DPP launches industry-wide sustainability initiative

The DPP, the media industry’s business network, today launched a major new initiative to promote environmentally sustainable practices among suppliers and content providers.

The DPP Committed to Sustainability Programme provides a self-assessment checklist that enables companies to record their progress in implementing sustainability policies, and awards them a score out of five. Completion of the assessment entitles a company to display the Committed to Sustainability mark, and to publicise their engagement with the Programme.

The score is private to the company concerned, but it can be used in procurement submissions, in marketing, and as a motivating force for further improvement. The DPP will monitor the average score for the media industry as a whole, and report regularly on the sector’s progress.

The Programme is available to all companies, free of charge, irrespective of whether they are a member of the DPP.

“We all have an obligation to take action to address the climate emergency.” says DPP Managing Director, Mark Harrison, “This programme creates a simple and effective means for all media companies to ensure they understand how they can minimise their environmental impact – and record their progress.”

The Committed to Sustainability Programme is enabled by DPP member company Atos, which, along with other members, shared its own expertise to help the DPP shape the new scheme.

Chief Digital Officer Kavi Pelpola, Atos UK & Ireland: “The case for collective action at an industry level to help tackle the effects of climate change is compelling. We are delighted that Committed to Sustainability has been launched with close involvement and support from a broad range of partners. This programme is a clear signal of intent by the Media and Entertainment industry and an important step on the road to reducing its environmental footprint in the UK in a tangible and coordinated way.”

A number of DPP member companies, which have supported the DPP in developing the Programme, have also already completed the assessment. Atos, Film Locker, InSync Technology, Piksel, Qvest Media, Red Bee and Sundog Media Toolkit have today become the very first holders of the Committed to Sustainability mark.

The Sports Video Group (SVG) is also a supporter of the Programme, and will encourage its members to take part in the assessment.

“Sports broadcasters, OTTs and production companies have made it very clear to us that sustainability, and in particular the impact live outside broadcasts have on the environment, is now a major consideration,” says SVG Europe Editor Will Strauss. “In order to make a real difference, however, the whole industry has to be engaged and this includes the supply chain. The DPP’s Committed to Sustainability Programme encourages best practice across the sector and, if widely adopted, could play a big part in helping to reduce the carbon footprint of television production.”

Look out for more news about the Committed to Sustainability Programme in the months ahead, and updates on which companies have been awarded the marks.