Certification · film and TV production
BAFTA Albert certification: what a production does, and who requires it
BAFTA Albert certification is the screen industry scheme in which a production measures its carbon footprint, carries out a carbon action plan and is awarded one, two or three stars.
No statute requires it; commissioners do, through their contracts, and the BBC makes it mandatory for its TV commissions.
BAFTA Albert says its Current Toolkit closes on 16 December 2026 as a Next Generation Toolkit replaces it.
The scheme
A BAFTA scheme, born from a BBC calculator
BAFTA Albert describes its certification as “the UK screen industry’s recognised standard for environmental sustainability in film and TV production”.
It was “born out of the BBC’s carbon calculator created in 2009”, and became a BAFTA-led industry standard in 2011; BAFTA owns and runs it through its albert sustainability arm.
The scheme styles itself “albert” in lower case in some of its own and broadcasters’ material, and “BAFTA Albert” is the formal name; they are the same scheme.
The BBC gave the calculator to BAFTA so it could be used industry-wide, so it is not a BBC-only tool.
BAFTA Albert says certification is increasingly required by major broadcasters, streamers and funders, and that the data gathered builds a sector-wide picture of environmental impact.
It sits in the screen sector’s part of the UK sustainability reporting by sector directory.
- 2009BBC carbon calculator
The tool the scheme grew from.
- 2011BAFTA-led standard
The calculator becomes an industry scheme.
- 6 Jan 2025BBC on-screen form
For commissions from this date.
- 1 Sep 2025BBC company policy
For commissions from this date.
- Autumn 2026Mark evolves
With the Next Generation Toolkit.
- 16 Dec 2026Current Toolkit closes
Choose the toolkit to start in.
How productions qualify
Footprint, action plan, evidence, then a review
| Step | What BAFTA Albert asks |
|---|---|
| 1. Carbon footprint | Use the BAFTA Albert carbon calculator to measure the emissions created during pre-production, filming and post-production |
| 2. Carbon action plan | Develop and implement a plan to reduce emissions across energy, travel, materials, waste and more |
| 3. Evidence | Submit evidence supporting the actions in the plan: sustainable management, policies and actions taken during production |
| 4. Review | BAFTA Albert’s Sustainable Production team reviews each submission and awards 1, 2 or 3 stars with the certified production mark for the end credits |
The rating is awarded on review of the evidence, and the certified production mark is what an audience sees at the end of the credits.
The BBC’s guidance describes the two core components it expects completed before certification: the Albert carbon footprint, and the carbon action plan with evidence of the actions taken.
The footprint covers anything the production pays for — travel, accommodation, energy in studios or on location, staffing and time in post-production — and the BBC prefers activity data, such as litres of fuel or kilowatt-hours, over spend data.
It recommends a draft footprint in pre-production, based on the draft budget, refined as the production goes.
Once the company’s nominated Albert reviewer approves the completed footprint, it is automatically directed to an external auditor for a standard assurance review.
The scopes guide explains how a footprint is divided, and carbon reporting covers company-level reporting above a single production.
Who requires it
Each commissioner sets its own requirement
Albert becomes compulsory through the commission, not the law, so the obligation is whatever the commissioner’s published requirement and contract say.
The BBC says it is “a mandatory requirement for all new commissions and recommissions of TV broadcast content”, including Nations, Children’s, Education, BBC Film and non-News related Sport, to attain Albert certification.
The same requirement asks productions to minimise emissions from energy and travel, including not using diesel or petrol generators on UK shoots unless other power is not viable and the commissioner agrees.
It adds a company-level sustainability policy for new commissions and recommissions from 1 September 2025, and an on-screen sustainability form for each episode from 6 January 2025.
The BBC expects the carbon action plan to be submitted before filming starts, and says failing to start in pre-production risks certification and so the BBC’s mandatory requirement.
After approval, the production company forwards the “Final carbon footprint has been approved” email to its BBC delivery contact within six weeks of final episode delivery.
The BBC lists limited exemptions, says Albert will not penalise producers for barriers outside their control where they have done what is reasonably within it, and expects returning series to deliver lower emissions than previous series.
Channel 4 requires all productions to use Albert tools to measure and report their footprint, with all eligible productions aiming for certification, and says the calculator and action plan must begin in pre-production to qualify.
What your commissioner asks for
Pick the commissioner to see its published requirements.
Each commissioner’s own published requirement; read the current page before relying on it.
Nothing you choose is saved.
Cost
Free to join; the costs sit in the budget
Signing up to BAFTA Albert is free; the material costs to a production are the staff time for the footprint and action plan, a sustainability line in the budget, and any optional offsetting.
The BBC encourages a budget line for sustainability of, as a minimum, “the production’s estimated carbon footprint x £10.50 p/tonne of CO2e”.
That figure is the BBC’s budgeting guidance: it is not a levy, not a carbon-credit price, and not a price set by BAFTA Albert.
Offsetting is not one of the certification requirements, and Albert’s director told the Royal Television Society in 2022 that using Albert’s own offset scheme is not mandatory for certification.
The BBC recommends setting up a company Albert account when a production is in development or being commissioned, and nominating one member of staff as the main liaison for Albert.
2026
The Current Toolkit closes; a Next Generation Toolkit replaces it
BAFTA Albert says its guidance “supports use of the Current Toolkit, which will close on December 16”, and points productions to information on the Next Generation Toolkit and which toolkit to start in.
It also says the certification mark “will evolve in Autumn 2026, following the introduction of our Next Generation Toolkit”.
