Sustainability

A document detailing the key principals of the SPV in relation to sustainability. This is a broad outline that demonstrates company culture and approach. Individual department guidelines could also be created, but these would be in conjunction with the departments (download example Green Pledge here). There are also other resources and tools that provide guidelines on sustainability (listed in the Bibliography).

Sustainable Production Policy Template for SPV covering:

1. SVP's sustainable principles
2. Sustainable production overview
3. Suppliers
4. Green memo/contract addendum
5. Key sustainability standards
6. Further resources
7. Specific departmental considerations
8. Guidance on removing single use plastic

The Accounts team should provide procedures to all the relevant department members on how to code in relation to sustainability.

Accounts team to help build a tracking system for the following categories:

• Fuel (transport, generators, crew, other)
• Mileage (crew)
• Paper
• Waste Management
• Energy Utilities (electricity and heating)
• Commercial, Non-Commercial Flights, Boats & Rail Travel
• Hotel & Accommodation
• Shipping, Taxi, Delivery, Couriers
• Miscellaneous Materials: Wood, Metals, Textiles
• Props Hires vs Prop Purchases

In advance of hiring the caterers, create a list of considerations, ambitions and requirements that you as a company have for the caterers to answer to during the hiring process. Things like disposable/reusable cutlery and lunch boxes, no red meat/beef, a veg day each week, leftover food plan, food scraps plan, HVO fuel, no gas, locally sourced produce, etc.

Productions are encouraged to make low carbon choices around the ingredients they use within their catering. Using seasonal/local produce is best. Avoiding or reducing red meat is something production/catering may want to consider. 

The process of productions becoming more sustainable would ultimately be expedited and would increase the broadcasters and streamers’ abilities to meet their Net Zero targets by providing sustainability goals to all their productions as part of the green light process. Productions are encouraged to ask broadcasters when preparing budgets what requirements the broadcasters have so they can be planned for, implemented and adhered to from the outset.

By agreeing early on, that builds the foundation of reporting that would ideally lead to higher engagement in external communication for the broadcaster to help encourage the culture shift. Productions’ sustainability reports and finds could also be shared to help inform others of positive actions and findings.

Online ScreenSkills Module - free of charge (FOC) 

For all crew c/o albert.

This training provides the knowledge and skills to create productions in a more sustainable way. It covers:

• Environmental basics
• Roles and responsibility of Sustainability teams
• Industry’s impact
• Timelines of when sustainable decisions/actions should be taken on productions
• Production case studies
• Carbon calculation and certification

For the appointed person within the production who is to use albert for the project.

This two-hour session is an opportunity for all those in the TV industry to explore how to use authenticity and creativity to inform audiences.

Indicative Range: £800.00 - £1,500.00

A Sustainability Council is created by each department electing one member of their team to form part of the Council. These crew members communicate throughout the project to identify areas of opportunity for working together (waste management, skips, power requirements, transport requirements, etc.).

If sustainability personnel are on the project they will set up the Council and then support the group, but it should be led by its members.

Indicative Range: £3,000.00 - £20,000.00

*£20,000.00 top end indicative allowance is to pilot, beta test and carry out R&D initiatives that help create models others can follow to work towards a sustainable HETV industry.  

To meet with each department and supplier to educate, discuss and strategise on sustainable approach

Produce Sustainability Report (detailing initiatives, learnings, hurdles, successes and proposals for future).

If a Sustainability Coordinator is hired on the production who is also capable of producing the Sustainability Report and accurately handing over albert calculations to Post Production team the allowances for sustainability consultant during production and wrap could be reduced.

However, the benefit of having a Consultant as well as a Coordinator is that a Coordinator is isolated going job to job, a Consultant can share and gather (non-sensitive) information and resources with other consultants and other productions and through collaboration can speed up the research processes and often access cost saving measures.

The one large consideration is continuity or quality of handover when it comes to the establishing of the albert footprint/action plan through to the albert reporting. The action plan is a vital step in the process of reducing our productions’ carbon impact.

5 Days at £400.00 - £550.00 per day*

Indicative Range:

£400.00 - £550.00 per day*

1 Day a week throughout Prep, Shoot and Wrap.

Based on 10 weeks prep, 10 week shoot and two weeks wrap.

Indicative Range:
£ 8,800.00 - £12,100.00

Duration of the Show (fee agreed in advance on and off-site)

£400 - £550.00 per day*

2 Days a week throughout Prep, Shoot and Wrap.

Based on 10 weeks prep, 10 week shoot and two weeks wrap.

Indicative  Range:
£ 17,600.00 - £24,200.00

Duration of the Show (fee agreed in advance on and off-site)

£800.00 - 950.00 per week

Allow for 5 weeks prep

£950.00 - £1,300.00 per week

Allow for 8 weeks prep

£880.00 - 1,0450.00 per week (Based on 10+1+1)

Allow for 10 week shoot

£1,0450.00 - £1,430.00 per week (Based on 10+1+1)

Allow for 10 week shoot

£800.00 - 950.00 per week

 Allow for 2 weeks

£950.00 - £1,300.00 per week

Allow for 3 weeks wrap

The Sustainable Production Programme is an educational programme and social enterprise that helps advertising, film and TV productions reduce carbon emissions and costs in London.

By registering, the SVP gets a carbon footprint estimate for the shoot and gets advised on how best to reduce the environmental impacts.

The programme also provides a trained Green Steward on set, who also manages distribution of unwanted production assets into charities - clothes, food and props.

To date this has been achieved by a production off-setting their emissions based on the total amount as shown in carbon calculators. Some broadcasters/streamers pay for this, others require it to be included in production budgets.

Whatever your carbon emissions are calculated at, and the costs that previously would be required to offset, look at insetting. One school of thought is to build a HETV Insetting Fund, (like the HETV Fund), which we could use to fund industry sustainability pilots, fund permanent grid power in regular unit bases (e.g. Victoria Park Grid Project) etc. These investments could create many possibilities for the industry and other industries.

Data shows that if calculated correctly, an average Band 3 Production footprint ranges between 2000-4000t CO2e (depending on the accuracy of carbon accounting and the implemented initiative). Whatever figure you are basing it on, this contribution, if we were to build a HETV Insetting Fund, like the HETV Fund, could create so many possibilities for the industry and other industries.

It is no longer a mandatory requirement to offset your carbon emissions in order to achieve albert Certification. However, in order for broadcasters/streamers to reach their Net Zero targets, productions should continue to budget for carbon offsetting costs and liaise with the broadcaster/streamer on completion of the project, as parts of production budgets that go towards insetting could create a real collective shift of the dial within the UK industry.