Sustainability

Programming

What you need to know about our commitments to sustainability

Our commitment to sustainability

©UKTV - Photographer: Alistair Heap

At UKTV we recognise that a large part of our role in helping society transition to net zero is to communicate with our audiences about the climate crisis & normalise sustainable behaviours within our content. We also understand that the preservation of nature & biodiversity is critical and are working to better understand how we can weave this into our production & editorial processes.

UKTV is a signatory of the pan-broadcaster Climate Content Pledge which is a commitment to reach more of our audiences on this topic and offer a fair and balanced vision of a sustainable future and be informed by science.

UKTV has been tracking climate content references since 1 April 2022 and over 4 years has increased verbal references by 15% and visual references by 20%.We will continue to try and increase climate content in our Commissions and be mindful of the Sustainability topics included and their impact on reducing carbon emissions.

However, it’s not enough to focus solely on Climate Content. In Financial year 2022/2023 84% of UKTV’s Carbon footprint came from our suppliers and we recognise that we need to bring our production partners with us to achieve our Net Zero targets.

Contractual obligations when working for UKTV

UKTV supports the delivery of the BBC Group's Net Zero Strategy underpinned by science.

It is mandatory for all UKTV Commissions to be Albert Certified and from 16 September all new Commissions should be certified as sustainable via the Albert Next Generation Toolkit.

As part of your Albert Certification we will work with producers to embed Climate Content within editorial from the earliest stages of development.

Since January 2025 it has been mandatory to complete UKTV’s Onscreen Sustainability Tracking form in Silvermouse as part of post-production paperwork.

Albert next generation toolkit

“The scale of the challenge can feel overwhelming and when that happens, I am reminded of Greta Thunberg’s advice that ‘no one is too small to make a difference’. The steps we take now to switch to sustainable production techniques are critical to reach our net zero targets, but they also enable us to talk to our audiences with confidence about the climate crisis, sustainable behaviours and the protection of nature and biodiversity”.

Rachel Lyon, Production Executive & Sustainability lead for UKTV Originals

©BBC Studios - Photographer: Zoila Brozas

It is mandatory for all UKTV Commissions to be Certified by the Albert Next Generation Toolkit and producers need to start this process in pre-production and well before filming commences.

Information relevant to delivering Albert Next Generation Toolkit Certified content to UKTV can be found in our Producer Pack.

The BAFTA Albert Next Generation Toolkit

From 16 September 2026 the BAFTA Albert Next Generation Toolkit should be used to certify all new commissions.

As part of these changes, the carbon action plan (CAP) will be replaced with a new certification process. UKTV expects all commissions to follow the standard ‘certified’ route.

The new Next Generation Toolkit includes:

A sustainable production guide with checklists and templates to help plan, implement, and pass certification.

A newly designed carbon calculator to complete the carbon footprint.

An excel based carbon footprint data tracker to streamline the BAFTA Albert carbon footprint process and help teams collect footprint data throughout production and upload directly to the carbon calculator.(Note: This is suitable for complex productions. Alternatively data can be entered directly into the carbon calculator as before).

All productions using the previous BAFTA Albert system that will finish postproduction in 2026 must have fully completed their footprint and carbon action plan by 1 December 2026.(Note: we recommend aiming for a deadline of 31 October 2026 to allow some contingency). Productions that have not completed the previous certification process by this date will need to re-apply for certification in the Next Generation Toolkit to receive the BAFTA Albert logo.

Data or information will not be automatically migrated from the current BAFTA Albert Toolkit and productions must ensure any data they wish to keep a record of is downloaded and saved separately before 17 December 2026. Existing BAFTA Albert user accounts will carry over, using the same login details and BAFTA Albert support will continue.

Resources to help prepare for the Next Generation Toolkit:

Read the BAFTA Albert information pack:

Next Generation Toolkit Information Pack

Visit The BAFTA Albert website for further information:

Next Generation Toolkit - BAFTA Albert

Watch the video walkthrough on You Tube:

Next Generation Toolkit: What's Changing?

