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Conducting environmental audits for ICH enterprises
Understanding environmental audits: purpose, process & benefitsClick to read 
Every cultural activity leaves an environmental trace. An environmental audit helps you see and measure that trace. It is not about bureaucracy, but it is about understanding how your cultural work interacts with the environment.
| For you, an audit means: |
| Seeing where energy, water and materials are really used. |
| Finding ways to save resources and money. |
| Showing funders and communities that you care and can prove it. |
| Turning sustainability from a statement into a measurable action. |
Think of an audit as a mirror for your organisation. It helps you see what you do well and what could be improved.
| An audit includes: |
| Looking at your activities (exhibitions, events, workshops). |
| Observing how resources flow: where energy, water, materials come from and go. |
| Recording and comparing this data over time. |
| Deciding one small improvement per area. |
You do not need an external consultant.
Even a small team can start a “light audit” with simple tools: bills, ticket counts, supplier info and staff input.
How the audit process works (step by step):
| 1. Plan |
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Choose what to analyse (energy use in performances or waste from workshops) |
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“We focus this year on materials used in craft residencies” |
| 2. Collect Data |
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Note real numbers or estimates |
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“We used 45 kg of clay and 120 single-use cups” |
| 3. Analyse |
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Identify what creates more waste or costs |
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“Transport and catering are our main impact areas” |
| 4. Report |
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Share results with your team or community |
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“Next festival: no plastic bottles, 20% fewer transfers” |
What you gain by doing it
| BENEFIT |
FOR YOU |
| Lower costs |
Less waste, lower utility bills |
| New visibility |
Funders and audiences trust measurable sustainability |
| Cultural relevance |
Your practice becomes a model for the community |
| Team awareness |
People inside the organisation see how small choices matter |
Collecting & interpreting environmental data: building a realistic pictureClick to read
You can not manage what you do not measure.
For cultural organisations, data are not just numbers --> they are stories about how your activities interact with the planet. |
A sustainability audit starts by observing and counting.
It is not about being scientific --> it is about being curious and honest. |
!! You do not need to measure everything !!
Start small --> 3/4 key aspects that matter most in your context. Each one is linked to a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and to one of the UNESCO dimensions: Environmental, Social, Economic, or Cultural.
| ASPECT |
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Materials & waste |
| WHY IT MATTERS |
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Exhibitions, festivals and crafts generate waste |
| EXAMPLE OF INDICATOR |
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% of reusable/recycled materials |
| LINKED SDG |
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SDG 12 --> responsible consumption |
| Type of data |
Where to look |
What to look |
| Direct (quantitative) |
Bills, meters, invoices, supplier info |
Electricity consumption from your utility bills |
| Indirect (qualitative) |
Staff feedback, audience surveys, volunteer logs |
Visitors’ transport modes |
| Digital sources |
Ticketing data, online forms, booking systems |
Number of online VS onsite participants |
| Observation/estimates |
Manual counting or short-term monitoring |
Number of single-use items during an event |
TIP: start with existing information -->do not create new spreadsheets unless needed.
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When you have collected data, look for patterns, not perfection. |
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NEXT STEP:
reading & understanding your data |
Ask simple questions:
- Which activity uses the most energy or materials?
- Where do we generate the most waste?
- Are our suppliers local or distant?
- What improved compared to last year?
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Visualise results in tables or infographics --> a “picture” is more motivating than a spreadsheet. The goal is to see clearly |
Establishing a baseline: setting the starting point for improvementClick to read
| WHAT IS A BASELINE? |
It is your environmental starting line: a snapshot of how your organisation currently uses energy, water, materials, space.
Without it, progress can not be measured. Every new action would just be a guess. |
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For cultural operators like you, a baseline answers 3 simple questions:
1. Where are we now? --> actual data or estimates
2. What do we want to improve? --> one or two focus areas
3. How will we know we are improving? --> indicators & targets |
| WHY BASELINES MATTER FOR YOU |
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REASONS:
- Evidence for funding
- Better decision-making
- Storytelling with credibility
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MEANING FOR CULTURAL OPERATORS:
- Donors increasingly ask for measurable sustainability indicators.
