The Nordic Ecological Standard Is Reshaping the Audiovisual Industry

Set to be launched in summer 2025, the new joint Nordic environmental standard aims to create unified sustainability criteria for AV productions across the Nordic countries.

The Nordic Ecological Standard (NES) is a collaboration between the five Nordic countries, with the goal of harmonizing ecological practices in film and television production. The standard provides a concrete framework for measuring and implementing sustainable production methods throughout the entire production chain.

NES is based on Germany’s national eco-standard, which came into effect in 2023. According to that standard, a production must meet at least 17 out of 22 ecological criteria to receive the Green Motion label. These criteria include the use of green electricity, reduction of air travel, energy-efficient solutions, material recycling, and environmental training for staff.

The development of the NES standard is led by the Nordic Green Action Group, which includes film institutes, public broadcasters, and producers’ organizations from all the Nordic countries. Consulting firms and research institutions from the field are also supporting the development process. The NES standard is set to be published in summer 2025.

The goal is for the NES to be adopted gradually over the coming years – and to become part of the requirements set by funders and commissioners. The standard not only promotes the reduction of carbon footprints but also increases comparability and transparency within the Nordic AV industry. NES aims to shift ecological responsibility from isolated production-level efforts to a structural element of the Nordic audiovisual sector.