Certified route:

The standard route. For productions transmitting after filming has finished.

Pre-Production: Read the certification questions & Sustainable Production Guide & make a sustainability & decarbonisation plan for your production.

Production: Start your Carbon footprint either using the Data Tracker (for Drama/Complex productions) or inputting data directly into the footprint. Keep UKTV informed of your progress via Progress Reports.

Save all evidence relevant to the sustainable actions you have agreed to take.

Delivery: Submit your certification questions & finalise your Carbon Footprint. Provide evidence as requested. Use the Bafta Albert logo on your end boards.

Apply no earlier than 28 days prior to delivery.
Allow 14 working days from submission of certification to approval.
Certification based on evidence of actions delivered during production
21 questions across four sections

BAFTA Albert can request evidence across any of the Certified criteria questions;

Albert certification exemptions:

Acquisitions.
Programmes made entirely from archive footage and reversions involving post-production only, with no specially shot material.
International production companies are encouraged to use Albert or an equivalent local scheme if available in their territory.
Short Form Content - Aggregated duration of the programme or entire series is 15 minutes or less and the budget for the entire project (all episodes) is £50,000 or less.

Unless the short form has high reputational value (e.g. specifically about Sustainability, high value/cost, significant brand).

If short form is connected to a long form programme, then data should be included in the main programme’s Certification.

De-Carbonising our Commissions

@UKTV- Photographer: Robbie Gray

UKTV is working to reduce CO2 emissions as much as possible – known as decarbonisation, and also recognise the importance of improving the accuracy of data being entered into carbon footprint reports. Decarbonisation efforts focus on four key impact areas; Energy, Travel, Materials (including food) and Waste.

In 2024 UKTV collaborated with Monumental Television and the BBCS Sustainability team on a deep dive de-carbonisation initiative on returning drama series The Marlow Murder Club which is an ongoing initiative across 3 series. Please refer to Case Studies section.

As a minimum UKTV expects to discuss opportunities to de-carbonise productions during development, schedule/budget negotiations & during a pre-greenlight Sustainability meeting. Progress reports throughout production will enable us keep in touch & understand the challenges and opportunities of making sustainable production choices.

Training

The BAFTA Albert Consortium offers free training. Book a place via the Albert website. The ScreenSkills online course Introduction to sustainability for the screen industries provides a good overview and role specific guidance.

Sustainability in editorial

@UKTV - Photographer: James Woodroffe

"Referencing climate content in our shows is integral to what we do in Commissioning. I had an (energy-saving) lightbulb moment when I went on my Albert training, I realised that as programme makers we have a unique opportunity to talk to our audiences about the issues, making it part of the conversation. It's a hugely complicated subject and can feel overwhelming, and frankly, scary. But if we get it right with Climte Content, we will make viewers feel engaged and motivated to act, while also feeling hopeful.”

Helen Nightingale, Head of Factual and Factual Entertainment, Commissioning

The latest BBC Audiences Sustainability tracker research suggests that the environment continues to be an important topic to the UK public, with recent tracking suggesting that 53% of people claim it is of high importance to them and just 8% ranking it of low importance.

Download

BBC Audiences December 2024 Sustainability Tracker BBC Guide to engaging audiences with sustainability

As programme makers it is important that we reflect the concerns of our audiences, avoid portraying unsustainable lifestyles as aspirational and portray fair and balanced visions of a sustainable society.

Opportunities to embed climate content within your editorial will be discussed at the earliest stages of development, at a pre-greenlight meeting and in the pre-production editorial meeting. We will keep in touch via progress reports.

Since January 2025 it is mandatory for all UKTV Commissions to complete an On-screen Sustainability Tracking form included in Silvermouse. Please refer to our Schedule of Deliverables within the Producer Pack for more detail.

