A24 and Green Toolkit Pioneer Industry-Leading Sustainability Milestone in Global Film Production
COLOGNE, Germany — In a historic breakthrough for sustainable filmmaking, Green Toolkit and A24 have achieved what no other collaboration has before: ISO 14067 certification for a major international film. The upcoming feature film Mother Mary has officially become the first production worldwide to meet the rigorous standards of the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) – setting a new benchmark in entertainment sustainability. A24, the studio behind Academy Award-winning films such as Everything Everywhere All at Once, continues to lead the industry with its commitment to climate responsibility.
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A24 and Green Toolkit pioneer industry-leading sustainability milestone in global film production. Green Toolkit announces a strategic partnership with Green Spark Group to empower media professionals with innovative tools to achieve their climate goals.
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The certification was achieved through A24's collaboration with Green Toolkit, the world's first ISO-compliant sustainability software platform designed specifically for film, TV, and streaming productions. By providing precise, automated tools to reduce carbon emissions, minimize waste, and manage resources efficiently throughout all phases of production, Green Toolkit has delivered a new standard of data accuracy and comparability.
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Recognizing the benefits of Green Toolkit's innovative software, A24 has fully integrated the tool into its production workflows.
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A Milestone for North American Productions
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The achievement is especially significant because it represents the first successful integration of Canadian and U.S.-specific factors and data sources into ISO 14067 certification for film production. By including regionally relevant criteria such as the Canadian and U.S. energy grid. Green Toolkit has established a new global standard for ISO-compliant carbon accounting in North America. This capability ensures that the methodology is tailored to accurately reflect the unique environmental factors impacting North American productions.
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Since its launch in 2022, Green Toolkit has been adopted by productions in over 37 countries, making it the leading ISO-compliant sustainability software in the entertainment industry. By retroactively integrating data from 2024 productions, A24 is establishing a comprehensive emissions baseline for 2025, enabling accurate tracking of CO₂ savings and financial impacts of their sustainability efforts.
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'Achieving ISO 14067 certification is a transformative milestone for Mother Mary and the entire film industry,' said Lisa Plesser, CEO of Green Toolkit. 'This collaboration with A24 proves that impactful sustainability solutions are possible when innovative technology meets bold, forward-thinking partners. We are proud to support A24's trailblazing journey with our Green Toolkit.'
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In a further step toward industry transformation, Green Toolkit is entering a strategic partnership with Green Spark Group, a leading sustainability consultancy for the entertainment industry. Green Spark Group, based in Vancouver, Canada, brings local insight and international experience to the table.
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About Green Toolkit
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Launched in 2022, Green Toolkit is the world's first ISO-aligned sustainability software platform tailored specifically for the entertainment industry. The platform helps productions track and reduce their environmental impact through innovative, automated tools. Since its launch, it has supported over 1500 films, series, and event projects — including Mother Mary (A24).
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Global News
a few seconds ago
- Global News
As U.S. consumer sentiment hits Great Recession lows, what's next for Canada?
