The Nordic sustainability standard NES – Nordic Ecological Standard – has just received the award for Sustainability Initiative at this year’s Global Production Awards in Cannes.
The award is presented by the British trade magazine Screen International and recognises initiatives that deliver measurable results in sustainable film and television production.
NES was developed by the Nordic film institutes in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland in collaboration with the Nordic Film & TV Fund, as well as a wide range of funding bodies and broadcasters. The standard was implemented across the Nordic region in 2026 and will help reduce the climate footprint of audiovisual productions.
In its statement, the jury highlighted NES as a strong and innovative initiative, noting the significant Nordic collaboration on sustainability across national borders.
Tine Fischer, CEO of the Danish Film Institute, says:
“This is a tremendous recognition of the Nordic collaboration. We are proud that we have succeeded in developing a shared standard that makes sustainability an integrated part of the way we create film and television in the Nordic region. Shared solutions and practical tools across borders are essential if we are to succeed in the green transition.”
NES covers six focus areas:
- General requirements
- Transport of people and materials
- Energy consumption
- Accommodation and catering
- Use of materials
- Biodiversity
The standard builds on existing experience from countries including Germany and Austria and is already supported by 34 Nordic funding bodies, broadcasters and industry organisations, including DR, TV 2 and the Danish Producers’ Association.
At the same time, NES supports the Nordic Council of Ministers’ ambition to make the Nordic region the world’s most sustainable region by 2030.
