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Today, albert, the BAFTA-led project and industry authority on environmental sustainability for film and TV announced the launch of its Creative Offsets scheme which has been designed to enable TV and Film productions to offset their unavoidable emissions.

The launch of the scheme is a further positive step for the project which supports the screen industry in making positive contributions to the environment while actively eliminating waste and carbon emissions from production.

albert has selected to work with Natural Capital Partners, leading experts in carbon neutrality and climate finance, to run the scheme. Natural Capital Partners offset projects are all validated and verified to recognised third party carbon standards.

By taking part in albert’s creative offset scheme, productions will be supporting a portfolio of high quality, impactful REDD+ emission reduction projects that protect and restore landscapes, enhance biodiversity, and improve health and livelihoods around the world including projects in Brazil, Malawi and Cambodia. In addition to this, productions will be supporting the creation of new woodland in the UK in accordance with the Woodland Carbon Code.

The new scheme launched ahead of the roll out of an updated, international version of the albert carbon calculator and certification toolset. The new toolkit will have increased functionality allowing users to accurately measure their impact when filming outside of the UK as well as enhanced reporting features to help identify when carbon reduction changes can be made.

We searched far and wide to find the right offset scheme, one which we felt confident could deliver to the standard we required but which also went further, offsetting our industry’s carbon impact and at the same time, delivering on the UN’s global goals for maximum impact. Michelle Whitehead, project manager for albert.

As an industry our goal has to be net-zero. The updated calculator and certification toolkit is part of a package of solutions we’re offering to the industry to help them achieve this. These tools, alongside our Creative Energy and Creative Offset schemes will help our industry to achieve the UK’s target of net zero by 2050. Roser Canela-Mas, albert’s Industry Sustainability Manager

The creative offsets scheme will become a mandatory part of albert Certification in 2021, meaning that any UK production which wants to achieve albert Certification and add the albert credit to their production’s endboard will need to offset the remainder of their carbon footprint after first reducing it as much as possible.

ITV will mark its own commitment to the Creative Offsets scheme by releasing Dancing on Thin Ice with Torvill & Dean as a highlight of this year’s festive schedule – the first ITV show to achieve the new standard of albert Certification. The show, produced by Wingspan Productions, follows Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean as they travel to Alaska on an extraordinary quest to fulfill a life-long dream that also provides a first-hand insight into the effects of climate change.

Right from the start we wanted our film to help raise awareness about climate change, and to minimize our own impact on the planet as much as possible. When we came to offsetting the carbon footprint of our production, we were very pleased to discover that albert’s new Creative Offset scheme would make it so straightforward. We were reassured that they have done the thorough research and due diligence to ensure that we will be offsetting with schemes that will genuinely make a difference. Helena Braun, Producer, Wingspan Productions

Across all of ITV’s output we remain focused on producing the most entertaining and informative shows, but all with a continued commitment to being produced in the greenest way possible. It is imperative that we act on climate change now, and we’re proud that Dancing on Thin Ice with Torvill & Dean will be the first programme in albert’s new Creative Offsets scheme. Kevin Lygo, MD Media and Entertainment at ITV

ITV Studios is committed to producing the biggest shows with the smallest footprint. Ensuring albert certification, and achieving net zero across all of our productions requires tenacity and resolve, but it is an important step we must take as we protect the future of our industry, and indeed our planet. Julian Bellamy, Managing Director at ITV Studios

It is projected that the launch of this scheme could see over 90,000 tonnes of CO2e offset in its first year, helping to restore the planet as well as actively supporting communities in the UK and abroad.

Our commitment to Creative Offset and albert certification are part of our Environment goals to create programmes with the biggest impact on the audience and the smallest impact on the planet.

Find out more about our Social Purpose Goals.