Albert Sustainable Production Certification
Albert (stylized albert) is an environmental organisation aiming to encourage the TV and film production industry to reduce waste and its carbon footprint. Additionally, albert offers guidance on how to promote and discuss environmental issues in editorial content through an initiative called ‘Planet Placement’. albert began as a project at the BBC, in 2011 [1][2] but was adopted by BAFTA early on.[3]
| Albert Sustainable Production Certification | |
|---|---|
 The current albert logo | |
.jpg.webp) An example of Albert + accreditation on the end credits of EastEnders | |
| Standards organization | BAFTA |
| Effective region | United Kingdom |
| Effective since | 2011 |
| Product category | Television and film production |
| Type of standard | Industrial |
| Legal status | Advisory |
| Website | wearealbert |
Initially albert offered the industry a bespoke carbon calculator to measure the impact of its productions. The calculator allows a production to calculate its predicted carbon footprint from pre to post-production. Productions can then go through the certification process, where they implement sustainable production techniques to reduce carbon emissions where possible, and offsets where it isn’t. Productions that successfully complete certification are awarded a 1, 2 or 3 star certificate and given use of the albert Sustainable Production logo on their credits.
Currently, all BBC, ITV, Channel 4, UKTV, Sky and Netflix are required to register their carbon footprint using the albert carbon calculator.[4]
Initiatives
Besides its carbon calculator, albert is involved in promoting sustainability in other areas of the screen industry.
Green Rider
In May 2019, albert launched the 'Green Rider' project in association with Spotlight.[5] The Green Rider takes its name from the Inclusion Rider, as a way to champion climate action through an actor’s contract, calling for good environmental practices to be observed on set. For example, requesting plant-based catering, low energy lighting, or for the production company to agree to a ‘zero to landfill’ policy for its sets.[6]
Creative Energy
albert started the Creative Energy project in 2017, which enables production companies to switch to a 100% renewable energy supplier. The supplier that albert partners with is reviewed every year based on ‘green’ criteria. The current supplier is Good Energy.[7] Additionally, creative offsets is another upcoming albert scheme which allows productions to offset/mitigate their environmental impact with carbon offsetting schemes.[8]
Screen New Deal
In September 2020, albert launched the 'Screen New Deal' report in association with the British Film Institute and Arup as a route-map to help film production transition to net zero emissions by 2050.[9] The report explores and gives examples of how more sustainable practices can be implemented across the film and TV industries.[10]
Directorate
albert's strategy and development is supported by a commissioning directorate. The directorate currently consists of the BBC, ITV, C4, Sky, Netflix and BT Sport.[11]
Productions with Albert certification
Productions that meet the criteria for sustainability are awarded one, two or three stars.
Three stars
| Year | Production[12] |
|---|---|
| 2020 | Red Dwarf: The Promised Land |
| 2017 | Emmerdale |
| 2017 | The Big Spell |
| 2016/2017 | Red Dwarf (series 11 & 12) |
| 2016 | Power Monkeys |
| 2016 | Trollied (series 6) |
| 2016 | Loose Women (series 20)[13] |
| 2016 | Pointless |
| 2016 | Have I Got News for You |
| 2016 | A Midsummer Night's Dream |
| 2016 | Inside No. 9 (series 3) |
| 2016 | Let's Go Club |
| 2016 | Upstart Crow (series 1) |
| 2016 | Yonderland (series 3) |
| 2016 | EastEnders[14] |
| 2016 | Rovers |
| 2016 | Andy's Prehistoric Adventures |
| 2015 | Blue Peter (series 58) |
| 2015 | Downton Abbey (series 6) |
| 2015 | The Graham Norton Show (series 17) |
| 2015 | The Interceptor |
| 2015 | Casualty |
| 2014 | Trollied (series 4) |
| 2014 | Coronation Street |
Two stars
| Year | Production[12] |
|---|---|
| 2017 | Hollyoaks |
| 2017 | Good Morning Britain |
| 2016 | Witless |
| 2016 | Zapped (series 1) |
| 2016 | Monkeys: An Amazing Animal Family |
| 2016 | The South Bank Show |
| 2016 | Bird of a Feather |
| 2016 | The Voice (series 5) |
| 2016 | Grantchester (series 2) |
| 2016 | Agatha Raisin (series 1) |
| 2016 | Stan Lee's Lucky Man (series one) |
| 2016 | The Tunnel (series 2) |
| 2016 | Boomers (series 2) |
| 2015 | Cuffs (series 1) |
| 2015 | The Apprentice (series 11) |
| 2015 | The Naked Choir |
| 2015 | TT Races |
| 2015 | Still Open All Hours |
| 2015 | A League of Their Own (series 9) |
| 2014 | W1A (series 2) |
| 2015 | A Long Long Crime Ago |
| 2015 | Desi Rascals |
| 2015 | Premier League World |
| 2015 | Ross Kemp: Extreme World (series 4) |
| 2015 | Gigglebiz (series 4) |
| 2015 | Love It Or List It (series 1) |
| 2014/2015 | Children's Presentation |
| 2014/2015 | Spring/Autumn/Winterwatch |
| 2014 | CBBC Live (Gateshead) |
| 2014 | MasterChef (series 10) |
| 2014 | Invictus Games |
| 2014 | From There to Here |
| 2013 | All at Sea |
One star
| Year | Production[12] |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Henry IX |
| 2016 | Young, Free and Single: Live (series 1) |
| 2015 | Educating Cardiff |
| 2015 | You, Me and the Apocalypse |
| 2015 | All Over the Place – Europe |
| 2014 | Siblings (series 2) |
| 2014 | Swashbuckle |
| 2013 | 4 O'Clock Club |
| BBC Music Awards | |
| Midnight Mass + Come Join the Celebration | |
References
- "Environmental sustainability". bbc.com. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- "BBC - albert certification - Corporate Responsibility". web.archive.org. 18 December 2018. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- "BAFTA's Sustainability Efforts". www.bafta.org. 5 August 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- "Production Tools". Albert. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- "ALBERT Launches the Green Rider". www.spotlight.com. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- "BAFTA-Backed Sustainability Project Launches Green Rider for Actors | Hollywood Reporter". www.hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- "Just be good". www.goodenergy.co.uk. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- "Creative Offsets". Albert. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- "Sustainability report proposes step-change for UK film production". BFI. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- "Screen New Deal". Albert. 22 July 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- "Our community". Albert. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- "Certifications". albert. Archived from the original on 16 April 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
- "ITV's Loose Women Certified As An Albert+ Sustainable Production". ITV Studios. 5 January 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
- "Eco-Enders – EastEnders earns top sustainability award". EastEnders. BBC. 9 May 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2017.