Environmental Sustainability Statement

Oxford Playhouse is committed to building on past achievements to fully embed sustainable practices across its artistic programmes, operations and building infrastructure, to negate its impact on the environment.

In 2021 Oxford Playhouse adopted Environmental Responsibility as one of its four strategic objectives, alongside a comprehensive action plan to minimise our carbon footprint and be a model of best practice in the cultural sector.

We pledge to work collaboratively, regionally and nationally, across our sector and with local businesses and government to implement strategies and adapt behaviours in recognition of the climate emergency as a global consequence of our collective actions and inactions. We recognise the social justice implications of addressing the climate breakdown and advocate actions that will contribute to a greener, more sustainable and equitable arts ecology and environment.

Pledge: Oxford Playhouse pledge to become net zero carbon by 2035.

Oxford Playhouse strongly supports the development of the Theatre Green Book as a common standard for sustainable theatre practice to help the sector transition towards zero carbon.

The Playhouse is currently beta-testing the initial, sustainable productions phase of the Green Book, adopting baseline principles and aiming towards intermediate targets within the next 12-months. We are also consulting with industry experts to develop a ten-year plan to decarbonise our venue and to trial building recommendations contained within the next iteration of the Theatre Green Book.

Our Motivation

The Playhouse is motivated to act, as we recognise the irreversible impact of human activity on the world’s climate and its biodiversity. We understand that decisive action is needed to prevent further erosion of our planet’s natural resources and to minimise climate change as a consequence of our activities, which have contributed to the significant rise in global CO2 emissions since the 1950’s.

In doing the right thing for the environment we will also do the right thing for Oxford Playhouse, its people and stakeholders. Oxford Playhouse aspires to be at the forefront of climate activism within the arts sector and inspire other cultural partners and businesses to adopt sustainable practices.

Environmental Priorities and Commitments 2021-26

1. Building: develop and implement 10 year building decarbonisation plan.

2. Travel: collate more accurate data and reduce staff and audience travel emissions by 20%.

3. Operations:

• Zero waste to landfill and no single use plastic policy.
• Join the Refill campaign, installing sensor water taps, to help people live with less plastic.
• Green procurement (local supplies/suppliers).

4. Adopt Sustainable Productions Practices

• Implement Green Book sustainable productions recommendations.
• Adopt green riders on all in-house productions.

5. Research, create and implement offsetting strategy by 2022.

We will also:

• Ensure compliance with environmental legislation.
• Engage and educate staff, artists and audiences on environmental issues.
• Identify a Sustainability Champion on the Board of Trustees.
• Adopt recommendations from Theatre Green Book.
• Work in partnership to make theatre more sustainable.
• Sign up to Culture Declares Emergency.

OP Green Team

In January 2021, Oxford Playhouse formed the OP Green Team, a cross-organisational working party responsible for developing institutional knowledge and the company’s environmental sustainability initiatives. The Green Team collate, review and report sustainability data, devise policy, strategies and action plans to embed sustainable choices throughout Oxford Playhouse in order to reduce our impact on the environment.

Monitoring, Reporting and Review

The Green Team review and update Oxford Playhouse’s policy and action plan annually, reporting to the Board of Trustees on a quarterly bases and externally via Julie’s Bicycle Green Creative Tools, as an ACE National Portfolio Organisation.

We are currently rewriting our Environmental Policy & updating our Action Plan.

You will be able to download this once we have completed this work.