The BBC’s delivery guidance, read on 3 September 2026, said a new version of the Albert toolkit with a newly designed carbon calculator and updated certification programme would launch on 16 September 2026.
Productions running across the changeover should confirm with BAFTA Albert which toolkit their certification sits in, and name it in any internal guidance, because step-by-step instructions written for one calculator may not match the other.
Is it a legal requirement?
Does it satisfy any UK legal duty? No — it is voluntary in law
BAFTA Albert certification is required by contract where a commissioner requires it; in law it is voluntary, and it discharges no UK legal duty.
A production company that meets the size tests still owes SECR in its own report, at company or group level, whatever its productions’ certification.
Large undertakings owe ESOS, which has its own two compliance routes, neither of which is a production certification.
How the certification mark is described in marketing is subject to the UK’s misleading-practices rules, with the CMA’s Green Claims Code as guidance.
The panel beside this text works through each UK duty in turn.
Does BAFTA Albert certification satisfy a UK legal duty?
No. Albert is required by contract where a commissioner requires it; in law it is voluntary and discharges none of the duties below.
Choose a duty to see why, and the provision behind the answer.
SECR is a disclosure a qualifying company makes in its own directors’ report. BAFTA Albert certification is not that disclosure and does not change whether a company is in scope; the guidance adds that there is no statutory requirement to have the environmental information audited.
SI 2018/1155, amending Schedule 7 to SI 2008/410 · SI 2018/1155; Environmental Reporting Guidelines (March 2019) Ch.1 Action iv
Answers rest on the provisions named in each row.
Nothing you choose is saved.
Frequently asked
BAFTA Albert, answered
What is BAFTA Albert certification?
BAFTA Albert certification is, in its own words, the UK screen industry’s recognised standard for environmental sustainability in film and TV production.
A production completes a carbon footprint with the Albert calculator, develops and implements a carbon action plan, submits evidence, and BAFTA Albert’s Sustainable Production team reviews it and awards a 1, 2 or 3-star rating with the certified production mark for the end credits.
Is BAFTA Albert a legal requirement?
No. It is an industry certification, not a statute.
It becomes a requirement through commissioning contracts: the BBC makes it mandatory for new commissions and recommissions of TV broadcast content, and Channel 4 requires all productions to use Albert tools with eligible productions aiming for certification.
Is Albert a BBC scheme?
Not any more.
It grew out of a carbon calculator the BBC created in 2009 and became a BAFTA-led industry standard in 2011. It is owned and run by BAFTA.
What does the BBC require?
For all new commissions and recommissions of TV broadcast content, including Nations, Children’s, Education, BBC Film and non-News Sport: focus on reducing emissions from energy and travel, including not using diesel or petrol generators on UK shoots; attain Albert certification; provide a company-level sustainability policy for commissions from 1 September 2025; and submit an on-screen sustainability form for each episode for commissions from 6 January 2025.
What does Channel 4 require?
Channel 4 requires all productions to use Albert tools to measure and report their carbon footprint, with all eligible productions aiming for certification, and the carbon calculator and carbon action plan must begin during pre-production to qualify.
How much does Albert certification cost?
Signing up to the scheme is free.
The costs sit in the production: staff time for the footprint and action plan, a sustainability line in the budget, and optional offsetting.
The BBC suggests budgeting at least the estimated footprint multiplied by £10.50 per tonne of CO2e, which is budgeting guidance, not an offset price or a levy.
Do you have to offset to get Albert certification?
No. Albert’s director told the Royal Television Society in 2022 that it is not mandatory to use Albert’s own offset scheme to achieve certification, and offsetting itself is not one of the certification requirements.
What is changing in the Albert toolkit in 2026?
BAFTA Albert says its Current Toolkit closes on 16 December and that a Next Generation Toolkit is replacing it, and that the certification mark will evolve in autumn 2026.
A production should check which toolkit its certification starts in.
Is the Albert carbon footprint checked?
Yes.
The BBC’s guidance says the completed footprint, once approved by the production company’s nominated Albert reviewer, is automatically directed to an external auditor for a standard assurance review before it is approved.
Does Albert certification satisfy SECR?
No. SECR is a statutory disclosure in a qualifying company’s own report, with its own size tests.
A production company that meets them owes SECR whatever its productions’ certification.
Sources
Primary sources
Every figure, date and status on this page traces to the instrument’s owner.
Secondary commentary is never the source for a number.
- BAFTA AlbertWhat is Certification? (read 1 October 2026)
The scheme’s origin, the four steps, the star rating, the end-credit mark and the toolkit change.
- BBCSustainability requirements — sustainable productions (read 1 October 2026)
The BBC’s mandatory commissioning requirements, the footprint review and the budgeting figure.
- Channel 44Producers — Albert Certification
Channel 4’s requirement for all productions and the pre-production start.
- Royal Television SocietyHow green is our telly? (2022)
Albert’s director, reported in 2022, on offsetting being optional for certification.
- legislation.gov.ukThe Companies (Directors’ Report) and LLP (Energy and Carbon Report) Regulations 2018
SECR: a statutory duty a production company may owe at company or group level.
- GOV.UK (DESNZ)Environmental Reporting Guidelines, including SECR
How company-level energy and carbon reporting works.
- legislation.gov.ukThe Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme Regulations 2014
ESOS: a statutory duty on large undertakings, separate from Albert.
- GHG ProtocolCorporate Accounting and Reporting Standard
The scope terms used to describe a footprint.
- GOV.UK (DESNZ)Government conversion factors for company reporting
The UK emission factors used in company carbon reporting.
- GOV.UK (CMA)Green Claims Code
How environmental claims, including certification marks, should be described.