Beyond the Buzzwords: Real Collaboration Means Real Action
By Zena Harris, Founder & President, Green Spark Group
In the entertainment industry, collaboration is second nature. It’s how stories come to life. Writers hand off to directors, directors to producers, crews sync with talent, and post-production adds the final polish. It takes a village to bring a story, a show, or a live event to life.
So why is it that when it comes to sustainability, collaboration often stalls at the talking stage?
We hear the word thrown around a lot, “collaboration.” It’s become a buzzword in press releases, panels, and pitch decks. But too often what’s described isn’t collaboration at all. It’s coordination. It’s polite alignment. Passive support.
What we need is deeper. What we need is active, courageous, multi-stakeholder, some might say “radical” collaboration that breaks silos and builds new systems. And we need it now.
The Limits of Talk
Climate change, waste, labor burnout, supply chain pressure, and systemic inequities, these are complex challenges. No single company, department, or production team can solve them alone. But when every stakeholder waits for someone else to make the first move, change grinds to a halt.
Let’s be honest: meetings about “green goals” and vague commitments won’t move the needle. Collaboration in name only leads to slow progress, duplicated efforts, and missed opportunities to shape a better future for entertainment.
We’ve seen this first-hand:
Productions plan for sustainability but don’t loop in the vendors.
Organizations set high-level goals but don’t align department heads on execution.
Crews have ideas, but no formal channel to share or scale them.
This is not a people problem. It’s a systems problem. And systems can be redesigned, together.
What Real Collaboration Looks Like
At Green Spark Group, we define real collaboration as shared ownership, shared knowledge, and shared impact. It doesn’t mean everyone agrees on everything. It means everyone commits to moving forward together, even when it’s hard.
Here’s what that looks like in action:
Studios, productions, and crew co-design sustainability strategies, a collective approach to action.
Vendors and partners are brought in early, not after decisions are locked.
Sustainability professionals supported by leadership, with time, budget, and authority.
Event organizers reduce impact by engaging local companies while uplifting the community.
Cross-industry partnerships combine expertise, from production and logistics to advocacy and policy.
This is already happening in pockets across the industry, and when it does, the results are powerful. Emissions drop. People feel invested. Innovation accelerates.
Why It Matters More Than Ever
We’re entering a new era of accountability. Audiences, investors, and industry insiders alike are looking beyond appearances. Everyone is more aware and they want to know who’s walking the talk, and how.
Real collaboration signals integrity. It shows that sustainability isn’t just a brand play, it’s a business imperative and a creative opportunity. It creates better outcomes for people, the planet, and the long-term viability of the industry itself.
If we want to scale change, across productions, festivals, broadcasts, and beyond - we need each other. Not symbolically, but in a roll-up-your-sleeves, let’s-solve-this-together, lets-do-better-next-time kind of way.
An Invitation to Collaborate - For Real
At Green Spark Group, we don’t believe in going it alone. We build partnerships across the content creation ecosystem because we’ve seen what’s possible when barriers come down and brains come together.
We’re not here to compete. We’re here to connect. Whether you’re a studio, vendor, production lead, sustainability coordinator, event organizer, local business, or a creative who simply cares, you’re part of this.
Let’s stop talking about collaboration. Let’s build systems that work for everyone.
Let’s make sustainability a team sport, and win together.
