Environmental Sustainability

YTAS is a climate aware and climate active organisation. We are a member of the Green Arts Initiative, an interactive community of arts organisations working to reduce their environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable Scotland. We are committed to monitoring and reducing our own environmental impact, and to inspiring, encouraging and supporting our Scotland’s youth theatre sector to act sustainably as we transition towards a climate resilient and low-carbon economy.

Our Environmental Policy and Environmental Action Plan set out our commitment to minimising our environmental impact, reducing our carbon footprint, and continually improving our environmental performance. The Policy lays out our company objectives to:

• Comply with and exceed all relevant regulatory requirements.
• Continually improve and monitor environmental performance.
• Continually improve and reduce environmental impacts.
• Integrate environmental considerations into business decisions.
• Raise employee awareness of environmental sustainability.

Although our carbon footprint is already low, we continue to be ambitious when it comes to reducing our impact and constantly seek new ways to do more. Travel has been identified as the main source of carbon emissions for YTAS in recent years, so we are dedicated to reducing these emissions. Our focus will be on areas we have control over and those we can influence. This includes YTAS core staff, board members/volunteers, freelance event staff, YTAS members, and event attendees. In addition to reducing travel-related emissions, we are also devising plans to track waste at our event venues and to monitor and reduce our digital carbon footprint.

Our Environmental Sustainability Action Plan

Our Environmental Sustainability Action Plan was established in 2024 and is aligned and embedded with our company’s Strategic Framework, which guides all our sector support, development, and intermediary activities. It includes actions we will take to achieve net zero emissions by 2045, as well as mitigation and adaptation actions we will take to enhance our climate resilience. The YTAS staff team meets regularly to assess and update progress on our Action Plan.

As an intermediary organisation with over 100 members across the country, YTAS is uniquely placed to inform, educate and support Scotland’s youth theatre sector in reducing it its carbon emissions and increasing its commitment towards environmental sustainability. We will use our ‘Resources’ web portal as well as online and in-person events to discuss and promote this approach.

Our sector research and consultations reveal that youth theatre groups and leaders in Scotland lack the necessary time, resources, knowledge and skills to address environmental sustainability priorities. Our Environmental Sustainability Action Plan addresses these challenges and aims to resolve them.

Our Environmental Sustainability Goals

• Embed a commitment to deliver climate action and climate justice across our organisation.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of climate related issues and developments relevant to the cultural sector.
• Achieve net zero emissions by 2045.
• Enhance our climate resilience.
• Inform and educate Scotland’s youth theatre sector about the climate emergency, sustainable practices and climate adaptation.
• Inspire and support Scotland’s youth theatre sector to improve environmental sustainability practices and climate resilience.

Our Environmental Sustainability Outcomes

• Scotland’s youth theatre leaders have improved access to sector environmental sustainability training, events, and resources.
• Scotland’s youth theatre leaders have increased knowledge and motivation, and improved skills and connections which enable them to better address environmental sustainability priorities.
• Scotland’s youth theatres have reduced their impact upon the environment.
• Scotland’s citizens have increased knowledge and awareness of the benefits of youth theatre advancing environmental sustainability priorities.