SHIFT Culture
In 2023, IETM has joined the SHIFT network alongside sixteen other cultural networks. We worked together with Culture for Climate Scotland (CCS) to implement the eco-guidelines which are structured around five chapters: Management & Policy, Communication & Awareness Raising, Travel, Events, Office & Home Office. Our participation in SHIFT and the eco-certification audit allowed us to draw up the Environmental Sustainability Policy that reflected our goals and aims from the period 2022-2025.
What are the SHIFT eco-guidelines for cultural networks?
The guidelines recognise and address the ecological footprint associated with operating international cultural networks and platform organisations. The guidelines serve as a reference document for network organisations that aim to minimise their footprint, optimise environmentally sustainable practices, and act as an example of good practice for their members and other networks. They are purposely made openly accessible in the hope they can inspire structural organisational change in the cultural sectors, in the broadest sense.
Since 2023, the SHIFT guidelines have been serving as a standard framework for IETM’s operations. We have integrated environmental guidelines into our daily operations which inform us how we plan, communicate, travel, organise events, and manage our office practices, and allow us to constantly review our commitments.
Since the first audit in 2023, SHIFT IETM was able to:
- Calculated systematically the carbon emissions of all our travels and reduce our physical meetings in favour of online webinars, also in light of our accessibility priorities and willingness to reach diverse audiences worldwide;
- Encourage land travel wherever possible, insist on it in accordance with our policy, and send out strong encouragement to IETM members and international participants at our events via our newsletters, practical information pages
- Host key sessions on green transition, sustainability and climate issues across all IETM physical events;
- Advocated for a more sustainable performing arts sector across several other IETM training and policy activities;
- In addition to IETM's own work the network has led Perform Europe since 2020, a European funding scheme and research project aimed to rethink inclusive and green practices and touring in the performing arts. Various synergies have been between IETM research and Perform Europe's research, each feeding the other.