Getting started
Every organisation is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to environmental commitment. This page will help you define your sustainability goals, understand your impacts, and take the first steps towards environmental action.
Whether you’re a freelancer or a large organisation, the below resources will help you take your first steps along your sustainability journey.
Defining your commitments
Define
To get started, it’s essential to first define what your environmental commitment looks like.
Consider the following:
- Who are you?
- Where are you based?
- What does your organisation do?
- Who do you work with?
- What do you value?
- What changes do you want to see?
PLan
Once you’ve defined your commitment, it’s time to plan. Consider these key aspects as you move forward.
- Bringing people together
Who needs to be involved in this process? Secure support from key stakeholders. - Identifying who’s responsible
Make sure you’ve identified who will be accountable for various actions, and the resources they need. - Communication and engagement
How will you share your environmental policy with your network? - Incorporate learning and maturing
Climate action is an ongoing journey – how will you continually prioritise, evolve and improve?
Reflecting on what sustainability means to your organisation and the impact you want to have will help you create a foundation to formalise your environmental policy and environmental action plan:
Environmental policy
A statement of your organisation’s core values, principles, and commitment to positive environmental change. It frames your broader sustainability goals and outlines what good environmental practice looks like in the context of your size, scale, and activities. The policy sets the tone for your environmental journey, helping guide decision-making and future actions. For smaller organisations or freelancers, this could take the form of a personal manifesto or statement of intent shared with collaborators.
Environmental action plan
This details how you will implement the values and commitments laid out in your environmental policy. It specifies the actions, timelines, and resources required to achieve your sustainability ambitions. The plan should also define clear responsibilities and include SMARTIE objectives (Strategic, Measurable, Ambitious, Realistic, Timebound, Inclusive, and Equitable) to track progress.
REPORT ON YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT USING THE CC TOOLS
Some BFI awardees are required to report on their environmental impact.
Control and influence
Understanding what you can and cannot control is key to prioritising your next steps. Consider your sphere of control, sphere of influence, and where you can campaign to help you identify where to focus your efforts and drive the most change.
Areas where you have direct influence, for example:
- How much energy do you use?
- How much waste do you generate?
- How and when do you travel?
- What do you programme?
- Who or what do you fund?
Areas where you can influence others, for example:
- Who do you work with?
- Who are your suppliers?
- How do your audiences travel?
Broader societal issues you can advocate for, for example:
- What public transport options are available?
- How can you expand your reach to include others who may not have access or opportunity to engage in climate action?
- Who is in your neighbourhood and how you can support local environmental and social justice initiatives?
- What national or international movements do you want to connect with?
Getting started: Resources
Where would you like to go next?
SCENE SETTING
Why we need action on the climate, nature and justice crisis, and why screen sector organisations are powerful agents for change.
Good Practice
What to focus on across key types of screen sector activity ‘beyond production’: exhibitors; screen archives; education, skills and training providers, and; sector support and promotion bodies.
Taking Action
The kind of action organisations can take in different areas from energy and travel to food and digital.