“Future‑proof your business: Sustainable development within production”

 

I recently delivered a three‑hour online workshop for the Commercial Producers Association, South Africa (CPA). The CPA represents the production companies behind South Africa’s television, cinema and internet commercials, serving both local and international markets.

 

Service companies carry the hardest job in production. They absorb pressure from every direction, hold everything together, and often do it without the recognition they deserve.

 

I grew as a Production Assistant and Production Manager, very fortunate to spend a lot of time working with South African teams, and those experiences shaped how I work today. South Africa has breathtaking locations and some of the most skilled, resilient service‑production crews anywhere, delivering world‑class work under intense conditions.

 

At the same time, service companies are being asked to complete sustainability carbon calculators more and more, often at the last minute and without enough support. There’s also a real need for a wider understanding of what’s happening in sustainability across global production. My ongoing work with international service‑production companies, and my involvement with Green The Bid, keeps me close to these shifts, the tools being used, and the challenges different territories are facing. That perspective shaped this session. 

 

Supporting South African service companies in this context felt genuinely rewarding.

We had excellent attendance, with up to 90 production company owners, heads of department, and green‑focused companies joining the session. The workshop was built specifically around South Africa’s role as a global service‑production destination,  looking at their clients, their infrastructure, their challenges, and the unique realities of working in the territory. Some issues mirror the UK and Europe; others are entirely their own.

 

I was joined for an introductory presentation by Abe Cambridge, CEO & Founder of Cinergy Mobile Power, an innovator in energy solutions across film, entertainment and beyond. Abe shared real examples from recent productions, walked through the latest hybrid and renewable technologies, and spoke honestly about the challenges and breakthroughs happening in the energy space.

 

Together, Abe and I explored the similarities and differences between the UK and South Africa when it comes to alternatives to diesel generators,  the restrictions, the variables, the opportunities, and the territory‑specific realities that shape decision‑making. 

Introducing Cinergy’s work to so many service‑company founders was a real positive: it connected the TVC market with new energy solutions and opened up conversations that will continue long after the workshop.

 

I’d already been looking into the brilliant sustainability companies working with productions across South Africa, so it was great to see Greenset, Wrap Zero and Eco Ninjas join the workshop. They jumped into the discussion, shared what they’re doing on the ground, and connected with production company owners and HODs who are ready to move faster on sustainability.

 

The CPA is taking proactive steps to communicate with its members and with international production companies about both the new sustainability measures and the existing ones already in place. This work also includes a new Sustainability page on their website, supporting a more connected, informed community as the sector continues to evolve together and share knowledge more openly.

"The Commercial Producers Association of South Africa – “the CPA” recently worked with Carly Stone of Planet Positive Production to put together a webinar for our members to inform and educate them about international best practice and client expectations on the vital issue of environmental sustainability.

 

The workshop, entitled “Future-proof your business: Sustainable development within production” was extremely well received and the feedback from attendees has been very positive.  We anticipate that it will lead to a wider discussion and new initiatives to ensure that South African production companies are able to deliver on the sustainability mandate.

 

Carly is passionate about her subject and brought a unique perspective to the session as she has extensive cross over expertise in knowledge in commercial production and industry specific sustainability. The presentation was very professional and informative and held the participants attention for a full 3 hours.

 

The CPA has no hesitation in recommending Carly to other industry trade associations looking to assist their members in gaining a better understanding and insight into this most important subject on which our collective future depends."

 

Bobby Amm, Executive Officer, Commercial Producers Association of South Africa.

Connect with Carly

Connect with Carly for interviews, workshops, or support with shoots and sustainability projects.

 

Our founder, Carly Stone, a respected figure in the UK production services sector, brings a wealth of experience from her leadership roles as a producer and executive producer.

 

Carly established PPP after four years of leading Sustainable Development at her previous production service company, Madam Films. She has an in‑depth knowledge and extensive experience in global production challenges, both creatively and from an organisational perspective.

 

Carly founded PPP to bridge the gap between production and sustainability across brands, agencies, procurement, production, and post‑production.