is soonest).  

8. What is the process for becoming Gold Standard certified?

• Step one is filling in our registration form - this helps us to understand the company you represent and the type of Gold Standard profile that is suitable for you 

• After receiving the form, we will send over some helpful material and suggest a suitable time for a kick-off call 

• During the call we will go into more detail about the requirements, explain the remainder of the process, and answer any questions you may have 

• You will then be responsible for uploading the relevant evidence to a form we’ll provide. We advise allowing a few months for this stage as a precaution, so that you have adequate time to gather evidence. We will always be on hand to assist where necessary. See the question below for more information on timing  

• Once all the evidence has been gathered, you’ll be able to submit the form to us so we can verify it meets our standards 

• Once we’ve checked that the evidence is sufficient, we’ll add you to our certified list on the IAB UK website and send across your completion pack 

9. How long does the process take?

This will vary from company to company depending on the resources you have available. We estimate the process to take about three months if you’re new to the Gold Standard, but if you’ve previously been certified then it’s likely to be quicker to finalise re-certification. During your kick-off call, a member of IAB UK’s Ad Tech team can make a more informed estimate of the work you’ll need to complete. 

10. What category does my company fall into?

The following types of company can be Gold Standard certified: 

• Direct Seller: Companies that own and sell inventory. Typically publishers 

• Sell Side Support: Companies that facilitate the selling of inventory using their own platform(s). Typically SSPs 

• Buy Side Support: Companies that facilitate the buying of inventory using their own platform(s). Typically DSPs 

• Full-Service Support: Companies that offer a managed service to facilitate the buying of inventory using their own proprietary technology 

• Buyer Activation: Companies that offer a managed service to facilitate the buying of inventory using external self-serve buying platform(s) 

• Buyer Planner: Companies who plan the media strategy on behalf of a brand or agency 

• CTV: Companies that primarily sell CTV inventory 

• Retail: Companies that primarily sell Retail Media inventory 

If you are unsure about what category your company falls into, you can try our questionnaire here or get in touch with us at [email protected]. 

11. What does it mean to be a Gold Standard advertiser supporter? 

While brands can’t become Gold Standard certified, we do have a cohort of Gold Standard advertiser supporters that pledge to work with Gold Standard certified digital ad suppliers wherever possible. Our Gold Standard advertiser supporters include: Adidas, ASDA, Coca-Cola, Coty, Gousto, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Just Eat, Mattel, McDonald’s, Nationwide, Tails.com, Tesco, Unilever, Vodafone, Upfield. Find out more about becoming a Gold Standard advertiser supporter here.