SUSTAINAINMENT: a resilient future meets entertainment
"Sustainainment" is NCERT's column, a space for analysis to understand how ESG principles can become a driver of innovation, resilience, and value in the world of entertainment.
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Audiovisual productions, festivals, concerts, and major events are complex systems capable of generating significant cultural value while, at the same time, exerting substantial pressure on our ecosystem. In recent years, the entertainment world has begun to question its own sustainability in an increasingly critical way. It is precisely from this new awareness that the concept of Sustainainment emerges, a paradigm that transforms events from simple products into responsible, measurable processes oriented toward a resilient future, by concretely integrating ESG principles, Environmental, Social, and Governance.
Talking about "resilient entertainment" means recognizing that events and productions do not operate in isolated contexts, but within dynamic systems in constant interaction with the natural, social, and economic environment. Climate change, energy crises, and evolving collective sensitivities require a structural evolution of the sector. Resilience thus becomes a design criterion, capable of guiding the creation of events that support economic and social development without compromising artistic quality, environmental sustainability, and organizational responsibility.
Every event inevitably involves energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation, and the use of both material and human resources. These impacts, often considered unavoidable and difficult to control, can be managed if addressed systemically. Through a structured analysis based on the event lifecycle, it is possible to identify the most critical phases precisely and intervene in a targeted manner. From the choice of location to logistics, and up to working conditions, sustainability becomes a matter of method and conscious planning.
Addressing sustainability credibly requires moving beyond purely symbolic actions and generic "good practices", shifting instead toward the concrete measurement of impacts through verifiable indicators. Quantifying emissions, analyzing consumption, and assessing environmental and social performance make it possible to turn statements of intent into objective data. Concepts such as carbon and water footprint, energy efficiency, gender equality, and social inclusion become central elements in event design.
In this context, certifications are a fundamental tool for ensuring transparency, reliability, and comparability of sustainability performance. Structured schemes, based on scientific criteria and measurable parameters, make it possible to evaluate the practices adopted objectively, reducing risks such as greenwashing and pinkwashing and strengthening the trust of audiences, partners, and institutions.
In the audiovisual sector, sustainability has specific features that require dedicated tools. From this need comes the Green Audiovisual model, a tool that integrates environmental, social, and organizational criteria throughout the entire production process. Through a structured performance assessment, the model enables tangible improvements in the sector's impact, enhancing innovation, professionalism, and social awareness.
A central figure in this process is the Sustainability Manager, the professional responsible for planning, coordinating, and monitoring sustainability strategies. According to UNI/PdR 109, this role has cross functional competencies ranging from environmental management to communication and stakeholder engagement. In the entertainment context, the Sustainability Manager becomes an active point of dialogue between creativity, production, and responsibility, translating ESG objectives into operational, measurable, and verifiable actions.
Sustainability is not an isolated intervention, but a collective process that requires both systemic awareness and shared responsibility.
In the audiovisual world, the involvement of crews, suppliers, and all actors in the supply chain is crucial to the effectiveness of the strategies adopted. Training and awareness raising become strategic levers for building a shared culture, in which every operational choice contributes to an overall coherent and responsible outcome.
Sustainainment today represents one of the most interesting evolutions in the events and entertainment landscape. It is not only about adapting to and responding to new regulatory or market requirements, but about seizing opportunities for innovation and leadership.
In a scenario increasingly oriented toward ESG criteria, demonstrating a structured, measurable, and verifiable commitment to sustainability is not merely a competitive advantage, but an essential methodological choice for building entertainment models capable of integrating resilience and responsibility over the long term.