Rakuten TV launches first sustainability report
Rakuten TV have announced the release of its first Sustainability Report, detailing the company’s commitment to environmental sustainability, diversity, inclusion, and good governance.
The report, which covers the company’s sustainability efforts throughout the past year, highlights several key achievements across governance, social impact, and environmental performance according to Global Reporting Initiative standards, including a significant reduction of 69.4% in CO2 emissions toward 2022.
Key Findings from Rakuten TV’s Sustainability Report:
- 69.4% reduction in CO2 emissions: A major achievement in data center efficiency, reflecting the company’s push for more energy-efficient operations.
- Future Sustainability Goals: Rakuten TV is working on decarbonisation plan with SBTi goals and will continue to reduce its environmental impact across all areas of operations, including content production and distribution.
- Diversity and Inclusion: With 23 nationalities, an equality plan and concrete measures and efforts for making the company team and brand more inclusive, RTV is fostering DEI processes across recruitment, promotion, training, and business at large.
- Originals: Rakuten TV Originals, distributed for free, focus on stories that promote topics such as gender equality, mental health, and inspiring profiles of people who have made a difference in highly stigmatised areas.
“We’re proud of the steps we’ve taken in reducing our carbon footprint and fostering greater diversity and inclusivity within the company,” said Cédric Dufour, CEO of Rakuten TV. “While our primary goal is to entertain people, we believe this should be achieved through responsibly made content that reflects the diversity of our world and encourages sustainable positive change.”
The company also used its platform for producing social impact through the campaign Avod for impact, where Rakuten TV has donated part of its advertising inventory to selected NGOs in line with its goals.
- LEED Platinum certification: Rakuten TV’s new headquarters in Barcelona are certified LEED Platinum building, showcasing the company’s dedication to environmentally responsible construction and employee’s health and wellbeing.
- Governance: Development of a holistic third-party management process, achievement of Certification 27001 – known as the world’s best standard for information security management and enhancement of whistleblowing channel are the main governance milestones of 2024, alongside with the bold set of policies meeting the company compliance.
“We believe it is essential for creators and distributors of entertainment to represent reality in a complete, inclusive and accurate way, while minimising their impact on the environment and promoting a culture of sustainability. Although there is still much to do, we are committed to advancing values that align with our vision and mission to provide quality and sustainable entertainment,” added Fabiana Cumia, ESG and PR director at Rakuten TV.
The Streaming Industry’s Responsibility
While streaming has become an integral part of everyday life, with millions of viewers consuming content globally, the industry also faces growing pressure to mitigate its environmental impact. Streaming platforms are responsible for a significant portion of global internet traffic, which consumes large amounts of energy and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions – mainly due to data centres.
Looking Ahead
As Rakuten TV continues to grow with new partnerships or the recently announced new business line Rakuten TV Enterprise Services, the company is committed to integrating sustainability into every aspect of its business, from operations to content creation. With its sustainability initiatives, the company is setting new standards in the entertainment sector and encouraging others to follow suit.
Check out some of our other sustainability content:
- In our autumn 2024 issue Neal Romanek offers an in-depth industry analysis of the current state of the sustainability in M&E.
- Learn about WaterBear’s dedication to supporting the sustainability goals set by the UN.
- Our 2021 Genius interview with BAFTA’s Dame Pippa Harris, who was involved with one of the first Albert approved feature films.