- You can prioritise what really matters (lighting, transport, waste).
- Your next sustainability report will have clear “before VS after” results.
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In the next slide, you will find a Baseline Template for cultural organisations adapted from EU EMAS & UNESCO frameworks.
YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL BASELINE
1. General Information
| Organisation / Project |
| Year / Edition |
| - Contact Person / Role - Workshop / Craft Lab - Contact Person / Role - Performance / Theatre |
| Area |
Indicator
(what you measure) |
Baseline Value
(last year or cycle) |
Baseline Value
(last year or cycle) |
Linked SDGs |
| Energy |
kWh used per event / per space |
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SDG 7
SDG 13 |
| Water |
Litres per day per activity |
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SDG 6 |
| Materials & Waste |
% of reusable / materials / kg waste |
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SDG 12
SDG 11 |
| Suppliers / Local economy |
Avg. Km travelled per visitor or staff |
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SDG 8
SDG 12 |
2. Quick Analysis
| What surprised you the most? |
| Which area has the biggest impact or cost? |
| Where do you see easy wins for next year? |
3. Set your SMART Target (for next cycle)
| Indicator chosen |
Baseline |
Target |
Person Responsible |
Target & Deadline |
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4. Reflection
| One small change we can start this month with |
| One resource or partnership that we need |
| How this supports our cultural mission |
Mitigating environmental impact in ICH practices
Identifying key environmental impacts in ICH activitiesClick to read
Energy: common negative impacts
| ISSUE |
DESCRIPTION |
EXAMPLES |
| High electricity use |
Excessive lighting, heating or air conditioning |
Theatre or museum lighting left on all day |
| Inefficient equipment |
Old sound or light systems with high power demand |
Concerts using outdated amplifiers |
| Travel emissions |
Artist and audience transport |
Flights for touring performances |
| Uncontrolled energy source |
Fossil-based energy contracts |
No renewable option in venue |
Water: common negative impacts
| ISSUE |
DESCRIPTION |
EXAMPLES |
| Overconsumption |
Unmonitored use during events or cleaning |
Frequent washing of costumes, catering use |
| Leaks or waste |
Unnoticed leaks in taps or restrooms |
Historic venues with outdated plumbing |
| Pollution risk |
Chemicals entering the drainage system |
Use of solvents or paints in restoration labs |
| Lack of awareness |
Staff not informed about saving water |
No signage in backstage or workshops |
Materials & waste: common negative impacts
| ISSUE |
DESCRIPTION |
EXAMPLES |
| Single-use materials |
Use of disposable items during events |
Plastic cups, banners, decorations |
| Overproduction |
Creating more props or printed material than needed |
Excess stage design, printed programmes |
| Lack of recycling |
No waste separation system |
Mixed waste bins after shows |
| Toxic or non-local materials |
Imported, polluting materials |
Synthetic fabrics, chemical paints |
Suppliers & local economy: common negative impacts
| ISSUE |
DESCRIPTION |
EXAMPLES |
| Non-local supply chains |
Materials and services imported from afar |
Stage props ordered online from overseas |
| Unethical production |
Suppliers with poor labour or environmental practices |
Low-cost costumes from
non-certified factories |
| Lack of partnerships |
No cooperation with local artisans or SMEs |
Ignoring nearby craftspeople or farms |
| Short-term procurement |
Buying without long-term supplier dialogue |
No sustainability clause in contracts |
Impact: higher emissions, weaker local economies, loss of traditional knowledge.
Designing preventive and mitigation measuresClick to read
Energy: reducing use & emissions
| Small theatre lighting redesign |
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A municipal theatre realised from its audit that 45% of its annual energy consumption came from stage lighting and HVAC systems.
The director decided to:
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replace all halogen stage lights with LED fixtures
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install motion sensors in rehearsal rooms |
schedule rehearsals in daylight hours whenever possible
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After 6 months, electricity use fell by 28% and technical staff noticed less heat on stage, meaning lower cooling needs.
