Spanish television platform Movistar Plus+ has introduced comprehensive sustainability measures on the Madrid filming set of the second season of its original series Celeste to reduce environmental impact.
The initiative forms part of a broader effort by parent company Telefónica Group to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, a target set 10 years ahead of European Union requirements. Recent industry estimates indicate that audiovisual productions generate between 2% and 3% of the planet's total carbon footprint.
Movistar Plus+ assigned its original fiction production team the mission of making original series more sustainable more than four years ago. Newspaper LA RAZÓN visited the Madrid set of Celeste to observe how production company 100 Balas and technical teams apply environmental standards during filming.
Key personnel accompanying the set visit included project head Yoly González, fiction sustainability manager Bea Morillas, Telefónica sustainability director Rubén Ferreras, and Telefónica España quality director Isabel Taboada.
Standardised green trilogy
The production management team outlined a standard framework known as the trilogy, which governs sustainability across original series. The process requires a dedicated sustainability plan, a results report measuring total carbon emissions, and an independent external audit verifying the calculation.
Ferreras explained that the objective is to reduce environmental impact as far as possible, noting that zero impact is impossible because film and television production inherently consumes resources. He added that environmental management helps producers address climate risks while seizing opportunities to increase efficiency, cut consumption, and remain competitive in a demanding industry sector.
Ferreras also stated that television productions reach broad audiences, allowing broadcasters to model sustainable habits and responsible consumption that encourage wider societal emissions reductions.
Industry cooperation and milestones
Taboada recalled that when Movistar Plus+ first evaluated sustainable production standards, no established practices existed across the Spanish television sector. Previous green efforts were limited to isolated projects driven by individual production directors with strong environmental commitments.
To build a workable model, Movistar Plus+ partnered with internal sustainability teams at Telefónica España, external consultancies such as Mrs. Greenfilm, and independent production companies including 100 Balas. Taboada noted that the company chose a cooperative approach with producers rather than imposing rigid rules that might prove unworkable on set.
The strategy progressed further in March 2026 with the appointment of Verónica Cebrián and the establishment of the ESG and Corporate Affairs Directorate. To date, 49 original productions have implemented sustainable management plans, while the feature film Sirat became the first original Movistar Plus+ movie to complete the full three-step verification trilogy.
Seven pillars of sustainable production
Sustainable filming practices on set are organized into seven main categories covering energy, waste, accommodation, water, transport, materials, and catering. Set operations rely on energy-efficient LED lighting and grid electricity with certified renewable origins.
Waste management protocols require strict item segregation and the contracting of licensed specialists to handle hazardous waste. Cast and crew accommodation is selected near filming locations using environmental criteria, while water fountains are installed to eliminate single-use plastic bottles. Transport policies encourage train travel alongside hybrid or electric taxi services.
Production departments prioritize certified rental materials over new purchases. Catering managers work with local food suppliers and establish protocols to process unconsumed food into biomass fuel.
On the set of Celeste, daily crew routines include specific low-impact choices such as renting wardrobe garments from second-hand shops, serving whole bean coffee to eliminate single-use capsules, using reusable hangers, and operating electric generators. Production teams have also eliminated paper printed scripts and stopped painting directional navigation arrows on studio floors.
