Environmental, Social and Governance Environmental, Social and Governance

Our Sustainability Journey

In the face of the climate crisis, ENVY remains resolute in its pursuit of sustainable practices, mindful growth and meaningful impact.

The urgency of this crisis cannot be understated; it demands collective action and transformative change. We as a company recognise our responsibility to drive positive impact through our actions and communication.

We acknowledge that our operations have an environmental footprint and we are proactively looking to mitigate this impact. By adopting sustainable practices, and fostering a culture of consciousness; we aim to lessen our carbon footprint while maximising positive social and economic outcomes.

We understand that collaboration is key; addressing the climate crisis requires united efforts across the creative industries. Together, let us embark on this path of change, driven by the urgency of the present and the promise of a better tomorrow.

Albert

In the 2020/21 year, we had our carbon footprint measured and reported by BAFTA’s Albert. The report measured a wide scope of variables including utilities, waste, business travel and many more. This equated to a carbon footprint of 593.6 tCO2e. Our baseline established, we set out to reduce this footprint; the biggest change implemented was moving to fully renewable energy across all of our sites.

These actions resulted in us being listed as a recognised Albert Supplier.
Albert Suppliers
Albert Carbon Footrprint Breakdown 2020/21

Targets Identified and Changes Made in 2021/22

With our baseline established by Albert, we set about making changes to our facilities, operations and approach to sustainability.

Lighting

We identified that our lighting was an area of energy waste and could be improved. We therefore set out to phase in LED lighting across all sites, with the aim of being fully LED by 2025.

Furthermore, we began investigation into what areas could be fitted with sensors (auto on/off switches).

Zoning

A new hybrid working culture resulted in some areas within our facilities not being used for significant amounts of time, so we therefore implemented zoning procedures to monitor this. Our staff perform regular checks of all our rooms and spaces ensuring air conditioning, lighting and monitors are switched off when unoccupied.

Ethical Suppliers

We began the process of reviewing suppliers to make sure their policies were in line with our own and that we are all working towards similar goals.

Energy Efficiency

We identified that our electricity usage was the most significant aspect of our carbon footprint and action needed to be taken.

We began the transition to fully renewable energy across all of our facilities immediately in 2021-22, this subsequently concluding in early 2023.

In addition a review of air conditioning systems took place across all sites. We enquired (and requested) with our landlords if the gas used in the units could be changed to a greener alternative. All of our air conditioning units are serviced 3 times a year.

Single Use Plastics

We immediately began phasing out all single use plastics across our hospitality and office operations, utilising metal straws, biodegradable bin liners and issuing all staff with a reusable metal water bottle.

Paper Consumption

Procedures were put in place to encourage a reduction in printing (nominal charge for clients to encourage good practice).

In addition a migration from paper documentation to digital was completed in key departments such as Accounts and HR.

Lastly we addressed our paper supply to become more sustainably sourced.

Couriers & Taxis

We switched to requesting push bikes instead of motor vehicles where possible and utilised electric vehicles for journeys further afield.

We encourage staff and clients to utilise public transport where possible instead of a taxi. However, we immediately set out reviewing our suppliers and which of them could support a sustainable approach to taxi usage.

2022/23 Reporting

In January 2023, we partnered with Planet Mark in order to accelerate our journey. Planet Mark is a community and sustainability certificate provider for businesses dedicated to fighting the climate crisis by reducing their carbon footprint. They are also one of only 8 Official Partners of the UN backed Race to Zero campaign.
Race to Zero

Certification

Their certification is broken down into 3 key areas (Measure, Engage, and Communicate) that ensure we are working towards our reduction goals, encouraging others to join us on our journey, remaining transparent throughout the process.

By submitting our meter readings, invoices and utilities bills from April 2022 - March 2023, we received our Planet Mark Business Certification and our road to Net Zero began.
Planet Mark Carbon Footrprint Breakdown 2022/23

2023/24 Reporting

Our 2023/24 report is our most accurate certificate to-date. Our carbon footprint is now calculated with 2 separate scores for market-based and location-based, which is based on our submitted data and local grid emissions respectively.