They also included a short section in their printed programmes explaining the environmental benefits of these changes, linking the action to SDG 7 (Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
The result: lower costs, cooler working conditions and greater audience appreciation for the theatre’s environmental transparency.
Water: efficiency in museums and heritage sites
| Museum water watch initiative |
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A small ethnographic museum with a traditional garden noticed unusually high water bills. Through a simple check, they found that irrigation was done daily, regardless of rainfall. The staff created a Water Watch plan:
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| installed a rain sensor |
adjusted watering to twice a week |
switched to drip irrigation |
replaced old taps with
low-flow ones |
The museum reduced its annual water use by 35%, and its garden became part of an educational path for school visitors on “how heritage and environment coexist”.
This linked directly to SDG 6 (Clean Water) and SDG 4 Target 7 (Education for Sustainable Development).
Materials & waste: circular design in exhibitions
| Reusable exhibition system |
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In just 2 years, a small arts & crafts centre revolutionised its exhibition practice by replacing disposable setups with a hand-crafted modular structure designed to be used again and again.
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The impact was immediate: 60% less construction waste, €4,000 saved and a visible improvement in how exhibitions were assembled and presented. To help visitors understand this sustainable choice, every exhibition now features a small sign:
“This showcase was built with a modular handmade system designed for reuse in future projects”.
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The initiative became part of their sustainability communication strategy, aligning with SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
Suppliers & local economy: sustainable procurement
| Community Centre’s Local First procurement policy |
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A Community Centre introduced a simple rule: at least 50% of suppliers must be within 100 km and demonstrate environmental responsibility (eco-certified or fair-trade). They applied it to catering, printing, costumes and logistics.
Within a year:
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local purchases rose from 38% to 67%
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CO₂ emissions from transport dropped by 20% |
the community centre developed long-term collaborations with regional artisans
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This created a visible social impact: suppliers were featured in programmes and online stories, reinforcing community identity and linking to SDG 8 (Decent Work), SDG 12 (Responsible Production), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Monitoring improvements and reporting progressClick to read
Mitigation actions only make sense if we can see their effects over time.
For cultural organisations, monitoring does not mean bureaucracy --> it means learning.
| WHY IT MATTERS |
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Confirms whether your eco-actions actually worked.
Helps your team make decisions based on facts, not impressions.
Keeps funders, communities and partners engaged.
Builds the story for your next funding application or report.
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Practical monitoring tools
| TOOLS |
USE |
EXAMPLES |
Simple tracking sheet
(Excel/Google Sheet) |
Record data after each event |
Small museum tracking monthly energy and water use |
| Visual dashboards |
Present progress with colours and charts |
Festival using SDG-coloured icons for results |
| Photo documentation |
Show physical changes or improvements |
Before/after pictures of new waste area or LED lights |
| Feedback surveys |
Collect opinions from visitors and staff |
Ask: did you notice our green improvements? |
| After mitigation, communicate even the smallest achievements. People connect more with honest stories than with perfect reports. You can share progress through: |
| Website updates or Sustainability Corner in your venue |
Visual infographics showing one-year improvements |
| Short posts linking actions to SDGs |
Public talks or open days to discuss lessons learned |
This sub-unit gives you a practical overview of how to observe and communicate improvement.
For those who want to go deeper to design full monitoring systems, indicators and reports see the NICHE 2 module on monitoring & reporting
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Use both modules together:
--> this one helps you act and observe
--> the other module helps you structure and report
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Implementing sustainable resource management in ICH operation
Mapping resource flows in ICH organisationsClick to read
Understanding how resources enter, move through and leave your organisation is the first step toward real sustainability.
You often think of resources only in financial terms, but they also include energy, materials, water, time and knowledge.
| WHY MAPPING HELPS |
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Reveals hidden inefficiencies (energy waste, unused materials)
Shows connections between cultural, economic and environmental systems
Helps prioritise actions that create real impact
Builds a foundation for circular thinking and long-term planning.
