At the core of Into Film's Environmental Sustainability Plan is our commitment to the principles of equality, justice, and continual improvement. We plan our work and act on these principles to help create a better world for ourselves and future generations.
Specifically, Into Film harnesses the power of film and our relationship with schools and educators across the United Kingdom to influence children and young people, helping them to explore the wonders of the natural world, the climate emergency, climate justice, sustainability, and other important environmental issues such as pollution and endangered species through moving image storytelling.
Content
Storytelling at Into Film starts with our film catalogue, and our curators are committed to focusing on environmental themes when selecting films for screenings and our streaming service for schools Into Film+. We provide a range of environmentally themed films, resources and blog posts under the climate change theme to engage and inspire young people on green issues.
We support the exploration of environmental themes in filmmaking by providing a range of resources and training for teachers, and by creating a dedicated space for climate action and environmental stories in our annual awards.
Operations
Over the last few years, we have undertaken a range of operational action to reduce our impacts, under the lead of our Green Team, with staff representation from across the four nations of the UK. The team meets fortnightly to share best environmental practice, review existing practice, and identify and action steps for improvement across the organisation.
Key changes over the last few years which have indirectly resulted in reducing our environmental impact are the withdrawal of our DVD service in 2021 as Into Film+ saw our catalogue go online - eliminating the material, transport and waste impacts of DVDs, and the post-pandemic shift to hybrid working, reducing the impact of staff commuting.
Over the coming year, we are focused on the following areas:
- Committing to continuing sustainable digital first marketing, so printing of promotional material is reduced substantially
- Printing requirements and equipment are being reduced or replaced by eco-friendly options in all offices
- Working with Julie's Bicycle on the calculation, monitoring, and mitigation of our environmental impacts
- Finding and switching to 100% sustainable energy suppliers for our regional offices (our HQ in London switched in 2020)
- Reduction of single-use plastic and consumption of goods across the organisation
- The development of new staff policies and onboarding processes to reinforce and support greener options for travel.
We are committed to sharing what we have learned about environmental best practice with our network of children and young people, including Into Film Club members, our Youth Advisory Council, Get Into Film content creators and event, festival and online course attendees. We will do the same with our network of educators, ambassadors, suppliers, partners, trustees, and other colleagues in the film and education sectors.
Through film, filmmaking, and resources, and by leading through example and ‘walking the talk', we aim to help make a better world for current and future generations.