albert Toolkit FAQs

You need to start a draft footprint in pre-production. A draft is important as it helps you see which areas of the production are likely to have the highest carbon impact. You can use your budget (where possible) or data from a previous series.

We don’t expect the data you submit here to be completely accurate but by completing a draft footprint you’ll see which areas of the production are likely to have the largest impact (e.g. if you have a high travel footprint, can you switch from flights to train journeys?)

By completing a draft footprint, you’ll become aware of the information you need to collect for the final footprint and which members of the crew and other departments you’ll need to engage with. Remember, you will need to input data for the whole production period including pre and post-production. When you’ve finished the draft footprint you can download it and share it with the rest of the team. If you want to compare the draft footprint with the final, you will have to download it before you start finalising the footprint.

During production, or as you wrap, you will need to amend the draft footprint entries with the final data. If there is something that was not included in the draft footprint you can amend, add or delete.

Once you’re happy that the entries are correct you should finalise each one and then submit. Make sure to contact the production’s reviewer if you want them to check it before submitting.

Once you have submitted the footprint, albert will audit it to make sure everything looks correct and get back to you within 10 working days.

Not Started: The footprint has been created but no data has been entered.

In Progress: Data has been entered into the footprint but not all entries have been finalised.

Ready to Submit: All forms have been finalised and the footprint can be submitted

Submitted for Audit: Finalised forms have been submitted to albert

Amendments Required: albert has asked for clarification on a submitted footprint. The user needs to log in and amend it based on the comments left by the auditor

Complete: No further action on the footprint is needed. You may need to forward confirmation of the completed footprint to the production’s broadcaster or funder if they require it.

Overdue: The production’s footprint hasn’t been submitted after the end of post-production date

If you’re co-producing, you will have the option to invite the other company to also edit the production’s footprint. Their admin will receive a request to assign users to the production. From this stage on, both companies will have access to the footprint.

The carbon action plan is designed for those productions who not only want to measure their carbon footprint but actively take steps towards reducing it.

Although this is an optional step for most productions, some broadcasters require you to complete an action plan, so make sure to check if you’re unsure. It’s free to use and productions who successfully complete it are awarded a digital certification logo that can be added to the production’s endboard.

If the production is using the albert calculator and already looking at how to reduce its footprint then you should definitely consider completing a carbon action plan so that all the hard work is recognised. We award productions 1,2 or 3 stars depending on both the number and type of actions taken.

The carbon action plan has 3 types of question;

Filter questions: these generate the next question if answered yes. These were introduced in order to make all the certification questions relevant to different type of productions and genres. These questions don’t count towards any scoring.

Mandatory questions: these have to be answered as yes in order to get the albert certification.

Non-mandatory questions: these are not mandatory but count towards getting better certification results.

The carbon action plan must be started during pre-production.

The first step is to fill out a questionnaire based on the actions that the production will be taking. The form can act as a check list of actions that the production can take, so go through the list carefully and think about what positive actions the production can achieve.

The carbon action plan should be a team effort so make sure you engage with all heads of department and other members of the production to explore what’s possible to achieve in each area.

When the production has submitted its carbon action plan questions, albert will select a minimum of 10 actions for which the production must provide evidence to prove they have successfully completed these tasks.

Your evidence should consist of official documents such as invoices, contracts, kit lists, etc. If the production needs the logo before some of these documents can be uploaded, you can instead share planning emails and documents and submit these for the initial assessment.

You will still need to upload the final documents at the end of production to complete your carbon action plan.

Make sure to submit your initial evidence at least 10 working days before you need the logo.

After you’ve downloaded the logo you will still need to complete the carbon action plan.

There may be some evidence outstanding (your albert assessor will let you know if there is) or everything might be in place and you can just click submit.

The production needs to comply with a minimum of 55% of actions in the carbon action plan to achieve a 1 star albert certification, 70% to achieve 2 stars and 85% to achieve 3 stars. These include compliance with all mandatory questions.

No Status: No action plan has been added to the production.

Not started: The carbon action plan has been added but the questionnaire hasn’t been started.

In Progress: Some answers have been added to the questionnaire.

Assessing Actions: The questions have been submitted to the albert team for the first assessment and evidence request. The evidence will be requested within 5 working days.

Evidence Required: The albert team has requested evidence and the production can start uploading it to the website.

Assessing Evidence: The evidence has been submitted to albert. The albert team will asses the evidence within 10 working days.

Amendments Required: The albert team has requested amends to the evidence provided. The production can see albert’s feedback on the activity log and carry out the changes required.

Completion Required: The production has been awarded the logo for its endboard but the carbon action plan still needs to be completed.

Complete: The carbon action plan is completed and the production has been awarded the albert certification.

Rejected: The production has not been awarded the albert certification.