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| What are “resource flows” |
How to map resource flows |
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| A resource flow describes how inputs become activities and outputs in your organisation. |
--> choose one activity or project (e.g. a festival, exhibition or theatre season). |
| --> identify all inputs: what do you buy, rent or use? (materials, energy, labour, water). |
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--> trace the process: where and how are these inputs transformed into outputs? |
| Step 4 --> record what leaves: waste, emissions, leftover materials, knowledge or money. |
| --> draw the flow: use boxes to connect each phase (input - activity - output). |
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Adopting circular and low-impact modelsClick to read
| FROM LINEAR TO CIRCULAR THINKING |
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A circular approach shifts the logic to:
--> reduce --> reuse --> recover --> regenerate
This means using fewer resources, extending the life of materials and creating value even after use while keeping the cultural meaning intact.
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| Benefits for ICH operators: |
| Less waste and lower costs |
Stronger reputation with funders and audiences |
| New partnerships with local artisans, designers, or suppliers |
Tangible contribution to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption) and SDG 13 (Climate Action) |
| PRINCIPLE |
MEANING |
HOW CAN YOU APPLY IT |
| Reduce |
Use less from the start |
Plan smaller, smarter productions; avoid no need printing/transport |
| Reuse |
Extend product life |
Rent costumes, reuse stage props, repurpose exhibition panels |
| Repair |
Maintain instead of replace |
Train technicians to fix equipment; maintain instruments and tools |
| Recycle |
Close the material loop |
Set up recycling points; partner with waste cooperatives |
| Rethink |
Redesign processes for sustainability |
Design events with renewable energy and local food |
| How to start building circular models |
| Step 1: rethink design & planning Design events and exhibitions for disassembly, reuse and modularity |
| Step 2: collaborate locally Share resources with nearby cultural or educational institutions |
| Step 3: choose circular suppliers Buy from local cooperatives, upcycling artists or ethical manufacturers |
| Step 4: close the loop Set up systems to recover leftover materials, food or energy after each event |
| Step 5: tell the story Communicate circular choices to audiences and turn sustainability into part of your narrative |
Building adaptive management systemsClick to read
Most cultural organisations start sustainability projects with enthusiasm but struggle to keep them alive.
An adaptive management system is what allows good habits to last. In simple terms: it means creating a flexible structure that
| Keeps monitoring progress |
Learns from mistakes |
Adjusts strategies over time |
| Cultural sustainability does not need bureaucracy, it needs rhythm. Use a continuous cycle your team can maintain: |
| Plan --> set goals and responsibilities |
| Act --> implement green practices |
| Check --> observe what worked and what did not |
| Learn --> share feedback and adjust |
| Ideas to make it part of your culture: |
| Add one sustainability point to every meeting agenda |
| Include environmental criteria when selecting suppliers or venues |
| Train staff and volunteers annually on eco-friendly practices |
| Celebrate milestones and share “green wins” publicly |
| Keep a simple internal “book” of lessons learned |
Example:
A regional cultural foundation created a shared online sheet where every department logs small eco-actions monthly. After one year, they had 47 documented improvements from paper reduction to new partnerships.
Exercises
ExercisesClick to read
Exercise 1
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Create your green snapshot:
- Step 1: pick one project (a festival, workshop or exhibition).
- Step 2: identify three things to measure (e.g. electricity, water, waste).
- Step 3: collect or estimate data for each (last edition or year).
- Step 4: write one observation for each.
- Step 5: link each to one SDG.
This “snapshot” becomes the first block of your future baseline (useful for the next unit).
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Exercise 2
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Step 1: write down three key activities your organisation runs (e.g. a summer festival, a craft workshop, a touring show).
Step 2: for each, ask:
- What resources do we use most?
- Where do we produce waste or emissions?
- What could we measure easily next time?
Step 3: choose one “shadow area” (biggest impact) and one small change to test next season.
Example:
“Our festival’s biggest impact is transport. Next edition we will map where visitors come from and encourage shared travel.”
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Exercise 3
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Select one practice or activity from your organisation (for example, a festival, workshop or exhibition) and fill in the baseline template shown in the previous slides (16-17). Link each action or indicator to the SDGs that best reflect your sustainability efforts and goals.
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Exercise 4
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Play Audio 
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