This year we also included data and invoices for all of our sites and included more accurate data from utilities bills. This years report also takes into consideration the additional members of staff with Absolute and Blind Pig joining us on our collective goal to reach Net Zero.

Despite these additional sites, we have managed to make a reduction on our Carbon Footprint as a result of changing to renewable electricity suppliers in addition to encouraging staff with switch off lights, computers and plugs when they are not in use.

Carbon Footprint Comparison

We acknowledge that we must take into consideration moving from Albert to Planet Mark and how this may result in slightly different reports. We also take into consideration the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic playing a part in the emissions in the 20/21 reporting period, with a lower footfall across our buildings and changes to our operations to enable the business to work more remotely.

With these variables in mind, over the course of these two reporting periods, we have reduced our carbon footprint from 593.6 tCO2e down to 214.0 tCO2e. The primary reason for this huge 50%+ reduction is due to the changes in renewable energy sources across all of our buildings. All of our electricity contracts transitioned to Good Energy with the process concluding in mid-2023.

Changes and Goals for 2023/24

Tackling the climate crisis is a long journey but by mapping out our plans and objectives, the process of becoming Net Zero becomes much clearer and we can hold ourselves accountable on our progress.

As a Planet Mark Certified Business, ENVY are targeting an annual minimum 5% reduction in Carbon Emissions which equates to 10.7 tCO2e over the 2023/24 reporting period. To achieve this we have implemented a number of changes internally such as:

Homeworking

With hybrid-working now increasingly popular, we will encourage our staff to change to green tariffs and suppliers.

Travel and Taxis

We have partnered with a new taxi supplier Green Tomato Cars, who have a zero emissions fleet.

Staff Commute

We are encouraging staff with flexible working to travel during off-peak hours or cycle to work where possible.

Lighting

So far in the 2023/24 year, 90% of lighting in all of our sites are now LED, with 40% of lights operated with sensors.

Technical Waste

Whenever we have any technical waste, Power Cleaning (our cleaning supplier) remove this and is later recycled.

We are continuing to explore charities and organisations that are also able to reuse or repurpose our unused kit. Whenever we have an excess of computer equipment, we will donate them to local schools, where they can be reused.

Education of Staff

We will be providing all staff with an introduction to Planet Mark and a forum to discuss our sustainability journey in order to shift mindsets, encourage participation and contribution on our path to net zero.

Office Operations

Our paper is now supplied by Paperstone and we buy eco-logical paper. For every box we buy, Paperstone plant 5 trees via More Trees.

We have changed our lanyards which are made out of recycled bottles. In addition, our badge holders are 100% biodegradable.

 

Technical Operation Procedures

We will be conducting a review of our technical procedures and exploring the possibility of introducing Wake on LAN technology, specifically to our Remote systems.

We have introduced scripts that run every Friday evening, ensuring all client PC’s are automatically powered down. This means they remain off during the weekends and if they are not in use the following week, there is an increase in energy savings.

Commitment to Nature

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) are a group of 17 interconnected goals established by the UN. Each of these goals cover a broad range of social and economic development issues such as: health, education, climate change, gender, equality, water, and energy.

Through our carbon measuring and reporting through Planet Mark, we are currently contributing to 4 SDG’s, with the ability to directly contribute up to 9 of these goals in line with 14 different targets.
The 17 Goals

Our Community

Communication and engagement from our entire workforce is key to what we do. We want our community to join us on this journey and we if we all pull together, we can achieve our collective goal of becoming Net Zero.

Employee Engagement

As part of our efforts to engage our community with our green journey, we will encourage our team to play a part in our sustainability story. We want to create a space where people can suggest their ideas to make ENVY a greener space and help shift mindsets on the Climate Crisis.

Cycle to Work Scheme

ENVY partners with Evans Cycles to offer our employees a financial benefit whereby bikes and bike accessories can be purchased; spreading the cost interest-free through their salary. This is usually conducted across a 12-24 month period.

This incentive encourages our employees to take a healthier and greener mode of transport to work. As such having a cycle to work scheme in place can contribute significantly to sustainability in several ways, such as reducing carbon emissions in daily commutes as employees will be less likely to use trains, buses or tubes. In addition, this scheme promotes better health and well-being and encourages having a more sustainable lifestyle.