To complete the form producers select from a checklist of topics related to climate change, sustainability, nature-loss and our connection to the natural world and whether they are included in a programme verbally, in dialogue or commentary, or visibly in props, backgrounds or non-verbal action.

Completing the form will be significantly easier if the information is captured during the edit process and we strongly recommend that a senior member of the Editorial team is responsible for doing this.

Please see below the checklist of themes;

The checklist of topics

a) The science of climate change and/or nature loss and how these changes impact us/the natural world

b) How we try to protect ourselves from and adapt to the changes brought about by climate change and nature loss

c) How we travel and move around more sustainably

d) How we use energy and power in our lives, homes and industry more sustainably

e) What food we eat and how we use land more sustainably or restore nature

f) How we use materials and resources more sustainably and avoid or reduce waste

g) How we invest money, run businesses and economies more sustainably

h) Individuals, communities, creatives or artists imagining, discussing, making efforts or demands for a more sustainable world

i) How we can enhance our personal connection with nature

j) Industries and behaviours that are causes of climate change and nature loss

k) Celebrities, influencers or public figures endorsing or being role models for ‘green’ behaviours or attitudes

l) Other (please specify)

We want to understand if our climate content is having an impact on our audiences and we are working with our Research & Insight team to agree a set of questions to include in all of our dial tests.

The BBC Environmental Sustainability Guide is a helpful resource for Producers providing detailed information regarding the science behind the climate crisis.

Please note that it is a mandatory requirement for Albert certification that a senior member of the editorial team has attended editorial training which is available free from Albert.

2024 Showreel

Please watch UKTV's most recent Climate Content showreel to give you a flavour of our work in this space. We hope it will inspire you to fill your own productions with these important prompts.

Case studies

The Marlow Murder Club Series 2

Download

TMMC S2 Case Study report

The Marlow Murder Club Series 2 showreel

Albert Headlines

The CO2e reduction of the series per programme hour was 38%.

The carbon impact of non mains energy was reduced by 97% per prog hour from Series 1.

Using Hybrid Generators resulted in a significant reduction in fuel consumption (73% per prog hour) and £11k fuel savings compared to series 1.

Certified HVO fuel has only 10% of the carbon footprint of diesel.

Waste CO2e reduction per programme hour was 95%.

Only 5% of location waste was sent to landfill.

What did we learn?

We can significantly reduce carbon emissions on our drama commissions. We focussed on increasing energy efficiency associated with non mains power and reducing waste sent to landfill.

Test: Hybrid generators.

Learn: Using Hybrid generators had a significant impact on reducing CO2 emissions by reducing fuel consumption.Hybrid generators run similarly to a hybrid car with an engine and battery.

When power is being pulled from the battery there is no sound or air pollution

Tested: Certified HVO fuel.

Learn: HVO fuel has only 10% of the CO2 impact of diesel.

HVO is a ‘drop in fuel’ that can be used in a standard generator.

HVO fuel is an ‘interim’ solution as we switch towards an electric future of batteries & grid power.

Tested: Reduce waste sent to landfill.

Learn: We can successfully separate waste into streams; food waste, compostables, dry recyclables and general waste.This significantly reduced waste sent to landfill and the overall carbon impact of location waste.

Important to have a member of the crew taking responsibility for waste (in this case the Unit Manager was responsible) to avoid individual waste streams being contaminated.

Next steps:

On Marlow Murder Club Series 3 UKTV & Monumental repeated the de-carbonisation techniques that proved most effective from Series 2 (Unit hybrid generator, HVO fuel & waste streaming facilities). We also contracted Picture Zero Consultancy to advise the Production team regarding techniques to improve the accuracy of data collection and Albert reporting.

On series 4 we are working with Picture Zero Consultancy again to support a smooth transition to the Albert Next Generation toolkit.We are also trialling Olio food re-distribution to reduce food waste and continue to use a Unit hybrid generator, HVO fuel & waste streaming.