We're proud to announce that MainStreaming has won the SCTE Sustainability Award 2026, recognising our work in reducing the environmental impact of video delivery without compromising on performance.
Streaming's growth, and its cost
Streaming is now the dominant form of media consumption worldwide, and that growth comes at a cost. The industry is responsible for up to 3–4% of global carbon emissions, largely driven by traditional, layered CDN architectures that were never designed with efficiency in mind. At MainStreaming, we've always believed that sustainability shouldn't be an afterthought bolted onto existing infrastructure. It should be part of how that infrastructure is designed from day one.
A platform built for a net-zero future
That belief shaped our Intelligent Media Delivery Platform®, powered by an edge video delivery network purpose-built on energy-efficient hardware, optimised software, and advanced edge architecture. Instead of the multi-layer caching and multi-hop routing typical of legacy CDNs, our architecture uses a single-layer caching model and a one-hop network. The result: data travels shorter distances, fewer processing layers are involved, and energy consumption drops by up to 50%, all while Quality of Experience actually improves.
Efficiency doesn't stop at the network layer. In collaboration with Intel, we run video workloads on CPUs optimised specifically for this kind of processing, minimising power draw whether the system is under peak load or sitting idle. Software running across the stack continuously manages power dynamically, so our infrastructure never consumes more than it needs.
Carbon neutrality, without compromise
Beyond infrastructure, MainStreaming is a certified carbon-neutral company, in partnership with ClimatePartner. We offset emissions for every customer through verified projects aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, including renewable energy, clean drinking water, and nature conservation initiatives across Asia and Africa. Since 2022, we've offset 603 tonnes of CO₂, proving that carbon neutrality and strong business performance can go hand in hand.
We're also a founding member of the Greening of Streaming Initiative, working alongside other industry players to push sustainability standards forward across the sector, not just within our own walls.
Why this recognition matters
This award is a testament that our approach is delivering measurable results in an industry that urgently needs them. It's confirmation that broadcasters and OTT platforms no longer have to choose between scale, quality, and environmental responsibility.
For us, this recognition is a benchmark to build on. It reflects the direction we set out on years ago, and it strengthens our commitment to setting the benchmark for responsible, future-ready streaming.
