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Audiovisual Sector

The sustainability transition of the audiovisual sector is underway. A joint Nordic environmental standard is on its way, sustainability is a strong value in the field, and actors are collecting data and developing practices, indicators, and training.

Ecological sustainability became a shared development theme in the Finnish audiovisual sector in 2021, when the producers’ association Audiovisual Producers Finland – APFI began a national project to investigate the sector’s environmental impact. Since then, efforts have focused particularly on knowledge production, carbon footprint measurement of productions, and development of training. A practical foundation for this work was laid earlier: in 2019, Ekosetti, the first national guide for sustainable AV productions, was published.

In October 2024, the Finnish Film Foundation conducted a nationwide survey to map the views and practices of film production companies. The survey had 44 respondents. The previous survey was conducted in 2020. In 2024, environmental responsibility remained a strong value: 89% of companies said it was part of their core values. However, only 42% reported having an environmental strategy or plan in place — a decrease from 2020, when 51% did.

The use of company-specific environmental plans rose from 8% to 30% in four years. Interest in reducing environmental impacts had clearly grown: 96% said all or most employees were motivated to make more ecological choices. Environmental aspects were most often considered in catering and office purchases, and least often in the procurement of external services. The main obstacles to implementing sustainable practices were time constraints and lack of resources.

Emission Calculation is the Foundation of Climate Work

In a parallel survey conducted by APFI’s Avaus sustainability project, 24 production companies responded. About half reported including ecological responsibility in their strategy, 57% used Albert tools, and 16% used Ekokompassi. Respondents considered sustainability meaningful for business and an important part of the future.

Finland’s film and TV sector has measured carbon footprints under APFI’s coordination using the BAFTA Albert system. By the end of 2023, 37 Finnish production companies had registered with Albert, and 37 productions’ carbon footprints had been calculated between 2021 and 2023. Of the 14 productions recorded in 2023, all were television productions; no feature films were included.

Most productions calculated through Albert were TV shows or series. The average emission was 54 tonnes of CO2e per production. Logistics accounted for 78% of emissions, particularly road transport. Accommodation was the largest source of energy-related emissions. The share of renewable energy decreased from the previous year, as it was not available at all shooting or accommodation locations. The carbon footprint of catering increased significantly: nearly 70% of the 12,286 meals served contained meat, raising the average per-meal emissions from 1.8 kg CO2e the previous year to 3.2 kg CO2e.

Seven productions received the Albert certification, scoring highest in energy solutions and procurement. The lowest scores were in staff engagement and communication. Albert calculations only cover production-phase emissions and exclude emissions from the consumption phase, such as streaming or screenings.

APFI as a Standard-Bearer for Ecological Sustainability

Ecological sustainability work in Finland’s film and TV sector is still largely funded by project grants. The most central and extensive development initiative is the program coordinated by APFI since 2021, aiming to create a national sustainability strategy for the sector. APFI collects statistical data, organizes training, and provides tools to promote ecological sustainability in productions and industry structures.

A key feature of the APFI project is its broad national base. APFI has secured the involvement of a wide range of major domestic stakeholders. In 2025–2026, key AV sector stakeholders are co-financing the work: Yle, the Promotion Centre for Audiovisual Culture AVEK, the Finnish Film Foundation SES, Northern Finland, Lapland, Western Finland, Southeast Finland, Åland and Tampere film commissions, the Theatre and Media Workers’ Union Teme, and the Audiovisual Authors’ Association Avate.

The tools used are international. An agreement with the British Albert organization has provided Finnish production companies with free access to its carbon footprint calculator and certification tool. This arrangement is valid through the end of 2025; thereafter, tool use may require a paid license. In 2025, APFI also collaborates with Norway’s Green Producers Club, whose carbon calculator is available to Finnish operators at half price during the same time frame. The Green Producers Tool is a carbon calculator for productions and companies, but unlike the Albert system, it does not include certification.

Collaboration with Albert and the Green Producers Club is part of APFI’s broader strategic mission to support the industry’s transition to environmentally sustainable production methods and participate in national and international sustainability policy. One goal is to integrate the Finnish AV sector into the global Agenda 2030 framework and to develop practical solutions to reduce the sector’s environmental impact.

APFI has advanced industry education by offering free Albert environmental training, continuing through the end of 2025. In spring 2025, APFI organized a webinar series addressing the sustainability of AI and digital tools in the audiovisual sector — a new step in understanding the ecological sustainability of digitalization.

Sustainability projects are nuilding the future

In addition to APFI’s project, a few other film and TV initiatives are advancing sustainability. In autumn 2024, the first pilot training for eco-coordination was held, bringing together 16 audiovisual professionals to explore environmental sustainability in production. The program was part of the Digital Creative Industries and Beyond project and aimed to define the eco-coordinator role, provide practical tools, and create a sustainability expert network. Participants completed their own projects, such as eco-plans, Green Memos, and videos on content responsibility. The training will be offered again in autumn 2025.

Another current initiative is AV UP – New Skills for the AV Industry, launched in 2024. This three-year EU-funded (ESR+) project addresses skill needs across the sector, aiming to pilot new training programs covering ecological and social sustainability, responsibility, and ESG competencies.

Additionally, the Goodstock project coordinated by the Sankariliiga cooperative brings ecological perspectives into production practices. Goodstock is a circular economy platform for the creative industries, building on development from the SharEco project. The platform allows renting, buying, and selling of used props, set materials, and costumes. The service is being customized for different sectors to support wide and impactful adoption. The nationwide project runs until June 2025.

