One Planet: SVG Europe hosts live production sustainability roundtable

Sustainability roundtable: debating the issues affecting those in live sports production

SVG Europe hosted a roundtable discussion on the subject of sustainability in live sports production in Amsterdam earlier this month, providing an opportunity for industry stakeholders to share insights and explore strategies to reduce the environmental impact of producing live sports events.

The discussion, supported by EMG / Gravity Media and chaired by sustainability consultant Mary-Claire Gill, was held under Chatham House rule to encourage open dialogue among participants.

Representatives from leading organisations including Sportcast, Green Producers Club, TNT Sports, Mediapro, Johan Cruijff Arena, EVS, Sony, Sky, Ross Video, Tata Communications, Appear, All England Tennis Club, Grass Valley, Media Tech Sustainability Series, FIS and EMG / Gravity Media attended the session, which took place immediately before SVG Europe’s Sport Production Summit.

Watch On demand recordings of the Sport Production Summit 2024 panels and presentations

EMG / Gravity Media ESG director Rohan Mitchell said: “Seeking news ways to help promote and implement sustainability across our business is a key driver for EMG / Gravity Media and we are delighted to work with SVG Europe on this event.

“The path to sustainability can be complex, requiring innovation, adaptability and most importantly collaboration. Forums such as these are essential ways we as an industry can come together to share knowledge and leverage each other’s strength to address our environmental impact. When we work together we amplify our impact far beyond what we can achieve individually.”

Following some opening remarks from EMG / Gravity Media, the roundtable began with a presentation by Sportcast which shared findings from its sustainability efforts, having conducted carbon footprint analyses over 72 matches and three major cup finals. Their work highlighted that key emissions were driven by crew travel, technical infrastructure, and stadium energy use.

A consistent theme from the presentation was the need for reliable data, including contributions from freelancers and venues, to make informed decisions. The company also emphasised the importance of aligning industry standards on sustainability, given varying practices across different countries.

Next was a presentation by Green Producers Club, a Norway-based organisation that facilitates the exchange of experience and know-how for sustainable productions that has also created the Green Producers Tool, a calculator for measuring emissions.

The conversation then expanded to broader sustainability themes, including carbon reduction, waste minimisation, and the promotion of eco-friendly initiatives.

Several key areas emerged during the discussion, including the importance of metrics and measurement, with participants stressing the need for standardised, live production-specific tools to measure the environmental impact of sports production, particularly focusing on Scope 3 emissions, which include indirect emissions from sources such as travel and outsourced activities.

Energy use was another major topic, with participants observing that over-specification of power requirements often leads to inefficiencies. Also, engineers are sometimes understandably hesitant to shut down equipment due to concerns over reliability, prompting calls for better protocols, such as a ‘Big Switch Off’ for unused equipment during downtime.

There was also discussion around the use of renewable energy and the challenges posed by local infrastructure, with some regions better equipped than others to offer sustainable energy options.

Gathering travel data from freelancers remains another significant challenge, with suggestions to improve this process including integrating travel data collection into the booking and invoicing process, alongside educational or financial incentives to encourage participation.

In addition, knowledge-sharing was a key theme, with calls for increased dialogue between production companies, technology vendors, and broadcasters. This included conversations on how federations and leagues could play a leadership role by setting sustainability expectations in their contracts with production companies and local organising committees.

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