The trade war is starting to impact economies across the globe, with recent U.S. data now showing consumer sentiments are reaching lows not seen since the Great Recession. That's raising questions about whether Canada could soon start feeling ripple effects. 'There has been more concern about momentum in U.S. labour markets, and not just in consumer perceptions of labour markets. You are starting to see cracks in some of the underlying details as well,' says assistant chief economist Nathan Janzen at Royal Bank of Canada. 'Employment is still declining in the U.S., especially in the manufacturing sector, and it's a trend that's been in place for a while. The trade uncertainty does not appear to have helped — it's accelerated some of the risks.' 0:36 U.S., China extend tariff deadline for another 90 days What does the report show? The University of Michigan released the findings of its latest Survey of Consumers on Aug. 15, which gauges the attitudes of average consumers across the continental U.S. Story continues below advertisement The report, conducted during May, June and July of 2025, shows how the current trade war sparked by U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policies has led to a negative outlook for the job market among Americans. In the study, 60 per cent of consumers polled said they expect unemployment in the U.S. to get worse in the year ahead, which compares to 32 per cent in 2022 until November 2024, and the worst reading since the Great Recession. 'There has been more concern about momentum in U.S. labour markets. Even just in recent weeks, there was a significant downside surprise in U.S. payroll employment growth reported for July and some significant downward revisions that made prior month's labour market data look not as strong as it did before,' says Janzen. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We (Royal Bank Economics) don't expect to see a resurgence (in job growth) over the next year, and still expect U.S. economic growth to slow — and with under-performance in some of these trade-sensitive sectors.' The survey data also shows that U.S. consumers may have been changing their spending habits out of concern for how tariffs would impact the economy, including by causing prices to spike. Twenty-four per cent of consumers polled said they expect to 'spend as usual' in the year ahead on big ticket items like a car, for instance, and that's down from 36 per cent in 2022 from August to October. Story continues below advertisement The report also describes the pattern where if consumers show less optimism for the economy and job market, then they will also adjust their spending habits. 2:02 Another hit to the Canadian wallet, US tariffs loom over consumers How does Canada compare to the United States? On the Canadian side of the border, there are some similarities to the U.S. in terms of how the economy may respond to pressures from the trade war, but the Canadian economy may be in a somewhat better position. Story continues below advertisement The latest report on employment from Statistics Canada for the month of July showed the unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.9 per cent, with most job losses seen in youth summer positions, while manufacturing saw a second straight positive month of growth. 'We do think that we're close to the peak in the Canadian unemployment rate. There are some advantages that Canada has: the Bank of Canada cut interest rates more than a lot of central banks last year, and it does look increasingly likely that we're going to have some significant fiscal stimulus from federal government spending,' says Janzen. 'It takes some time for that spending to get shovels in the ground on new projects, but into the end of this year and into next year, that is kind of a tailwind for economic growth in Canada to help push against some of the headwinds from trade disruptions.' The Bank of Canada gradually cut its key policy rate from five per cent in 2023, to 2.75 per cent in March of 2025 — and hasn't changed interest rates since, citing the 'uncertainty' of the tariffs and the trade war. Following the July meeting, the Bank of Canada left interest rates unchanged again, and its governor, Tiff Macklem, spoke after the announcement, saying, 'There is a sense that U.S. policy may well remain unpredictable. There is a sense that it's going to be hard to restore trust. So, yes, I think, some level of uncertainty will continue.' Story continues below advertisement Prime Minister Mark Carney is working towards a new trade deal with the U.S., and said he will only sign an agreement that is 'good for Canada.' He's also set to release the fall budget, which is expected to include billions in fiscal supports for Canada. More economic data will be released this week from Statistics Canada that should act as updated gauges on the Canadian consumer. 2:26 Youth unemployment continues to climb in Canada On Tuesday, the Consumer Price Index for the month of July will be released. That latest inflation reading will reflect how tariffs have caused prices to change in Canada. On Friday, the latest report on retail sales for the month of June will be released, in addition to an early estimate for the July report. Story continues below advertisement 'Spending has remained relatively firm, demand has remained relatively firm and we're seeing some of that flow through into consumer price growth as well. So that's where it's a bit of a double-edged sword,' says Janzen, who explains how when spending and demand are strong, that can lead to higher prices and be reflected in a higher inflation report. He goes on to say that one of the reasons consumers have been feeling more confident in Canada is because the labour market has shown strength compared to the U.S. 'It's tied to a better Canadian consumer and overall economic demand backdrop than was feared in the spring. We should see that on Friday as well with the retail sales numbers,' says Janzen. 'Not a super strong economy, but relative to where it looked like we could have been back in the spring, it's been substantially less bad than feared.'
