Environmental, Social, and Governance

Our Planet

As we bring our world-class content, brands, and franchises to the forefront for all audiences to experience and enjoy, our environmental strategy remains fundamental to our success as a leading global business. As a combined company, we bring together our unique, legacy visions and combine our sustainability efforts while honoring our longstanding commitment to the natural world.

Warner Bros. Discovery is committed to integrating and identifying environmentally sustainable practices to support a more competitive business and a healthier environment for our employees, consumers, and communities. We are committed to evaluating initiatives and strategies to lower our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, invest in clean energy, take action on climate change, and tell stories that will inspire our audiences.

Photo of solar panels on the roof of a Warner Bros. Discovery studio location

Climate Goals

Warner Bros. Discovery recognizes climate change as a real threat to our world. Over the next several months, we will define and refine our strategy on climate change with a goal of identifying ways to reduce GHG emissions and improve our management of climate risks and opportunities. We believe these efforts are important to the ongoing success of our business as a premier global media and entertainment company. We aim to find new ways to reduce our GHG emissions through reduction initiatives, as well as investments in renewable energy projects and the potential purchase of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and carbon offsets, where appropriate.

Sustainable Workplaces

Warner Bros. Discovery models our workplaces for optimal efficiency, health, and sustainability. We encourage employees to innovate and participate in environmentally friendly practices that promote more sustainable workplaces and more efficient business practices. Our current workplace initiatives include:

  • Green Building: Warner Bros. Discovery operates 13 BREEAM certified buildings and nine LEED Certified buildings, including our Global Headquarters in New York City, which is also WELL Platinum-certified. In addition, Warner Bros. Discovery maintains an ongoing membership with the U.S. Green Building Council, which provides Warner Bros. Discovery with new insights into green building practices.
  • Energy Management: We strive to maximize the efficiency of our operations by working to employ innovative technologies and invest in renewable energy projects that benefit our environment and business.
  • Waste Reduction: We are committed to identifying ways to further reduce waste in our business operations. As we expand our waste reduction strategy, we will continue to focus on the following key areas: source reduction, material reuse, material recycling, organics composting, and the donation of leftover food and lightly used materials to local community partners.

Sustainable Productions

Warner Bros. Discovery participates in sustainable practices where possible to lessen the environmental footprint of our productions worldwide. We make efforts to apply the below measures across our internal productions. As we work to refine our collective sustainability strategy and expand our current sustainable production efforts, we intend to focus on these five key areas:

  • Fuel: a focus on enforcing no-idling policies, piloting cleantech equipment like battery-powered generators, using power drops and grid ties when possible on location to avoid or reduce diesel generator use, utilizing alternative fuels like biodiesel and renewable diesel, and pursuing electric vehicles to support production.
  • Electricity: a focus on reducing electrical demands by maximizing LED set lighting, powering down equipment when idle, automating efficiency through timers and programmable thermostats, and utilizing renewable energy when possible.
  • Materials: a focus on buying sustainable products, such as Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified lumber for sets, compostable products and recycled paper; as well as focusing on reducing waste by reusing and donating production materials and implementing virtual production practices like electronic document distribution.
  • Waste: a focus on reducing solid waste by reusing set materials throughout production and among Warner Bros. Discovery productions, recycling and composting materials, and aiming to avoid single-use or non-recyclable products on set.
  • Reporting: a focus on calculating GHG emissions and setting environmental key performance indicators to measure our impact and identify our priority areas for improvement.

Warner Bros. Discovery is a member of the Sustainable Production Alliance (SPA), a consortium of the world’s leading film, television and streaming companies dedicated to advancing sustainability initiatives, and a member of albert, a U.K.- based, BAFTA-owned organization dedicated to empowering the industry to create content that supports a vision for a sustainable future and enabling the industry to make positive contributions to the environment. Consistent with local production requirements, all Warner Bros. Discovery U.K. & Ireland commissioned productions are asked to use the albert tools and methodologies to reduce their carbon footprint. Warner Bros. Discovery U.K. & Ireland is also a signatory of BAFTA’s albert Climate Content Pledge, a commitment by 12 of the U.K.’s biggest media organizations to help audiences better understand what tackling climate change might mean to them, as well as to inspire and inform sustainable choices.

We are also a contributor to the Green Production Guide, a set of tools and resources established in 2010 to help reduce our industry’s carbon footprint and environmental impact.

The Environmental Media Association (EMA) Green Seal is a recognition program honoring progress in sustainable production for movies, television shows, filmed commercials, and print advertising. In 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery productions received a total of 58 EMA Green Seals, with 39 of those receiving the Gold Seal distinction, a higher tier recognition for productions that have implemented a greater number of green production practices.

Sustainable Production Case Study

Warner Bros. Television’s Ted Lasso implemented high-impact sustainability practices during its second season of production. To reduce the use of fossil fuel-powered generators, the production tied into the local electric grid for power needs when possible and ran a portion of their generators on low-carbon fuels. They increased energy efficiency by using a lighting package with 80% LED lights and when filming on soundstages, used local power that was sourced with 100% renewable energy. To reduce waste, the construction department reused set materials from a previous production to build new sets and recycled 17.6 tons of construction materials. The set decoration department prioritized renting furniture and props to avoid purchasing new items, and set pieces remaining at the end of production were offered to prop houses, charities, and other productions to prevent them from going to a landfill.

Ted Lasso’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint on set earned a Gold Seal from the Environmental Media Association, and its episode “Do the Right-est Thing” was recognized with an EMA Award for environmental content.

Environmental Storytelling + Content

Stories with environmental subject matter educate and inform audiences, encourage positive behaviors, and provide inspiration on topics such as the climate and environmental sustainability. Our environmental content ranges from inspiring documentaries and docuseries, like CNN’s “Call to Earth” and Discovery Channel’s “Serengeti,” to scripted content and sports. In 2020, Warner Bros. Discovery Sports launched FIA ETCR, formerly known as PURE ETCR, the first all-electric multi-brand touring car championship that aims to change attitudes toward electric vehicles and promote electric mobility. Our award winning ‘Change Drivers’ series is a collection of short form videos that gives a voice to exceptional people who lead by example and inspire our viewers to reflect and take action on pivotal issues affecting our planet.

We also have passionate on-air talent who help promote sustainability messages through PSAs and social media content such as The Property Brothers, Jonathan and Drew Scott. No matter how big or small the message may be, we aim to incorporate environmentally conscious themes in our stories that leave lasting effects on audiences.

The Environmental Media Association also recognizes content that informs and inspires audiences to take action with the Environmental Media Awards. In 2022, Abbott Elementary, a Warner Bros. Discovery production, was recognized with EMA’s Paul Junger Witt Comedy Award, honoring progress in environmental storytelling/content.