I am delighted to see the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ apply the same scientific rigour to sustainability that they’ve applied in their programming and content, by adopting science based targets. Aligning to the science and demonstrating leadership by example is very welcome at this critical time.
Setting Science Based Targets is just the latest step in the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s green journey on and off-screen. See below for the highlights in our sustainability story…
Year | Activity |
2023 |
First-ever ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sustainability Symposium held in London Broadcasting House with c300 attendees including industry partners and key suppliers. At the second annual Green Sport Awards, celebrating the athletes and organisations working hard to enact and inspire change, Australia cricket captain Pat Cummins and British cross-country athlete Innes FitzGerald were among the winners. The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Content sponsored Climate Creatives conference brought the TV industry together to explore the role of imaginatin in inspiring a low carbon future, for the third year in a row. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s Director of Sustainability Danielle Mulder awarded Best Sustainability Leader in UK Green Business Awards. In view of our globally significant wildlife content, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ pilots the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework, assessing our assets’ interface with nature in biodiversity-sensitive and low-integrity areas. We also begin work to improve our understanding of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s nature-related risks and opportunities and to calculate our Biodiversity Footprint, following a model used by Oxford University. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Audiences polling shows that 41% of UK adults say that the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ increased their understanding of environmental issues. Audience impact work done on natural history TV series Wild Isles. Working with Microsoft, ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ implements online platform to collate all the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s environmental data, known as EARTH (Environmental Accounting, Reporting and Tracking Hub). ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ works with social enterprise Community Wood to recover and repurpose TV production sets from Drama studios. Another organisation which contributes to the circular economy, Ramco, helped the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ find new homes for assets which are no longer required from 40 ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ sites. Office printer utilisation has reduced by over 92% post-Covid. Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV) car leasing scheme introduced as a staff benefit. |
2022 |
Sustainability joined the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s Critical Project Portfolio for continuous assessment and monitoring. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ rated B for climate strategy maturity by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the average for businesses in the Media, Telecomms and Data Centre Services sectors. We also supported 163 suppliers to engage with CDP, joining us on the transition to Net Zero. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ conducted climate scenario analysis for the Task Force on climate related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). See the for details. Ipsos and CAST commissioned by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ and other broadcasters to research the most impactful approach to environmental contact making – see results here: ipsos.com/en-uk/pan-uk-broadcasterclimate-research. Audience impact research also conducted on The Green Planet TV series – see results summarised in 2023 Annual Report. Mandatory albert reporting and certification introduced by ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Content for all Television productions (excluding News) from 1st January 2022. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Studios live events use hybrid generators combining batteries with diesel generators and using hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) to cut carbon emissions |
2021 |
Director-General, Tim Davie, announces net zero plan and the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ calculates its baseline FY2019/20 carbon footprint. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is a founding member of the albert News consortium, as the demand for sustainable production methods expands. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ appoints its first Director of Sustainability, Danielle Mulder. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Academy hosts a Climate Creatives Festival, in partnership with BAFTA, the BFI, Royal Television Society and others, to support engagement with sustainability on and off-screen. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ collaborates with other UK broadcasters in pan-industry events at COP26, announcing the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Studios Natural History Unit series The Watches pioneers use of hydrogen and battery powered generators for live outside broadcasts. First publication of the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ's Responsible Procurement Strategy for suppliers. |
2020 |
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ is a founding member of the BAFTA albert consortium for Sport, as the industry works to reduce its environmental impact across more genres. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Sport signs UNFCC Sport for Climate Action Framework. Energy-saving lighting upgrades take place at Pacific Quay in Glasgow. |
2019 |
New Broadcasting House in London and The Mailbox in Birmingham switch to low energy lighting. Central Square in Cardiff is designed with sustainability features including a roof garden, rainwater harvesting and solar panels and is awarded BREEAM outstanding status. Our Planet Matters, later refreshed as Our Planet Now, launched as an on-going commitment to environmental content and coverage from ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ News, TV, radio and online. |
2018 |
Director-General, Tony Hall, announces aim to remove single use plastic from the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s operations following the broadcast of Blue Planet II. Greener Broadcasting sustainability strategy launched. |
2017 |
First purchase of renewable electricity at the majority of ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ sites. All television productions commissioned by the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ are now required to use the albert carbon calculator to measure their programme’s carbon footprint. Deputy Director-General, Anne Bulford launched ‘Simpler, Smarter, Greener’ campaign. |
2016 |
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Children’s becomes the first ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ division to set its own sustainability objectives. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ partners with Dock10 Studios, ITV, Peel Media and Creative Skillset to develop a bespoke climate change and sustainable production training course for staff called Carbon Literacy. |
2015 |
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ promotes local crew hire and ‘crew sharing’ to encourage productions to share filming teams overseas and reduce travel, cut carbon emissions and promote collaboration. BAFTA albert consortium adopts albert+. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Technology’s D+E completes phase 1 of ‘From Lens to Screen’, a collaboration with Forum for the Future, IABM and BT looking at sustainability actions across the TV industry. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Worldwide publishes their ethical procurement policy for merchandise. |
2014 |
Both energy consumption and CO2 emissions fell significantly as benefits of the Corporate Property Strategy to concentrate staff into fewer, better buildings take effect. This involved moving staff from Television Centre (TVC) in west London to new sites in central London (New Broadcasting House) and Salford (MediaCityUK). ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Plymouth introduces solar PV and free air cooling for apparatus rooms. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Bristol begins three year sustainability staff engagement project to coincide with Bristol being named as EU Green Capital for 2015. |
2013 |
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ pilots the ‘albert+’ tool, to encourage further engagement from TV production to adopt sustainable working practices. This will later evolve into BAFTA albert’s ‘Sustainable Production Certification’ which rewards successful productions with an end credit kite mark. Video conferencing facilities are introduced to reduce unnecessary staff travel. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Technology R&D hosts sustainability in broadcast and digital media conference. The ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s Annual Report & Accounts highlights environmental sustainability as an important workstream, introducing a new CO2 reduction target, and publishes a Corporate Responsibility Review. |
2012 |
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Roath Lock Drama studios announced as the first ever UK building to achieve BREEAM Outstanding environmental certification for an industrial building post-construction. |
2011 |
³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ gifts the IP for the albert carbon calculator to BAFTA so that the tool can be rolled out across the UK TV industry, and is a founding member of the albert Consortium, along with Sky, ITV and Channel 4. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Roath Lock Drama Studios open in Cardiff, designed to have minimal environmental impact with solar PV panels and rainwater storage. |
2010 |
‘The Difference’, an operational strategy is launched to reduce our environmental impacts, become a more sustainable organisation and a more responsible steward of human, financial and natural resources. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ develops the first ‘fit for broadcast’ carbon calculator for TV production. Piloted by ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One’s EastEnders, the calculator is named ‘albert’ after the continuing drama’s setting in Albert Square. ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Technology R&D initiate research to measure the environmental impacts of audiences watching and listening to ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ content on different platforms. |
2009 |
Annual environmental targets first introduced to measure the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ’s performance in energy consumption, carbon emissions, water use, waste/recycling and travel. |