2 hours ago
Who controls the food supply? Proposed changes to seed reuse reopens debate
It's a small change that risks cultivating a big debate. On one side is the principle of farmer's privilege — the traditional right of Canadian farmers to save seeds at the end of a growing season and reuse them the next year. On the other is the principle of plant breeders' rights — the right of those who develop new seeds and plants to protect and profit from their discoveries. The issue has been dormant for a decade. Now, proposed changes to government rules regarding plant breeders' rights are reviving that debate. It also raises questions about how Canada gets its food and who controls what is grown. Ultimately, it's about food security, said Keith Currie, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture. The group supports the changes, which include narrowing the scope of farmer's privilege. Not only keeping us competitive to keep food costs down, but also to make sure that we maintain new varieties coming forward for that food availability. Enlarge image (new window) The proposed changes could reduce the right of farmers to save and reuse seeds for crops like fruits and vegetables. Photo: The Canadian Press / Giordano Ciampini In a notice (new window) dated Aug. 9, the government announced proposed changes to Canada's Plant Breeders' Rights Regulations — a form of intellectual property protection for plants, similar to a patent. The regulations give plant breeders a monopoly over the distribution of their product for a set period, as a way to to encourage investment and innovations such as varieties with higher yields or more resistant to drought or pests. It's a big business. Estimates of the economic impact of the seed industry in Canada range from $4 billion to $6 billion a year. The right to reuse The changes would remove the right of farmers to save and reuse seeds and cuttings from protected fruits, vegetables, ornamental varieties, other plants reproduced through vegetative propagation and hybrids. For most plants recognized under the law, the protections last for 20 years. Personal gardens and many other kinds of crops such as wheat, cereals and pulses, where seed saving is more widespread, would not be affected. Among the other proposed changes is to extend the protection for new varieties of mushrooms, asparagus and woody plants like raspberries and blueberries to 25 years from the current 20 years. A public consultation on the changes runs until Oct. 18. Enlarge image (new window) NDP agriculture critic Gord Johns is calling for parliamentary hearings into the proposed changes. Photo: Kendal Hanson/CHEK News NDP agriculture critic Gord Johns says the changes raise an important issue for Canadians. He questions why the government is holding the consultation in summer when most farmers are focused on growing and harvesting crops — not drafting submissions for public consultations. They keep doing this over and over again, said Johns of the federal government. They announce regulatory changes that impact farmers and their livelihoods [and] they schedule the consultation period during the busiest time of the year for farmers. Johns said companies producing new kinds of seed should be adequately compensated for their innovation and intellectual property. But he said farmers who grow and harvest the food Canadians eat shouldn't be starved by big corporations choking off their seed supply. He wants the House of Commons agriculture committee to hold hearings and take a closer look at the changes being proposed. A spokesperson for Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Heath MacDonald said the government is committed to encouraging innovation, investment, research and competitiveness in Canadian agriculture, horticulture and ornamental industries. The spokesperson said the government will review all feedback before determining next steps. Access vs. innovation Former prime minister Stephen Harper's government triggered a debate in 2015 when it adopted measures to bring Canada's rules more in line with guidelines adopted by the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants, known as UPOV 91. The rules are separate from patent law or technology use agreements which some seed companies use to prevent farmers from saving and reusing seeds. Changes to plant breeders' rules are now again on the table. Last year, a government consultation resulted in 109 submissions, the majority supportive of change. Meanwhile, lobbyists have been busy behind the scenes. According to the federal lobbying registry, 13 people from several different groups or companies are currently registered to lobby on plant breeders' rights including the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, the Canadian Canola Growers Association, the Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and Swiss-based Syngenta, owned by Sinochem, a Chinese state-owned enterprise. Enlarge image (new window) Wheat is not included in the proposed changes, but a research director for the National Farmers Union worries they could be the start of a 'slippery slope.' Photo: Reuters / Todd Korol Cathy Holtslander, director of research and policy for the National Farmers Union, says the proposed changes risk hurting farmers while increasing profits and the power of seed-producing companies — often multinationals with foreign ownership. While the changes are focused on an