AndAlso Environmental Sustainability Policy

Our commitment

AndAlso Improv recognises the climate and ecological emergency and the responsibility of organisations in the arts and cultural sector to reduce their environmental impact.

We are a small arts and education organisation delivering improv courses, workshops, shows, retreats and community events in Brighton and Hove, across the UK, online and internationally.

We do not own or permanently operate our teaching and performance venues. This means that we do not control every aspect of their energy use, waste management or environmental performance. However, we can make responsible choices about how we travel, purchase, plan, communicate and work with venues and suppliers.

We are at the beginning of formalising our environmental approach. We do not currently have a complete environmental baseline or carbon footprint. This policy sets out our starting commitments and will be supported by an annual action plan so that we can measure, learn and improve over time.

Scope

This policy applies to the activities of AndAlso Improv Ltd, including:

• Courses, workshops and drop-ins
• Shows, jams and student showcases
• Retreats and intensives
• Workplace and community workshops
• Staff, teachers and performers working on behalf of AndAlso
• Business travel commissioned or paid for by AndAlso
• Marketing, merchandise and purchasing
• Online activity and administration

It does not cover the independent operation of venues used by AndAlso. However, we will seek information from partner venues and encourage responsible practices where we have influence.

Our priorities

Our initial priorities are:

• Travel
• Venues and events
• Purchasing and suppliers
• Printing and merchandise
• Waste and resource use
• Digital working
• Awareness and accountability

Travel

Travel is likely to be one of the most significant areas of AndAlso’s environmental impact.

We use teachers, facilitators and performers who are local to the delivery area wherever this is practical and appropriate. This reduces unnecessary travel while supporting local creative communities.

We encourage staff, teachers and performers to:

• Use public transport where practical
• Walk or cycle for suitable local journeys
• Share lifts where public transport is not practical
• Combine journeys and commitments where possible
• Use online meetings where travelling would add little value

We recognise that national and international travel is an important part of AndAlso’s creative and professional work. Our team travels to teach, perform at festivals, develop partnerships and participate in creative exchange.

We are not committing to eliminate international travel. Instead, we will consider:

• The creative, educational and organisational value of the journey
• Whether the work could be delivered locally or online
• Whether several activities can be combined into one trip
• Whether rail is a practical alternative to flying
• The number of people who need to travel
• The length of the stay in relation to the journey
• Opportunities to share skills or reach a wider audience while there

Where flying is necessary, we will aim to use direct and economy-class flights wherever reasonably practical.

We will begin recording significant business and international travel so that future decisions can be based on better information.

Audience and participant travel

We recognise that travel by students and audiences may also contribute to the environmental impact of our work, although we do not directly control those journeys.

Where possible, we will:

• Use venues accessible by public transport
• Provide clear public transport information
• Avoid encouraging unnecessary car travel
• Share information about walking, cycling and public transport options
• Consider the geographic accessibility of venues when planning activities

Accessibility and environmental responsibility must be considered together. We will not promote a lower-carbon travel option if it creates an unreasonable access barrier for a disabled participant, someone with a health condition or anyone with other relevant access needs.

Venues and events

AndAlso works with partner venues rather than operating a permanent teaching or performance venue of its own.

We will consider environmental responsibility alongside accessibility, affordability, location, safety and suitability when selecting venues.

Where proportionate, we will ask regular or significant partner venues about:

• Public transport and cycle access
• Energy-efficiency measures
• Renewable energy
• Waste and recycling facilities
• Water use
• Single-use plastics
• Reusable cups, glasses and catering equipment
• Environmental policies or action plans

We recognise that we may not always be able to select the venue with the strongest environmental credentials. Suitable, affordable and accessible arts venues are limited, and no single factor can determine every decision.

Where AndAlso does not control a venue’s facilities, we will work within the systems available and raise practical improvements with the venue where appropriate.

Retreats and catering

AndAlso does not directly provide catering as part of its regular programme.

Catering at our retreats is provided by the retreat venue, currently Roffey Park. We will discuss environmental practices with retreat and event venues, including:

• Vegetarian and plant-based options
• Locally or seasonally sourced food where available
• Food-waste reduction
• Reusable crockery and cutlery
• Recycling
• Reducing single-use packaging

We will not make environmental claims about a venue’s catering unless these have been confirmed by the venue.

