Sustainability strategy

  • It is beneficial to appoint contact persons or teams whose working hours are explicitly (even if not exclusively) dedicated to sustainability. Ideally, they should also work in the programming department so that sustainable work practices are firmly embedded across all areas.

  • It is recommended that managers and decision-makers initiate and participate in the transformation processes. This helps ensure that the processes succeed.

  • The practice of holding consultations on measures for more sustainable work practices on a regular basis has proven successful in many teams, especially when several areas of work and areas of responsibility were involved. These consultations facilitate planning and promote commitment, for example by clarifying the distribution and sequencing of tasks as well as time resources.

  • A sustainability strategy ensures that sustainability is firmly embedded in an organisation. It outlines the organisation’s environmental, social and cultural goals and measures.

  • Documenting development progress makes them easy to track. It also makes successes visible, thereby motivating continued efforts. The documentation also helps sustainability officers to further develop their sustainability strategy.

Further reading

Theater Oberhausen: Greenstage: SAPA Tool – Sustainability Assessment for the Performing Arts (SAPA)

NRW KULTURsekretariat: Greenstage – EU-Projekt für nachhaltigkeitsorientierte Handlungsansätze in den Darstellenden Künsten

Wikipedia: Ökologischer Fußabdruck

Wikipedia: Ökologischer Handabdruck

Landeshauptstadt Dresden: Dresdner Charta für Nachhaltigkeit im Kultursektor

Gemeinwohl-Ökonomie Deutschland e. V.: Neue Werte für die Wirtschaft

Schauspielhaus Bochum: Nachhaltigkeit – Die Klima AG

IHK-Zentrum für Weiterbildung: Nachhaltigkeits- und Klimaschutzmanagement

TÜV SÜD Akademie: Nachhaltiges Eventmanagement nach DIN ISO 20121:2024 – Basisseminar

Sommerauer Sustainable Events: Weiterbildungs-Akademie für nachhaltiges Eventmanagement

Good practice examples

ufaFabrik Berlin has been combining culture, environment and community in a sustainable urban project since 1979. Through solar systems, green roofs, rainwater utilisation and educational programmes, it demonstrates how energy efficiency and environmental awareness can succeed in the cultural sector in a practical way. It received an award as a UN pilot project for sustainable living in 2004.

Internationales Kultur Centrum ufaFabrik e.v. (ufaFabrik International Culture Centre): Eco-Pioneer

Spreepark Berlin is being remodelled in a resource-saving and climate-friendly way – with a focus on biodiversity, the use of existing buildings, renewable energies and sustainable mobility. Public involvement and pilot operation encourage further sustainable ideas. The project was awarded the DGNB platinum pre-certificate.

Grün Berlin: Spreepark

The association has drawn up a common good balance sheet. The areas of human dignity, solidarity, environmental sustainability and co-determination were analysed in an intensive process. The report was not only used for external evaluation, but also for internal organisational development and the sharpening of objectives.

atelier automatique: Common good

HELLERAU – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste (European Centre for the Arts) implements comprehensive climate measures: Sustainability is systematically anchored in cultural operations through green delegates, CO₂ balance sheets, LED conversion and climate-neutral printing.

HELLERAU – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste : Sustainability

Stadtbibliothek Pankow (Pankow Public Library) actively implements climate protection measures: it produces CO₂ balance sheets, switches to LED lighting, procures environmentally friendly materials and offers services such as cargo bike rental, food sharing and environmental education projects in cooperation with local initiatives.

Stadtbibliothek Pankow: Category: Sustainability