Sustainability Statement

What we’re doing to reduce our carbon impact and help protect our environment.

We are incredibly privileged to be surrounded by natural beauty here in Cumbria, but like any business, our work comes at a cost to the environment.

As a charity dedicated to improving the lives of people in Cumbria it is our duty to help safeguard the future. We‘re committed to reducing our carbon impact and have aligned with Zero Carbon Cumbria’s aspirational target to become net zero by 2037.

We don’t underestimate the scale of this challenge, however, we’re working with Theatre Green Book toolkits to improve our practise and inform our progression.

It’s easy to do the quick wins, like having recycled paper in our office printers, but there are many much bigger challenges. We’re documenting our progress and will be open and transparent as we face these challenges head-on.

Our Commitments

  • We will embed an environmentally friendly and sustainable culture amongst our staff and visitors
  • We will engage with the learning and advice given through the Theatre Green Book and Toolkit to inform our progression toward Net Zero.
  • We will use the best practise and tools available to us to minimise our carbon impact
  • We will monitor and report on our progress
  • We will continue to learn and share knowledge and progress with our staff and audiences

Our Progression

  • Our staff receive Carbon Literacy training
  • We have an environmentally focused working group of staff and trustees
  • We have an Environmental procurement policy
  • We have committed to green energy contracts for our gas and electricity usage
  • We investigate and implement ways to reduce waste and increase recycling
  • We encourage creative and freelance visitors to use public transport
  • We encourage our audiences to use digital tickets and come to the theatre using public transport or car sharing
  • We’re looking at energy usage around our building and investigating ways to improve its efficiency
  • The majority of our print materials are made using water-based ink and recyclable materials and we have a commitment to replanting with The Woodland Trust
  • We hire eco-friendly couriers to make deliveries using electric vehicles

How you can help us 

  • Where possible, use more environmentally friendly means of transport when you visit us – such as public transport, electric vehicles or car sharing
  • Choose digital tickets and show them to our team on your phone
  • Take advantage of our recycling bins for your paper or plastic waste – such as water bottles

Achieving net zero will take the concerted effort of all staff, visitors and audiences –  current and future. It will utilise technologies and process that haven’t been developed yet and it will require financial investment and difficult decisions. But if we are to achieve Net Zero, we must be bold.