Sustainability at Locarno Film Festival

Environmental Sustainability

We are firmly committed to recognizing the importance of mitigating our negative impacts on the environment and promoting environmental sustainability. We have taken significant steps in order to calculate our greenhouse gas emissions (direct and indirect) to understand the full environmental impact of our activities.

Our Strategy for Decarbonisation

Calculating our carbon footprint provides us with a solid foundation on which to build a comprehensive environmental and climate strategy aimed at reducing emissions, minimizing waste, and promoting sustainable practices.

Through the calculation of our carbon footprint - that is, the contribution in terms of global warming triggered by its activities – we will better assess and manage our emissions, including with a view to future annual reduction and monitoring targets that will allow it to assess progress. Such an analytical approach is key to implementing an effective environmental sustainability strategy and mitigating our impacts on the planet. 

The Keysteps Towards Environmental Sustainability

 

 

Quantification of the greenhouse gas inventory related to all direct and indirect emissions from our activities. This includes emissions from energy consumption, assembly processes, transportation, and any other relevant sources.

The inventory will identify critical areas that contribute significantly to our carbon footprint. This identification is essential for prioritizing efforts to reduce emissions as efficiently as possible.

Based on our GHG inventory, we are laying the foundation for an emissions reduction plan. Our goal is to achieve net zero CO2e emissions by 2050, in alignment with key national and international guidelines and collective efforts to address climate change. This is an ongoing journey that requires the commitment and participation of our employees, suppliers, partners, and audience.

We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of environmental responsibility: the study currently in development, the results of which will be published during 2024, will conform to the principles and requirements outlined in the international standard ISO 14064-1, with the support of Positive Organizations, one of the Festival's Impact Partners. The latter provides a robust framework for quantifying and reporting GHG emissions, ensuring transparency, accuracy, and consistency.

Highlights at Locarno77

 

 

Renewable energy usage

Screenings in the Piazza Grande, Europe's largest open-air cinema, and all other venues are powered by 100% renewable energy thanks to our partnership with SES. 

Sustainable mobility

We encourage employees, guests, and the public to choose environmentally friendly means of transport. We have established strategic partnerships with SBB/CFF/FFS, Autopostale, Ego Movement, and more. 

Sustainable catering

We have decreased the availability of meat-based food options by 50% versus 2023 in favour of plant-based offerings. Additionally, we prioritise products from local, organic producers to reduce the carbon footprint associated with transport.

Eco-Friendly materials

We are committed to producing sustainable merchandise made from recycled or sustainable materials. Our official bags are made from organic cotton and our iconic lanyards are made from R-Pet. 

Digital transformation

We have launched an enhanced mobile version of our website to ensure a seamless digital experience and reduced the print run of our publications by -33% versus 2023.

Waste reduction

We provide waste separation bins at all official Festival venues, donate leftover materials to the Fondazione Diamante who make handmade products, and collaborate with Too Good To Go to ensure that leftovers from all official events are made available to the public.


Our current contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • We support cinema enthusiasts and industry professionals of all ages and backgrounds, actively participating in educating younger audiences through various learning, training and development initiatives, ensuring effective learning opportunities for everyone. 
  • We foster the production and distribution of films that highlight societal and environmental issues. We facilitate the acquisition of skills and ideas for promoting sustainable development and a culture of inclusion that values diversity. 
  • We create opportunities and spaces to give a voice in the education and training process to professionals from developing countries. 
  • We aim at achieving an appropriate balance in our staff and ensure that women are adequately involved in decision-making and governance at all levels. Notably, in 2019, we were one of the first festivals to sign up to the Programming Pledge for Parity and Inclusion in Cinema. 
  • We guarantee gender parity and equal pay at all levels, not only among its staff but also in the selection of films presented each year. 
  • ​​​​​​​We actively pursue our commitment to health and safety at work and at the Event through a policy of zero tolerance for any form of violence, including verbal or physical abuse and sexual harassment.  
  • The Event feeds into the local economy, creating jobs and promoting the region's image worldwide. In conducting our activities, we give preference to local suppliers, while our international importance brings major reputational benefits for the region and our perceived identity. 
  • Funding from the Event is directed towards activities of high social and educational value, such as the renewal and refurbishment of urban and environmental sites and the organization of highly qualified training pathways like the Locarno Academy and Locarno Pro initiatives. 
  • ​​​​​​​We offer placements and internships to young people from the region, leveraging our extensive knowledge and network of contacts to develop local professional skills. 
  • ​​​​​​​We strive to develop lasting partnerships with local suppliers that share principles of sustainability. 
  • We do not tolerate discrimination of any kind and offers equal opportunities to all employees, participants, and film industry professionals. We also provide ethics and compliance training to all employees and actively communicate our anti-discrimination policy to participants. 
  • We promote the film industry of developing countries and ensures opportunities for people hindered by economic or political limitations to participate in its activities. 
  • Through our measures, we promote fuller geographical representation and the presence of underrepresented countries in financial and economic decision-making bodies at international and global levels. 
  • We strive to reduce its environmental footprint by engaging in recycling, reuse of resources, and minimizing consumption. Recent efforts have significantly reduced waste production, with inevitable waste being properly disposed of. 
  • All our official events are zero waste, with all leftovers available for collection through collaboration with Too Good To Go.  
  • ​​​​​​​We works with industrial partners for waste recycling and disposal and local authorities to improve logistical efficiency. Sustainable merchandise includes items made from recycled or sustainable materials like organic cotton bags and R-Pet neckerchiefs. We collaborate with over 150 local suppliers to minimize waste and transportation. 
  • We encourage digital tickets and programs to minimize paper waste, launching an enhanced mobile website version and reducing the print run of publications by 33% compared to 2023. 
  • We are committed to implementing new tools to monitor the impact of sustainable development, which not only creates employment but also promotes local products and culture. 
  • The Locarno Green Project aims at shifting the production within the film industry by promoting the adoption of green protocols and raising awareness of relevant environmental issues through the official award "Pardo Verde", supported by the Ente Regionale per lo Sviluppo del Locarnese e Vallemaggia.
  • We are actively working towards reducing our environmental impact by calculating GHG emissions (Scope 1, 2, and 3) and starting a decarbonization process. 
  • We collaborate with various actors, from local players to the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), including Main Partners focused on sustainable development. These Partnerships are fundamental in achieving significant results in sustainable development. 
  • Our Partnerships are based not merely on financial arrangements but also on shared visions and values with the involved actors. 

Impact Partner