Eco-consulting for Finnish film and TV production companies supports industry sustainability goals
Etteplan carried out a comprehensive eco-consulting project for Audiovisual Producers Finland (APFI) association. The project included a training series titled “Sustainable Development in Production Companies,” which reached 15 Finnish film and TV production companies from March 20 to May 8, 2025. The trainings were part of a broader initiative that offered an open event for all audiovisual industry stakeholders, presenting key findings on the state of sustainability in production companies.
The project in a nutshell
Challenge
APFI (Audiovisual Producers Finland) has been promoting ecological practices in the film and TV sector since 2021, initially focusing on industry-wide collaboration and practices within productions. Now that tools and knowledge for ecological production have become more common, they wanted to expand the focus to the entire production company level.
Solutions and Services
Etteplan carried out a comprehensive eco-consulting project featuring a training series called "Sustainable Development in Production Companies“. This initiative engaged 15 Finnish film and TV production companies. The training focused on company-level responsibility, specifically targeting ecological sustainability themes.
Added value
The trainings provided production companies with concrete tools and perspectives for their sustainability efforts. Participants received hands-on information about documenting, measuring, and developing sustainability as part of their business operations.
The training focused on company-level responsibility, specifically targeting ecological sustainability themes.
"APFI has been promoting ecological practices in the film and TV sector since 2021, initially focusing on industry-wide collaboration and practices within productions. Now that tools and knowledge for ecological production have become more common, it was a good time to expand the focus to the entire production company level—after all, that's where decisions are ultimately made," says APFI's sustainability manager, Anne Puolanne.
Industry-specific features in sustainability work
The training sessions uncovered notable strengths in the film and TV industry's sustainability efforts. Etteplan's project manager, Kari Nieminen, noted three key points during the sessions:
- The industry has a strong, overarching commitment to sustainability, and many companies have already taken substantial concrete actions.
- Circular economy practices work well in the sector: sets, costumes, and props are mainly rented, borrowed, or acquired second-hand.
- APFI offers exceptionally comprehensive sustainability consulting across film and TV compared to other industries.
"The circular economy perspective in the audiovisual sector is exemplary for many other fields. Material reuse and the sharing economy are commonplace in productions, even though this remains a significant challenge for many other sectors. The support that APFI provides to production companies is also exceptional and further promotes the industry's sustainability efforts," Nieminen adds.
Etteplan’s trainings offered valuable tools for practical sustainability work
The trainings provided production companies with concrete tools and perspectives for their sustainability efforts. Participants received hands-on information about documenting, measuring, and developing sustainability as part of their business operations. Feedback indicated that the trainings effectively addressed participants' needs, offering practical insights on how to align sustainability with business goals.
"I have long emphasized that while many aspects of sustainability are well-handled in our industry, they need to be reported better and thus made more visible. One of the most significant benefits of this project was that production companies learned to identify both their areas for development and what they are already doing well. The role of an external consultant was crucial in this realization."
Anne Puolanne
Sustainability Manager at APFI
The eco-consulting project was implemented as part of the funding from the European Union's NextGenerationEU program granted to APFI by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. This initiative strengthened the audiovisual sector's capabilities in sustainability efforts and provided production companies with practical tools for operational development.
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