Sustainability Policy

Environmental Sustainability Policy

(Updated: June 2025)

At London Short Film Festival (LSFF), we recognise our responsibility to the environment that goes beyond legislative requirements. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and delivering environmentally responsible programming and operations, while continuing to champion climate-conscious practice through our work and advocacy.

We commit to continual monitoring and evaluation of our activities to better understand and improve our performance as an integral part of our business strategy and operational methods.

This policy outlines how we integrate environmental sustainability into our internal operations, public programming and audience engagement. 

1. Governance, culture and strategy

• All LSFF staff and contracted team members are responsible for supporting the aims of this policy.

• We report annually on our environmental impact using Julie’s Bicycle’s Creative Climate Tools (CC Tools), as part of our BFI-supported activity.

• We support the Mayor of London’s Zero Carbon targets and aim to lead by example in the independent screen sector.

• We commit to knowledge-sharing and upskilling staff as Carbon Literacy Champions to embed sustainable thinking across our work.

2. Digital and print materials

• We are moving to digital-first communications across all channels.

• From 2026, LSFF will no longer produce printed brochures.

• We are aiming to reduce all other print materials as much as possible. Where printing is essential (e.g. flyers or posters), we use Forestry Commission-certified, fully compostable paper stock from G.F Smith and work with Calverts Print Cooperative, a supplier with strong environmental credentials.

3. Travel and transport

• LSFF operates with a “digital first” mindset to minimise unnecessary travel.

• From June 2025, LSFF will meet in the office only one day per week. Most team members commute by foot or bike; others use public transport.

• We encourage all filmmakers, speakers and audience members to use active or public travel options to reach our events.

4. Venues

• We work with venues that demonstrate strong sustainability commitments.
  
  

• We prioritise permanent, accessible venues that already have the necessary infrastructure, allowing us to avoid the environmental impact of temporary builds, additional transport and equipment hire.

• We do our best to choose venues that are accessible by public transport.

5. Energy and water

• We ensure our activities minimise energy and water use where possible.

• We take responsibility for waste management within our own operations during festival delivery.

6. Office supplies and operations

• We maintain a hybrid working model to reduce our environmental footprint.

• Our office recycling is undertaken by Four Corners.

• We choose suppliers with a commitment to low-impact materials and methods and avoid unnecessary use of supplies.

7. Catering

• We are committed to working with suppliers and caterers who demonstrate strong environmental practices.

• When catering is provided, we prioritise vegetarian options and local sourcing as a low-impact food strategy.

8. Programming and curation

• Climate, environmental and ecological themes are central to our programming approach.

• We commit to curating and commissioning films, events and discussions that reflect the urgency and complexity of the climate crisis.

• We will continue to use our platform to amplify voices and stories advocating for climate justice and systemic change.

9. Accessibility and sustainability

• We acknowledge the intersection of environmental responsibility and access needs.

• We offer free and discounted ticketing options for low-income individuals and aim to ensure that low-carbon travel choices remain affordable.

10. Audience engagement

• We raise awareness of sustainability through our communications with audiences, artists and stakeholders.

• We encourage our audiences to bring refillable bottles and cups to our venues.

11. Monitoring and improvement

• We commit to:

  • Meeting all relevant environmental regulations.

  • Continuously reviewing and improving our own environmental impact.

  • Encouraging feedback and learning from peers across the cultural sector.

• While we do not currently publish a formal sustainability report, we continue to track and evaluate our impact through Creative Climate Tools and update funders and stakeholders accordingly.