EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL LIMITED
A Charity Registered in Scotland – SC053218
Purpose
Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF), is committed to helping tackle the climate emergency across Scotland. In accordance with the Climate Change (Scotland) Act, EIFF recognises the legal requirement for all public bodies to play their part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping Scotland to transition to a net-zero nation by 2045.
One of EIFF’s core aims is to be an environmentally sustainable business and this approach will be embedded across the organisation; operationally, financially and programmatically.
We work in partnership with organisations across the sector to collectively support Scotland to be a more environmentally sustainable nation. We are a member of the Festivals Edinburgh Environmental Strategy group (made up of Festivals Edinburgh, City of Edinburgh Council, Creative Scotland and Creative Carbon Scotland) that works strategically to continually improve environmental performance across all of Edinburgh’s festivals. As a member of the Green Arts Initiative, we are part of a growing network of cultural organisations working to collectively improve our environmental efforts and we have also signed the Green Arts Charter in order to deliver transformational and systemic change across the sector.
Intention
EIFF aims to achieve ever-improving environmental performance across all of its activities. By setting expansive environmental sustainability goals and working to achieve them, we will:
- Reduce our organisation’s impact on the environment by: minimising energy use; maximising reuse and recycling; and addressing other environmental impacts to the greatest extent possible.
- Reduce the wastage of single use plastic, which will be cascaded down to collaborating sponsors and partners.
- Commit to minimising unnecessary flights, promoting train travel where possible.
- Advocate for the use of public transport by our team and guests during the festival and encouraging public transport use where possible as an alternative to taxis and cars generally.
- Support the use of electric cars/hybrid cars where possible for our taxi services for staff and guests.
- Embed environmental awareness in all areas of EIFF’s business and operations.
- Engage directly with staff, customers, delegates and guests regarding environmental best practice, and encourage them to reduce their own environmental impacts.
- Collaborate with relevant agencies and other festivals, venues and industry partners to develop and implement best practice across the sector.
Specific Objectives
In line with our policy commitments, EIFF has set a number of specific objectives. These include:
- Recycle as much as possible, including food waste, batteries, DVDs, paper, electrical waste and ink toners.
- Arrange regular Green Team meetings with a view to developing and implementing ideas to improve our environmental sustainability (target minimum four meetings per year). Our Festival Director/CEO pledges to establish a ‘Green Steering Committee’ within the team to brainstorm and utilise existing contacts and networks to demonstrate a commitment to action now and into the future of the festival.
- Nurture professional contacts with similar organisations to ensure we understand best practice and to allow us to feed new ideas into the wider culture, when possible. Our Festival Director/CEO also pledges to compile the environmental policies of all partner venues, partner orgs, collaborators and suppliers to ensure consistency with organisation’s commitment to sustainability.
- Assign “Green Champions” during August staff expansion to help monitor and encourage recycling across the organisation. Potentially utilise Fringe Society resources to fulfil this.
- Information on our environmental sustainability practices to be included in all job descriptions and staff contracts as well as EIFF’s Employee Handbook and staff induction manual.
- As a matter of policy, all meeting agendas include a line for Environmental considerations.
Audience and Partner Engagement:
- Ensure biodegradable recycling bins available at offices/partner venues.
- Reduce the use of ‘paper’, and move to a paper-free working environment.
- Publish ‘Environmental Commitment’ section on the EIFF website where our Environmental Policy is available to view.
- Become systematic about communicating our Environmental Policy to new and existing suppliers/partners.
An annual review of the organisation’s performance against the aims set out will be carried out for presentation to the EIFF Board.
Any questions relating to this policy should be directed to Paul Ridd, CEO and Festival Director at EIFF.