area of agriculture where seed saving is less common, Holtslander warns the changes are a slippery slope that could lead to an erosion of the rights of farmers. If they were to go after wheat with the amendment, there would be a huge uproar and people would really be angry and push back, Holtslander said. She said what's being proposed paves the way for other crops to be included later. The seed industry does not want farmers' privilege to exist for any seed. They want to be able to require people to buy new seed every year, she said. Holtslander's group plans to fight the proposed changes. She said the issue goes beyond the question of individual farmers reusing seed. If the big multinational companies control the seed, they control our food supply, she said. Lauren Comin, director of policy for Seeds Canada, acknowledges the issue can be controversial but argues Canada needs strong intellectual property protection if it wants access to the newest innovations to compete on the world stage. It's incredibly important to have these frameworks to encourage investment companies, businesses, public entities, to know that they are going to somehow be compensated and protected, Comin said. She said that while the changes provide that certainty and that incentive for investment, she wants them to go further. While acknowledging there isn't enough certified seed for all of Canada's cereals and small grains crop, Comin would also like to see farmers compensate plant breeders when they reuse seeds, as they do in Europe. The farmer's privilege does not say that that use is free, she said. [Farmers] can choose to buy the latest and greatest product of innovation, which means that there is a tremendous amount of investment and effort that went toward developing this improved variety. Or they can decide that they don't value innovation, and they can go back to a variety that's unprotected and grow that. Currie, an Ontario grains and oil seed farmer who saves and reuses seeds, says Canada needs to balance the two principles. He says farmer's privilege is key to Canada's competitiveness, but so is access to new varieties of seeds and plants. While I do understand where some of the multinationals want to have better control, I believe in order for the industry to be viable, farmers have to have some control as well, he said.
Calgary Herald
2 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
CUPE responds after Labour Board declares Air Canada flight attendant strike illegal: 'If it means...going to jail, then so be it'
Union leadership said it will continue to support flight attendants on picket lines across the country after the Canada Industrial Relations Board declared the ongoing strike by about 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants unlawful and ordered union leadership to direct members to return to work. Article content During a press conference held Monday from Mississauga, Ont., CUPE national president Mark Hancock said the union would not back down. Article content Article content Article content 'We will not turn our back on these workers,' he said. 'We will do whatever it takes to get them a collective agreement (so) that they can vote on it.' Article content Article content Hancock said the union will continue to support flight attendants on picket lines across the country. Article content 'We're going to stay strong,' he said. 'And if it means folks like me going to jail, then so be it. If it means our union being fined, then so be it. Article content 'Our members want a solution here, but that solution has to be found at a bargaining table.' Article content Hancock argued the right to strike is a fundamental right protected under the Canadian charter. 'It is an essential part of collective bargaining and for workers to have a say in their collective future. These rights have to mean something,' he said. 'Real negotiations cannot happen if only one side is banking on the government taking away the rights of another party, and that is what has happened here.' Article content Article content The union remains committed to finding a deal, Hancock said. Article content 'We welcome any assistance that helps us find a way to reach a freely negotiated collective agreement– an agreement that our members can ratify,' he said. 'We will not resolve this by taking away the rights of workers who are already struggling to make ends meet.' Article content The press conference came after the Canadian Industrial Relations Board declared that CUPE's strike is unlawful. Article content In a statement issued Monday, Air Canada said the board had ordered union officials to direct its member to return to work. Article content In its ruling, the board ordered CUPE officials to 'immediately cease all activities that declare or authorize an unlawful strike of its members and to direct the members of the bargaining unit to resume the performance of their duties.' Article content The ruling ordered union officials to provide written notice to all members by 12:00 pm EDT on Monday that all members must resume their duties. Article content Air Canada had planned to resume operations of Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge flights on Sunday after those flights were grounded on Saturday due to the labour disruption, but the airline said it was not able to resume operations due to 'CUPE leadership's unlawful strike activities.' Article content