Reusable Water Bottles

Every member of our staff have their own ENVY branded water bottle. This initiative is to encourage our staff to avoid buying plastic bottles of water from supermarkets and utilising our water machines located in all of our staff kitchens.

Our clients are also served water from reusable glass bottles which are also refilled from water machines in our kitchens.

Sustainability Minded

At ENVY we aim to ensure that our employees are engaged, supportive and active in our sustainable approach. As such, we are aiming for ethical and social responsibility; this includes being mindful of how we travel to work, how much waste we are creating and how we can do more, inside and outside of work. Next, we want to ensure we are being supportive, especially with our stakeholders; therefore, we aim to be transparent about our sustainability initiatives, progress and challenges. Whilst also being accountable for the impact of our business operations. Lastly we want to ensure our employees are buying into the practices, therefore, being open and innovative in our initiatives, creating a positive reputation and being committed to responsible business practices. Essentially practising what we are preaching!

Transparency

One of the 3 main areas of Planet Mark certification is communication and that makes transparency key to our mission. We believe in sharing what we do, both the successes and failures to build trust and confidence amongst our staff, clients and wider post production community, all of whom are a big part of our journey to Net Zero.

We aim to:

Comply with all current environmental legislation.

Integrate sustainable practices into business decisions.

Ensure all our employees are aware of our sustainability policy and are committed to its implementation, providing information and guidance where necessary.

Reduce our carbon footprint through sensible use of energy and efficient technologies.

Review and suggest improvement on our sustainable performance.
The Journey Ahead

Mid-Term

Within the next few years, we hope to be in a strong position to become B Corp certified. B Corp is a UN-recognised certification that not only recognises a businesses efforts to combat the climate crisis but who also measures their impact on their employees, clients and wider community.

In addition we aim to become Carbon Neutral by 2030, with minimal carbon offsetting. Any carbon emissions that we cannot reduce completely, we will have offset by supporting green causes committed to tackling the climate crisis.

For every year we are listed as a Planet Mark certified business, one acre of rainforest is protected in partnership with Cool Earth. In addition, 5% of our certification fee is donated to the Eden Project, who engage the next generation in the importance of nature and the environment.

Long-Term

At the end of the road we aim to be Net Zero by 2050, as set out within the Paris Agreement at COP21.

By aiming for a minimum carbon reduction of 5% every year, our current trajectory shows we are well course to become Net Zero by 2050.

We endeavour to be leaders in our industry and hope our entire industry will be on the same pathway towards a greener future for us all.

Charity Partners & Initiatives

ENVY are continually committed to supporting local charities and initiatives.

We are Industry Friends and supporters of the Film and TV Charity, an organisation dedicated to supporting individuals within the industry, offering services including a 24 Hour Helpline, Mental Health Support and Financial Advice. During our time as Industry Friends, we have supported the charity with donations, raising awareness on social media and participating in events organised by the charity.

Rise are an organisation dedicated to fostering gender diversity and empowering women within the creative media and broadcasting industries. ENVY have been supporters of their mentoring scheme which partners new starters in the industry with experience mentors who are leaders within the industry, as well as a range of training and networking sessions to help map out a career within the media industries.

In 2023, we began working with the TV Access Project (TAP) and became a TAP Activator. Officially launched in 2022, the UK’s biggest broadcasters and streamers came together to form an alliance which aims to break down barriers and create a permanent structural shift to ensure inclusion for deaf, disabled and neurodivergent talent.

We are actively involved with the TV Access Project and are working to improve accessibility and make reasonable adjustments to our facilities. We hope that we can bring companies from all areas of the television industry together to create an equal and inclusive industry for everyone.

We aim to make our facilities more accessible and to do this we are following an audit that has been created by TAP which takes into consideration all access requirements.

Over several years, we have been active supporters of the Women in Film and Television, an organisation created for women in the creative industries. The group host many events, networking evenings and mentor schemes which we have participated in.

We regularly support University College London Hospitals (UCLH), a local NHS trust who are located within a few minutes of our facilities. Over several years, we have supported the charity with events for a variety of their fundraising appeals.