• by Tobi Elkin  @tobielkin, April 22, 2016

BPA Worldwide on Thursday said it certified ad-tech providers AppNexus, engage:BDR, GumGum and OpenX under the Trustworthy Accountability Group’s (TAG) new Inventory Quality Guidelines (IQG). The not-for-profit assurance provider’s iCompli division provided the third-party certification of the IQG standards.

“These companies'...voluntary participation in TAG’s Inventory Quality program, and their willingness to have an independent third party certify their compliance, demonstrates their commitment to quality and to improving the online advertising ecosystem,” said Richard Murphy, senior vice president, technology Assurance, iCompli, in an email.

The IQGs are designed to establish trust between ad buyers and sellers through an industry-backed brand safety and transparency compliance program.

Goals for the program include defining a common framework of disclosures that sellers can use across the industry; offering clear language in the IQG disclosure framework that enables buyers to make informed decisions; and facilitating the resolution of disputes and complaints.

TAG was created by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4As), Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) with a focus on four core areas: eliminating fraud, combating malware, fighting ad-supported Internet piracy and promoting brand safety through greater transparency. 

BPA Worldwide was originally created by advertisers, agencies and the media industry to audit audience claims used in the buying and selling of advertising.

In addition to auditing audience claims through the iCompli service, BPA verifies compliance to defined government, industry, and organizational standards as well as adherence to privacy, data protection and sustainability guidelines and best practices.