Entertainment sector

In 2025, we partnered with a prominent organiser of festivals across Europe, the Paradise City Group, to help them take a decisive step toward climate leadership: defining Science Based Targets (SBTi) under the SME framework. This initiative was designed to transform ambition into measurable action and position the company as a sustainability frontrunner in the entertainment industry. 

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Context and challenges - creating a baseline and defining ambition

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The festival sector faces increasing scrutiny over its environmental footprint, from energy consumption to value chain emissions. For SMEs, the challenge lies in balancing limited resources with the need for credible climate commitments. 

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Our client needed to: 

• Establish a robust emissions baseline across direct and indirect sources. 

• Translate its sustainability vision into science-based targets aligned with the 1,5°C pathway. 

• Ensure targets were practical and achievable within the constraints of a seasonal, event-driven business model. 

Major obstacles in festival decarbonisation include emissions from on-site mobile energy sources and attendee transportation. 

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Our approach - bringing technical expertise into the business practices

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We began by laying a strong foundation through a comprehensive corporate-level emissions assessment. This involved bringing together data from multiple festivals and different countries and verifying its accuracy to establish a dependable baseline. The specificity of the data required tailored calculation models designed to fit the organisation's needs. 

To establish this baseline, we collected detailed data on on-site energy consumption, such as fuel use from generators and electricity consumption for infrastructure, as well as transportation emissions from attendee and artist travel. We also accounted for waste management, tracking the volume and processing of waste generated during each event, and accommodation-related emissions, including on-site camping and local hotel stays. Finally, we included emissions from temporary infrastructure and materials, such as the construction and dismantling of stages and signage. 

With the baseline established, we used the SBTi SME framework to define science-based reduction targets in line with the 1.5°C pathway. Our task was to bridge the gap between technical guidelines and actionable goals, ensuring they aligned with the client’s operational realities, particularly by shifting from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources. 

To ensure the strategy was both credible and achievable, we worked closely with management to co-develop practical decarbonisation levers. This collaborative approach resulted in realistic targets fully aligned with the principles of the SBTi SME methodology, while remaining tailored to the organisation’s operational context. 

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Results and impact - embedding climate ambition into operations​

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The project delivered clear, science-based targets and positioned the client as an early adopter of international climate standards within the festival industry. Beyond compliance, the initiative provided a structured approach to emissions reduction, enabling the organisation to integrate climate objectives into operations. 

Several key insights emerged from this work: 

• A reliable baseline is essential for setting meaningful targets. 

• Translating technical requirements into business realities accelerates adoption. 

• Science-based targets are only a starting point. They must be embedded into operational decisions to drive real impact. 

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