In recent years, sustainability, ESG, green production and European standards have shifted from niche topics to becoming central industrial and regulatory variables. For this reason, we felt the need to address the subject in a more in-depth way, approaching environmental sustainability in the audiovisual sector from a technical-scientific and regulatory perspective, rather than a purely narrative or promotional one. Our aim is to become a platform for debate that fosters strategic thinking, not just reporting.With this in mind, we spoke with Giuseppe Duranti, an environmental expert with judicial expertise and CTU responsibilities. Among the topics discussed, we deliberately shifted the focus from good intentions to measurability — in other words, to the importance of introducing European standardization by linking sustainability, compliance, protocols, certifications and incentives.
In particular, reference to his role as Technical Judicial and Environmental Expert at the Court of Treviso opens up a level of reflection that is still rarely addressed by industry media.
At present, we observe a great deal of goodwill materializing in numerous initiatives, but very limited harmonization. What does this mean in practice? Over the past year, we have seen an intensification of concrete actions by major players such as Banijay, Secuoya Studios and Bavaria Film, which—when presenting themselves at key markets and festivals (MIA, Series Mania, Berlinale, etc.)—have promoted individual initiatives under strong European regulatory pressure (Green Deal, GPP, EU funds).
Against this backdrop, we spoke with Dr. Duranti, asking why sustainability should today be considered an industrial issue and should no longer be confined to a voluntary approach. What are the methods, measurements and European protocols already available? And how can traditional environmental expertise be transferred to the audiovisual sector?
Formatbiz:Why should sustainability today be considered an industrial issue, rather than relying on a voluntary approach?
Giuseppe Duranti:
Sustainability became an industrial issue when it began to have a tangible impact on production processes, legal responsibilities, access to public funding and project evaluation criteria. A voluntary approach, however commendable, is no longer sufficient, as it does not guarantee continuity or comparability of results.
In the audiovisual sector this is particularly evident: the environmental impact of a production does not depend on intentions, but on measurable organizational choices involving energy, mobility, logistics, waste management and communication. The Green Film guidelines move precisely in this direction, transforming sustainability into a planned process, with mandatory prerequisites, verifiable criteria and an external control system.
When sustainability is embedded in a structured framework, as is the case with Green Film, it becomes an integral part of project governance rather than a reputational or ancillary element.
Formatbiz:What concrete methods and measurements make it possible to move from theory to practice?
Giuseppe Duranti:
The first fundamental element is preventive planning, which in the Green Film guidelines takes the form of the obligation to draft a Sustainability Plan before filming begins. This step is crucial because it allows productions to analyze the environmental context, identify critical issues and define concrete mitigation actions.
From a methodological standpoint, sustainability is based on three pillars:
1. Identification of sources of impact (energy, transport, materials, waste);
2. Definition of clear and verifiable operational criteria;
3. Documentation and monitoring of the actions implemented.
The guidelines introduce a scoring system that not only guides production choices, but also makes it possible to measure the level of sustainability achieved. This approach is fully aligned with established environmental management practices and makes sustainability comparable across different productions, avoiding ambiguity and self-referential claims.
Formatbiz:How can European protocols and standards support the audiovisual industry?
Giuseppe Duranti:
European protocols and standards serve a crucial function: reducing fragmentation. Today, many productions adopt good practices, but they do so in a heterogeneous way, making mutual recognition between countries, funds, broadcasters and institutions difficult.
A tool such as Green Film demonstrates that it is possible to build shared frameworks based on technical and verifiable criteria, which also facilitate international co-productions. This is particularly relevant in a European context, where funding schemes and public policies increasingly require compliance with clear environmental parameters.
In my work as Expert in Environmental Assessment at the Court of Treviso, as well as a member of the European Expertise & Expert Institute, the need to develop common standards emerges very strongly—standards that allow good practices to become the rule rather than the exception.
Formatbiz:How can traditional environmental expertise be transferred to the audiovisual sector?
Giuseppe Duranti:
Traditional environmental expertise is based on well-established tools: impact assessment, risk evaluation, monitoring, traceability of actions and verification of results. All of these elements are fully transferable to the audiovisual industry.
The Green Film guidelines clearly demonstrate this: the role of the Green Film Manager, the training kick-off meeting, documentation procedures and verification methods are all typical environmental management tools applied to a creative context. This approach makes it possible to combine scientific rigor with production flexibility, without slowing down the work of the crew.
In other words, the goal is not to invent new models, but to adapt consolidated expertise to a sector that, until recently, did not consider these competencies an integral part of its production process.
Formatbiz:What is the risk of a lack of harmonization at European level?
Giuseppe Duranti:
The main risk is that sustainability remains confined to a communicative dimension, exposed to greenwashing and lacking real effectiveness. Without shared standards, each initiative risks being assessed according to different criteria, making objective comparison impossible.
Harmonization, on the other hand, helps build trust—both among industry stakeholders and with institutions and the public. A certified system based on common criteria makes it possible to reward genuinely virtuous productions and steer the market toward more responsible models.
