What ITV is doing to help the environment and reduce its carbon footprint
What ITV is doing to help the environment and reduce its carbon footprint

Key targets
The current environmental management system is under review and targets are in the process of being set.

How is the green policy policed?
The review aims to strengthen the way the policy is measured.

Any dedicated green employees?
Yes: Jack Cunningham, group environment manager. There are also plans afoot to hire a dedicated energy manager by the end of the year.

Is there buy-in from the board?
Chief operating officer John Cresswell (pictured) has put his name to the company's environmental objectives. He attends quarterly CSR committee meetings and, as a board member, receives quarterly updates regarding environmental actions.

Biggest steps to reduce energy use?
Sources energy through low-carbon combined heat and power (CHP) generation in London and Manchester sites. Introduced sensors, which turn off lights automatically in refurbished London offices. Carried out a Carbon Trust energy survey in November and is working towards implementing recommendations. For example, it is investigating technology that can force left-on computers to shut down.

Biggest steps to increase recycling?
Ofice paper is derived from sustainable forests. IT equipment, toner cartridges, paper, aluminium cans, plastics, glass, cardboard and mobile phones are recycled. Works with organisations such as Greenworks and Green Standards when it clears o. ce spaces.

Has going green saved money?
Yes. For example, a new energy deal on a 'green' tariff has saved in excess of £1m.

Any plans to promote a green agenda?
As well as topical programming, ITV ran a regional campaign last year called The Big Clean Up, which had government backing. This encouraged viewers to volunteer to tidy up their communities. It has also recently undertaken a carbon footprinting assessment of one of its studio productions Don't Call Me Stupid and has started quantifying the ecological footprint of flagship drama Lewis.

Endorsement from third parties?
Not yet, but is working towards this.

Impact of environmental initiatives?
Too early to measure results.

What they say:
'The appointment of a group environment manager and the sanctioning by the chief operating officer to appoint an energy manager are major examples that ITV is taking this agenda more seriously. Many staff do demand a visible shift in green behaviour, and it is important to us that we are able to demonstrate our commitment to these changes, but the changes are made also for our viewers and advertisers,' says Cunningham.