The Finnish Film Foundation promotes pustainability in a multidisciplinary Way

The Finnish Film Foundation (SES) has also taken ecological sustainability into account. SES has conducted two ecological surveys for companies and organizations in the film industry. The 2020 survey targeted production companies, and the broader 2024 survey also included distribution and exhibition operators. The purpose of these surveys is to create measurable indicators for the industry’s environmental awareness and progress.

SES took a concrete step toward more impactful guidance in spring 2025 by adding a requirement for an environmental plan to the production support application. The plan can be in free format, but SES provides a template form as an example. The form is a tool for production companies to concretize their goals in areas such as waste sorting, logistics, procurement, and energy efficiency. While filling in the plan is not yet a formally scored criterion, its inclusion is a clear signal that sustainability is becoming a required element of public support.

Internationally, SES is part of The Five Nordics network, in which Nordic film institutes develop their operations. In 2024, the network launched the development of a joint Nordic environmental standard, the Nordic Ecological Standard (NES), aiming to establish harmonized sustainability criteria for AV productions. The NES standard is scheduled to be published in summer 2025.

In addition, SES maintains up-to-date ecological materials on its website. Examples include the Responsibility Sprint, the regional guide from the Lapland Film Commission, and ethical guidelines for sustainable production.

Regions offer sustainable filming locations

Five of Finland’s seven film commissions have signed the Nordic Film Commissions’ joint Sustainability Pledge, which aims to make the Nordics a world-leading region for sustainable film and TV productions. The signatory commissions commit to fostering shared understanding of sustainable production, sharing related knowledge, and supporting both domestic and international productions in making sustainable choices.

The commissions provide guidance and training to location scouts, production service companies, and other key professionals in the production process. They also distribute and utilize international environmental tools such as the Green Producers Tool, Green Film, and the Albert system. This joint Nordic commitment emphasizes the role of regional actors in the sustainability transition of the audiovisual sector.

Exhibitors and distributors join sustainability efforts

There is not yet comprehensive emissions accounting or life cycle analysis of ecological practices among exhibition and distribution companies in Finland. However, the Finnish Film Foundation’s 2024 eco-survey provided some insight, with exhibition and distribution included for the first time. The survey received responses from 43 organizations: 33 cinemas, five distribution companies, three film festivals, and one respondent without background details. Of these, 83% stated that environmental responsibility is part of their company values, but only 26% had a separate environmental strategy or plan.

Waste sorting rates among cinemas and other exhibitors were high: 97% reported sorting waste at least partially. However, only 15% used renewable energy. Few monitored their energy consumption or had set reduction targets. Few offset their carbon emissions or supported sustainable commuting for employees. Ecological practices were most evident in meeting catering and office purchases, but environmental criteria were rarely considered in service and venue procurement.

The survey also highlighted disparities in measurement capacity: available tools and guidelines were often perceived as designed for large operators, offering little benefit to micro-companies. According to the responses, small exhibitors in particular show interest in sustainability but lack sufficient resources.

For streaming services, only a few operators have accurate and comparable emissions accounting. However, Finland’s public broadcaster Yle has started measuring indirect emissions from viewing and listening to its content. In 2023, a notable 42,000 tons of CO₂e—or approximately 47% of Yle’s total carbon footprint—was attributed to content consumption, such as usage of Yle Areena. While the ability to influence these so-called Scope 3 emissions is considered limited, Yle has included them in its reporting and aims to monitor developments with its distribution partners.

Buyers and decision-makers play a key role

Buyers—such as TV channels and streaming platforms—are in a key position to promote a more sustainable production culture, but practices vary widely. APFI’s Eco Overview 2024 report included interviews with representatives from Yle, MTV, Sanoma, Elisa, Warner Bros Discovery Finland, and international distributors. The interviews revealed that buyers are interested in sustainability issues, but there is little systematic approach or concrete criteria in place.

Yle’s efforts include responsibility programs and long-term sustainability goals, but concrete environmental criteria in the commissioning process are still under development. MTV, Sanoma, and Elisa have not publicly defined environmental criteria for their content commissioning processes, although sustainability has been considered in some individual cases. International distributors often follow the environmental policies of their parent companies, but the influence on domestic productions varies significantly.

Overall, buyers are seen as having strong potential to act as forerunners, but for now, sustainability work is largely voluntary and not part of commissioning contract terms. The interviews highlight the need for more uniform guidelines and open dialogue between buyers and production companies about responsibility criteria and goals.

Content influence has great potential

Content in the AV sector significantly influences viewers’ attitudes and behavior. In Finland, audiovisual content reaches nearly everyone weekly, giving the industry an opportunity to normalize sustainable practices and reshape established values. When the main characters of a favorite series make ecological choices in their daily lives, these choices can gradually become widely accepted and desirable behaviors. Documentaries and investigative journalism have especially brought ecological issues to light, but the climate crisis is still rarely visible in fiction productions.

A large U.S. study published in 2022 analyzed 37,453 TV and film scripts from 2016 to 2020. The climate crisis was explicitly mentioned in only 0.6% of the scripts. Most often, climate topics remained in the background or were addressed indirectly, without being reflected in the characters’ concrete decisions or actions.

This challenge has been addressed with tools for screenwriters. Good Energy has published the Playbook guide and developed the Climate Reality Check test, which can be used to assess the quality and presence of climate content in fiction.

In 2021, the UK’s major public broadcasters and streaming services signed the Climate Content Pledge during the COP26 climate summit. The pledge aims to increase the volume and quality of climate-related content across all genres. A 2024 update showed that the pledge has led to numerous new climate-themed programs. Additionally, in early 2025, a sector-wide measurement system was introduced to monitor the presence and treatment of climate content across different program types.

Currently, APFI is conducting two studies: one examines ecological content themes in films and TV programs, and the other maps viewers’ attitudes toward them. The results will be published in autumn 2025.