Sustainability update from NIE UK

As a theatre company delivering work for and with young people, we believe we should minimise our environmental impact to help make a sustainable world for their future.

As a touring company we recognise the importance and value of presenting work in-person locally, nationally, and internationally, as well as the carbon cost of this work.  To reflect this the NIE UK team wrote a preliminary sustainability policy a couple of years ago. We are pleased to say we have made some great progress since then:

 – We work from digital scripts during the devising process, to cut down on printing of an ever-changing script.

– Hybrid working within our office team reduces regular commuting.

– 60% of board meetings are online, which reduces impact of travel.

– All our permanent staff are trained or currently undergoing Carbon Literacy training – to improve our understanding and inform policies going forward.

– We have been attending sector events, to share best practices and learn from our peers.

As the new year gets into full swing, we are re-visiting this policy and updating it with new goals for 2025 onwards. This will help us to reduce our impact further and push forward with our commitment to sustainability.

This year our aims include:

 – Establishing areas we could improve on & setting a realistic target for a reduction in carbon emissions this year.

– Re-using existing props & costumes from our store in new show designs. Or buying second hand when needed.

– Looking into using electric vehicles for touring.

– Working with venues to reduce the amount of printed marketing materials produced for shows.

– Advocating for the work we’re doing and promote awareness.

We will set measurable goals, to enable us to demonstrate our progress. We look forward to updating you later in the year!