Coronation Street goes green

Coronation Street was honoured tonight (Thursday 2nd July) at the Observer Ethical Awards as the first recipient of the inaugural Film and Television Industry category.

Identified as a strong candidate by the BAFTA albert consortium, and with major competition in the category from BBC’s Springwatch and Film London’s ‘Terminally Happy,’ the ITV Studios programme and nation’s most watched soap won for its commitment to producing ‘a television drama of the highest quality with the lowest possible environmental impact.’

Picking up the gong at the V&A Museum in London, Executive Producer Kieran Roberts said:

“This is a very special and important award, one which we are all very proud to receive. Coronation Street has strived to improve the sustainability of every element of the production from how we power our site, to how we encourage electronic working for scripts and paperwork, to how we minimise waste and recycle wherever possible, to how we produce food, source costumes, and create sets.

“Without preaching, we also haven’t been afraid of engaging with our audience through storylines about sustainability, from Beth and Kirk’s recycled wedding to Roy’s search for a local food supplier that led him to the allotment.

“Coronation street aims to be the first carbon literate television programme in the world and we are training all our cast and crew in carbon literacy to understand what it’s all about and how they can take control at work and at home. Our sustainability work is an ongoing journey and now an integral part of the day to day workings of the programme.”

Lucy Siegle, founder of The Observer Ethical Awards, said:

“Our judges were bowled over by Coronation Street’s commitment and energy to greening TV and film production. From salvaging cobbles for the new set to LED studio lighting and renewable energy, to pioneering a carbon literacy programme for staff Corrie, is taking responsibility across every department and doesn’t shy away from covering these issues on screen either. Many organisations are still saying, ‘why should we change’ – at ITV’s Corrie they’re saying, ‘why shouldn’t we lead this debate!’  That’s the spirit we love at the awards.”

The win comes just after the programme received three stars and the highest score to date across the television industry in BAFTA albert’s ‘hallmark’ scale of sustainable production.

Coronation Street are proud of their achievements and continue to put improvements in place to take them closer towards their aim of being the first carbon literate production in the world – a green logo, to promote their sustainable credentials across the production and within ITV, will be on screen from July 6th.