Setting the Standard: How SAIL Is Supporting Bradford 2025 to Lead on Sustainability
Posted Case study, News
As the official sustainability partner to Bradford 2025, UK City of Culture, SAIL has been working since 2023 to embed environmental responsibility at every level of the programme, from strategy to delivery.
We began our work with Bradford 2025 by co-developing a robust sustainability strategy rooted in ten core themes:
- Energy – switching to 100% renewable power and eliminating fossil fuel reliance
- Travel and Transport – supporting sustainable audience and staff travel
- Waste and Materials – minimising waste and encouraging reuse
- Supply Chain – procuring responsibly, with a focus on local suppliers
- People and Partnerships – building internal capacity and shared ownership
- Representation – ensuring inclusive participation in climate action
- Programme – embedding sustainability in artistic and cultural decisions
- Biodiversity and Nature – protecting green space and encouraging ecological awareness
- Measurement and Reporting – setting realistic targets and tracking progress
- Futures – designing systems that will outlast the year of culture itself
These themes have underpinned everything Bradford 2025 has done, from opening new venues to delivering large-scale public events, and we’ve worked closely with their internal teams to translate these ambitions into action.
Practical Support Across the Programme
As an embedded partner, SAIL has worked alongside the Bradford 2025 team, regularly present in their offices, and actively supporting production, operations, marketing, programming and more.
Key areas of impact include:
- Energy – All office spaces are now powered by 100% renewable electricity. The new venue Loading Bay was built without a gas connection, eliminating on-site fossil fuel use entirely.
- Battery Power – Bradford 2025 invested in three Instagrid 2.1kWh units and a large 150kWh battery to power events without diesel generators. Even high-demand shows like The Railway Children are using battery systems to store energy and meet lighting needs off-grid.
- Event Production – We advised production teams on switching to batteries and tracking emissions. One event, The Red Ball, typically reliant on petrol generators, reduced emissions by 97.5% through battery use, from 153 kg CO₂e to just 3.82 kg CO₂e.
Tracking Audience Impact
SAIL pushed for audience travel to be prioritised from the outset, resulting in the adoption of the You.Smart.Thing platform to generate personalised travel plans. Over 60% of ticket bookers engaged with these tools, and anecdotal feedback has been excellent.
We’ve also supported the implementation of carbon tracking systems across departments, giving Bradford 2025 a clearer view of their emissions and allowing us to measure progress meaningfully over time.
Supporting the Team: Training and Capacity Building
We know that sustainability is as much about culture as it is about carbon. That’s why we designed and delivered Carbon Literacy Training for all Bradford 2025 staff, helping build shared understanding and confidence across teams.
In addition, we created a 1-hour online introduction to sustainability for the full volunteer team, providing an accessible entry point for hundreds of individuals supporting the programme.
Circularity and Reuse
One of our aims was to reduce waste by extending the life of materials. Bradford 2025’s production teams have embraced this approach, often planning reuse across multiple events, rather than disposing of materials.
Our Resource Hub in Bradford, which was set up in part to support this, has still played an important role. As of July 2025:
- 858 items donated
- 351 items rehomed
- 9.14 tonnes CO₂e avoided through reuse
- 40.9% rehoming rate
- 1.43 tonnes total weight of items handled
Even where the Bradford 2025 team didn’t send materials directly, the fact they’ve consistently reused internally is testament to a lasting culture shift.
Looking Ahead
When we set out to support Bradford 2025, one of our ambitions was to define what a sustainable UK City of Culture could look like. No previous City of Culture has successfully benchmarked its carbon impact, so we’re working to ensure Bradford becomes the first.
A six-month sustainability impact report is already underway, and will help set a new standard for others to follow.
"Sustainability isn't a side project, it’s part of every decision, every department, every audience experience. By embedding from the start, we’ve helped Bradford 2025 avoid the traps that many organisations fall into. We think this model, bringing in external expertise but working shoulder to shoulder with the internal team, is one that can and should be replicated."Jamie Saye, SAIL executive director
Get in touch
If your organisation is planning a large-scale cultural programme or needs support to build sustainability into your day-to-day operations, get in touch.
SAIL works with festivals, venues, councils and national programmes to turn climate goals into practical change.