LOS ANGELES, Calif.—The U.S. Green Building Council California (USGBC-CA) has announced the launch of its new sustainability training and certification program for entertainment industry professionals. The Sustainable Production for Entertainment Certification (SPEC) is a first-of-its-kind program that uplifts the sustainability skill-sets of individuals through cross-functional training and establishes an industry standard to certify individuals in entertainment sustainability processes. The USGBC-CA will open the training to all entertainment professionals across these segments starting the end of September (see dates).
The SPEC applies to all major segments of the entertainment industry, emphasizing key areas for learners, including: waste reduction/circularity, value/supply chain, risk management, climate communications, carbon calculation, and energy management. The certification will begin with a foundational track this year and follow with topical and position specific certifications for advanced learning and deeper impact.
Amazon MGM Studios, a sponsor of the program, will be the first studio to implement the SPEC training as part of its global sustainability training initiative that aims to give hands-on training to 30 individuals to become on-set sustainability managers and coordinators.
“It’s clear the entertainment industry is keen on accelerating action to address climate change, and we are excited to have Amazon MGM Studios take the initiative and lead the way,” says USGBC-CA Executive Director Ben Stapleton. “We want entertainment workers along all points of the value chain, across multiple environments, to be empowered with training, well-equipped with the information and practical knowledge to take broad action.” Widely regarded for high impact professional development training, USGBC-CA, has launched the certification in partnership with industry and technical experts Green Spark Group and Ereth Environmental.
Green Spark Group President Zena Harris and Ereth Environmental owner Adam Ereth, PhD, who teamed up with USGBC-CA, say, “We collaborated on a certification where everyone can speak the same language and apply a sustainability lens to their work. The SPEC training connects the dots across the entertainment value chain and promotes dialogue, planning and action to reduce environmental impacts. We’re not just teaching people prescriptively what to think, but how to think and solve problems that often arise in this line of work.”
To understand all the issues and help refine the curriculum, USGBC-CA collaborated with a range of stakeholders through a multi-disciplinary Advisory Group consisting of entertainment industry studios, executives, trade unions, venues, vendors/businesses, producers, non-profits and academia.
For more information or to support the Sustainable Production for Entertainment Certification as a sponsor, advisor or collaborator, please visit USGBC-CA or contact Ben Stapleton at ben@usgbc-ca.org.