In this sense, tools such as Green Film represent not only a strong national best practice, but also a concrete foundation on which to build a future European standard for audiovisual sustainability.
In conclusion, it is essential to establish a professional role such as the Environmental / On-Set Sustainability Supervisor, operating according to a unified approach based on recognized European standards. Sustainability in the audiovisual industry is no longer a matter of goodwill, but of method.
In particular, reference to his role as Technical Judicial and Environmental Expert at the Court of Treviso opens up a level of reflection that is still rarely addressed by industry media.
At present, we observe a great deal of goodwill materializing in numerous initiatives, but very limited harmonization. What does this mean in practice? Over the past year, we have seen an intensification of concrete actions by major players such as Banijay, Secuoya Studios and Bavaria Film, which—when presenting themselves at key markets and festivals (MIA, Series Mania, Berlinale, etc.)—have promoted individual initiatives under strong European regulatory pressure (Green Deal, GPP, EU funds).
Against this backdrop, we spoke with Dr. Duranti, asking why sustainability should today be considered an industrial issue and should no longer be confined to a voluntary approach. What are the methods, measurements and European protocols already available? And how can traditional environmental expertise be transferred to the audiovisual sector?
Formatbiz:Why should sustainability today be considered an industrial issue, rather than relying on a voluntary approach?
Giuseppe Duranti:
Sustainability became an industrial issue when it began to have a tangible impact on production processes, legal responsibilities, access to public funding and project evaluation criteria. A voluntary approach, however commendable, is no longer sufficient, as it does not guarantee continuity or comparability of results.
In the audiovisual sector this is particularly evident: the environmental impact of a production does not depend on intentions, but on measurable organizational choices involving energy, mobility, logistics, waste management and communication. The Green Film guidelines move precisely in this direction, transforming sustainability into a planned process, with mandatory prerequisites, verifiable criteria and an external control system.
When sustainability is embedded in a structured framework, as is the case with Green Film, it becomes an integral part of project governance rather than a reputational or ancillary element.
Formatbiz:What concrete methods and measurements make it possible to move from theory to practice?
Giuseppe Duranti:
The first fundamental element is preventive planning, which in the Green Film guidelines takes the form of the obligation to draft a Sustainability Plan before filming begins. This step is crucial because it allows productions to analyze the environmental context, identify critical issues and define concrete mitigation actions.
From a methodological standpoint, sustainability is based on three pillars:
1. Identification of sources of impact (energy, transport, materials, waste);
2. Definition of clear and verifiable operational criteria;
3. Documentation and monitoring of the actions implemented.
The guidelines introduce a scoring system that not only guides production choices, but also makes it possible to measure the level of sustainability achieved. This approach is fully aligned with established environmental management practices and makes sustainability comparable across different productions, avoiding ambiguity and self-referential claims.
Formatbiz:How can European protocols and standards support the audiovisual industry?
Giuseppe Duranti:
European protocols and standards serve a crucial function: reducing fragmentation. Today, many productions adopt good practices, but they do so in a heterogeneous way, making mutual recognition between countries, funds, broadcasters and institutions difficult.
A tool such as Green Film demonstrates that it is possible to build shared frameworks based on technical and verifiable criteria, which also facilitate international co-productions. This is particularly relevant in a European context, where funding schemes and public policies increasingly require compliance with clear environmental parameters.
In my work as Expert in Environmental Assessment at the Court of Treviso, as well as a member of the European Expertise & Expert Institute, the need to develop common standards emerges very strongly—standards that allow good practices to become the rule rather than the exception.
Formatbiz:How can traditional environmental expertise be transferred to the audiovisual sector?
Giuseppe Duranti:
Traditional environmental expertise is based on well-established tools: impact assessment, risk evaluation, monitoring, traceability of actions and verification of results. All of these elements are fully transferable to the audiovisual industry.
The Green Film guidelines clearly demonstrate this: the role of the Green Film Manager, the training kick-off meeting, documentation procedures and verification methods are all typical environmental management tools applied to a creative context. This approach makes it possible to combine scientific rigor with production flexibility, without slowing down the work of the crew.
In other words, the goal is not to invent new models, but to adapt consolidated expertise to a sector that, until recently, did not consider these competencies an integral part of its production process.
Formatbiz:What is the risk of a lack of harmonization at European level?
Giuseppe Duranti:
The main risk is that sustainability remains confined to a communicative dimension, exposed to greenwashing and lacking real effectiveness. Without shared standards, each initiative risks being assessed according to different criteria, making objective comparison impossible.
Harmonization, on the other hand, helps build trust—both among industry stakeholders and with institutions and the public. A certified system based on common criteria makes it possible to reward genuinely virtuous productions and steer the market toward more responsible models.
In this sense, tools such as Green Film represent not only a strong national best practice, but also a concrete foundation on which to build a future European standard for audiovisual sustainability.
In conclusion, it is essential to establish a professional role such as the Environmental / On-Set Sustainability Supervisor, operating according to a unified approach based on recognized European standards. Sustainability in the audiovisual industry is no longer a matter of goodwill, but of method.
