The Realities of Going Green: TPF's Peggy Geibig on Why Sustainable Advertising is Tricky

Peggy Geibig> Let me break this down into two parts. First – let me address the regulations that encourage a more sustainable mindset in companies, like CSRD reporting. Ideally, these regulations would push companies to examine their entire production process – from in-house manufacturing to transport and marketing – and reduce CO₂e emissions at every stage. However, due to their size, most production houses in Germany aren’t required to report under CSRD, so data collection is voluntary for them. Even though some of our clients are required to report their emissions and could report the CO₂e emissions from productions under Scope 3, none have asked us for CO₂e reports yet. We hope that with these new regulations, green production and sustainable filmmaking will become a standard client demand rather than an optional service. Currently, though, this is not the case.

Don’t get me wrong, we do receive briefs that include green production specifications, but with them, the responsibility for sustainability is often pushed onto the production team. They also vary tremendously in scale. Some clients and agencies believe that by taking simple measures like vegan catering, they have fulfilled their duty. From others, we’re handed a long list of demands that are nearly impossible to meet within the given budget and timeline. True green production starts with the agency and the client, in the initial briefing, budgeting, and scripting phases – which are all vital to determine a project’s sustainability. So, yes, we are ready to report CO₂e emissions, collect data, and advise on reducing emissions. But we can't carry the full responsibility for green production alone, nor can we do it for free.

The second part of your question touches on legislation against greenwashing. Unlike CSRD, which focuses on data collection, the EU's greenwashing directive – set to be incorporated into national laws by 2026 – targets the mindset behind a campaign. It aims to prevent companies from misleading consumers about the environmental impact of their products. A recent study by Utopia highlights a growing mistrust among consumers regarding sustainability claims and climate protection. As companies increasingly embrace sustainability in their communications, they also face scrutiny over whether their actions match their pledges, 85% of Utopia users believe they are not doing enough. It has never been more important to call out companies that use sustainability purely as a marketing tool without genuine commitment. At TPF, we’re ready to support green production efforts by providing data, documenting CO₂e emissions, and ensuring scripts and the way they are produced reflect sustainable practices on screen. We can and do support a brand's green claims by reflecting their commitment to sustainability in the way we produce films for them. However, we cannot make a brand or company more sustainable. It's the client's responsibility to ensure they uphold the promises made in their campaigns.

Peggy Geibig> Legislation could be a significant driver, and we hope it will be. However, since we don’t have direct influence over legal changes, our strategy is focused on education and conversation. We aim to raise awareness and find partners who take sustainable production as seriously as we do. We publish our TPF Green Tip every two weeks with insights and practical advice on making projects more sustainable. We also engage in one-on-one conversations with creatives, directors, clients, and fellow producers. Additionally, we actively participate in the Green Production Task Force of the German Production Alliance and offer workshops, lectures, and training sessions to share our knowledge on green production with agencies and industry organisations.

Peggy Geibig> The beauty of the Green Production Community is that we support each other in achieving a goal that’s too big to tackle alone. Numerous resources are available, such as those from Green the Bid, AdGreen, and the German Production Alliance, which even published a Green Production Briefing template for agencies and clients (Green Bid Specs available here). In Germany, we benefit from a strong sustainability movement within the feature film market, where compliance with ecological standards is now mandatory for all publicly funded productions. This shift has driven innovation in services and equipment, benefiting the advertising production community.

However, many of these resources are based on ideal scenarios – where there’s a dedicated budget for green consultants, low-emission generators, sustainable fashion, and local shoots. They don’t always address the realities of tight budgets and timelines. That’s why we started a blog on Green Production on our LinkedIn channel. Our TPF Green Tip has sparked great conversations with like-minded professionals across the industry. For instance, our post on ‘50 tips to make your next project more sustainable – without additional costs’ received a lot of positive feedback. People want to work sustainably, but the current industry structure makes it challenging. By sharing practical, cost-effective solutions, we hope to make green production more accessible for everyone.

Peggy Geibig> Here are five tips you can apply to your next project:

None of these tips involve expensive solutions like solar-powered trailers or low-emission vehicles, which are still more costly to rent than standard equipment. However, the biggest emissions savings come from reducing travel – remote meetings and PPMs cut travel costs and emissions, and having fewer people on set reduces logistics and the CO₂e footprint significantly.

Sometimes, a virtual studio can be a good alternative solution, especially if it prevents an entire crew from travelling to multiple countries. In Germany, if you have more than one day of shooting at the same location and enough time, you can apply for high-voltage power outlets at the location, eliminating the need for a generator. It takes about 10-15 days for the permit, and it’s cheaper than a generator if used for at least two consecutive days.

Another tip is to design your lighting concept to use battery-powered light units that can be charged on grid power, which helps avoid using a generator or allows for a smaller generator – again saving both emissions and budget.

Peggy Geibig> I can’t speak for every European country, as I haven’t worked in all of them, but I don’t believe it’s about which country is leading – rather, it’s about individual productions that are paving the way. Some productions are doing exceptional work in making Green Production integral to their operations. For instance, ‘Das Rund’ in Vienna is an outstanding example. They have their own vegan catering company, a plastic-free office, and a strong commitment to Green Production. It’s completely embedded in their company’s DNA. 

Peggy Geibig> Transport and travel are the biggest contributors to CO₂e emissions, so these are the areas where we can reduce emissions quickly – meaning more local shoots, fewer people travelling to shoots, and a resurgence of remote shoots. As a result, we might see an increase in production budgets to allow for local shoots and more relaxed timelines. Better scheduling will also be necessary to avoid shooting summer in winter or winter in summer, for example.

I also hope we’ll see more scripts that acknowledge the responsibility we have to create a new normal for viewers. Just as we’re seeing positive changes in diversity representation, we need to make sustainability a visual norm. Are the cars in a scene low-emission vehicles? Does the protagonist take public transport or bike to work? Do we remove wind turbines from wide shots, or do we keep them in? These choices matter.

Finally, the term ‘genuine sustainability’ can be tricky in advertising. After all, we are an industry that promotes consumption – a key driver of many environmental issues. Nonetheless, we have to strive for authenticity and real impact wherever possible.