Purchasing and suppliers

We will avoid unnecessary purchasing and consider the whole life of the products and services we buy.

Where practical and proportionate, we will:

• Buy only what is needed
• Reuse existing materials before buying new ones
• Choose durable, reusable or repairable products
• Choose recycled or responsibly sourced materials
• Consider local and independent suppliers
• Reduce unnecessary packaging
• Consolidate orders and deliveries
• Consider suppliers’ environmental practices
• Avoid disposable items where a reusable alternative is practical

Price, quality, accessibility and the needs of a small organisation will remain relevant. We may not always be able to select the lowest-impact option, but environmental considerations will form part of our decision-making.

Printing and merchandise

AndAlso produces a small amount of printed promotional material and merchandise.

We will:

• Prioritise digital communication where it is effective and accessible
• Avoid unnecessary printing
• Keep print runs proportionate to anticipated need
• Use recycled or responsibly sourced paper where practical
• Avoid laminating disposable materials where possible
• Review the effectiveness of printed marketing
• Produce merchandise in considered quantities to reduce unsold stock
• Consider product materials, production methods, packaging and supplier practices
• Avoid giving away low-value promotional items that are likely to become waste

Digital communication is not impact-free, so our aim is to communicate thoughtfully rather than simply transferring all activity online.

Waste and resources

We will follow the waste hierarchy by seeking to:

1. Avoid unnecessary materials and waste.
2. Reduce what we use.
3. Reuse items wherever possible.
4. Recycle through the facilities available.
5. Dispose of remaining waste responsibly.

At partner venues, we will use the recycling systems provided and ask for clearer arrangements where these are absent or confusing.

Teachers, staff and event teams will be encouraged to use reusable bottles, cups and teaching materials where practical.

Digital working

Online classes, meetings and administration can reduce travel and physical resource use, but digital activity also has an environmental impact.

We will aim to:

• Use online meetings when they provide a practical alternative to travel
• Avoid retaining unnecessary duplicate files
• Periodically review and delete obsolete digital material
• Share links rather than repeatedly emailing large attachments
• Retain equipment for as long as it remains secure and functional
• Repair or refurbish equipment where practical
• Dispose of electronic equipment through an appropriate reuse or recycling route
• Consider environmental impact when selecting future digital services and equipment

Environmental responsibility and inclusion

Environmental responsibility must support rather than undermine equality, accessibility and inclusion.

We recognise that:

• Some disabled people and people with health conditions need to travel by car
• Online participation is not accessible or suitable for everyone
• Reusable products may not meet every person’s health or access requirements
• Sustainable options may sometimes cost more
• Financial barriers can prevent individuals from making lower-impact choices

We will avoid blaming individuals for access-related or necessary choices. Our priority is to improve the systems and decisions within AndAlso’s control and influence.

Creative practice and communication

Improv can help people explore uncertainty, collaboration, change and different possible futures.

Where relevant and artistically appropriate, we will support teachers and performers who wish to engage with environmental ideas through their creative work. We will not require environmental themes to be inserted into work where they do not belong.

We will communicate our environmental commitments honestly and avoid exaggerating our progress or making unsupported environmental claims.

Responsibility and review

The directors of AndAlso Improv Ltd hold overall responsibility for this policy.

Day-to-day actions may be delegated to staff, teachers, producers or event leads as appropriate. Environmental responsibility is a shared consideration across planning and delivery rather than the responsibility of one person alone.

We will:

• Maintain an annual Environmental Sustainability Action Plan
• Identify proportionate measures and areas for improvement
• Review progress at least once a year
• Update this policy as our understanding, capacity and activities develop
• Be transparent about areas where we do not yet have sufficient information
• Invite staff, teachers, participants, venues and partners to suggest improvements

We welcome feedback at hello@andalsoimprov.com.

Policy adopted: [DATE OF DIRECTOR APPROVAL]
Next review: [ONE YEAR AFTER ADOPTION]
Policy owner: Directors of AndAlso Improv Ltd