Equity secures ‘environmental progress’ deals

Two theatre companies have committed to making progress reducing their carbon footprints as part of an agreement with performers' union Equity.

The agreements with Ardent Theatre and Aequitas Theatre, both based in East London, commit the organisations to policies including making sure their budgets and schedules support sustainable working, and technical teams reduce energy through switch-off routines.

Equity said it belives the union agreements are the first of their kind in the world to require sustainability standards on theatre productions.

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It wants the agreements to form the basis of other collective agreements worldwide, and for them to push companies to voluntarily improve their practices and pave the way for sustainability, including in sectors beyond theatre and the performing arts.

Sustainable productions

As part of the agreement the theatre companies will be required to produce work to specific Theatre Green Book sustainable production standards – a theatre-led initiative developed alongside sustainability experts consisting of three books focused on sustainable productions, buildings and operations.

Alongside this they have committed to making sure that 100% of all plastics used are reusable, recyclable or compostable, as well as provisions for maximum five-day working weeks either across the board or at least during rehearsal periods.

Equity says this measure has been pursued in a bid to "curb the creeping-norm of six-day weeks in theatre and live performance", which it is hoped will result in reduced emissions.

Karrim Jalali, Equity Industrial Official for Fringe Theatre, said the work should help pave the way for workers to demand more of producers and to make informed decisions as to who they are going to work for.

"Every single sector in the country must play its part to avoid the catastrophic consequences of climate breakdown and provide dignified conditions to workers," Jalali added.

“Workers of the world deserve meaningful and dignified jobs, providing them with a sustainable future. Of course, this is easier said than done, but the only way this will happen is if workers and trade unions take up the fight.

"These agreements represent just one of many important steps on a journey which must be fast if we want to avoid the worst impacts of the climate emergency.”

'Influence the sector'

Mark Sands, Creative Director at Ardent Theatre, said it is often the case that decent wages and sustainability are the first things to be sacrificed when production budgets are tight.

"This [agreement] ensures they instead form the very foundation of everything we do, in the hope we can influence the sector to improve its practices and lead the way for others to follow,” he added.

Rachael Bellis, Artistic Director at Aequitas Theatre, said: "As a company that is dedicated to ensuring work across traditional barriers and promoting equality and justice in our industry, we would be remiss if we did not subscribe to sustainable working, fair treatment for workers, or reasonable adjustments and access.

"Indeed, this is primarily what our company stands for, and while this industry does not always make it easy for companies to operate in this way, we find that the rewards of a safe working environment for everyone, collaborative skills, and genuine diverse voices in the room all help us to make better work and create better art. I am excited to see the fruits of this labour.”