Sustainable Arvo Pärt Centre

The Arvo Pärt Centre aims to reduce the environmental impact of its activities to contribute to the social, environmental, and cultural well-being of society. The Centre believes that the cultural sector plays a crucial role in ensuring sustainability and raising awareness.

The Centre’s sustainability policy aligns with the organisation’s statutes and the development plan for 2022–2026. In establishing the principles of environmental protection, the Centre has based its approach on the resolution adopted at the ICOM General Conference in 2019 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Reducing Environmental Impact

• We develop the resource efficiency of the buildings managed by the Centre.
• We value and use responsibly essential resources such as electricity, water, and paper, while avoiding overconsumption and implementing proper waste sorting.
• We increase the share of circular economy practices in the Centre’s activities whenever possible.
• We adhere to the principles of sustainable event organisation.
• We implement a sustainability action plan, which is periodically updated, and publish an annual report on resource use and activities on the Centre’s website.
• We follow the Sustainable Exhibitions Guide.

Community and Social Responsibility

• We organise public projects, programmes, and educational activities that focus on environmental awareness.
• We promote collaboration with various target groups.
• We enhance the physical and virtual accessibility of our facilities and collections.

Sustainable Work Culture

• We encourage employees to engage in and contribute to the Centre’s sustainability initiatives.
• We follow the Environmentally Friendly Museum Employee Guide, a resource for all Centre employees to make their daily activities more environment-friendly.
• We raise employee awareness regarding environmental protection by organising training and information events on sustainability.
• We support our employees by promoting professional growth, learning, and teaching.

Environmentally Friendly Employee Guide

• I prioritise my mental and physical health. I manage my time effectively to avoid work-related stress and offer support to my colleagues while also asking for help when needed. I take regular breaks from screen time and stretch every hour if I work at a desk.
• I prefer environmentally friendly transportation options, such as public transport or cycling, to commute to work or I walk and share rides.
• I turn off lights when leaving a room and switch off all devices at the end of the workday.
• I minimise paper use by printing sparingly, preferably in black and white and on both sides. I reuse single-sided paper and actively use the recycling bin next to the printer.
• I use and reuse materials and products to their maximum potential and ensure that items are passed on to new owners when possible.
• I am an expert at waste sorting: 
  • Clean cardboard and paper
  • Packaging
  • Biowaste
  • Household waste 
  • I consult the administrative manager regarding hazardous waste (e.g., batteries).

• I conserve water by choosing tap water over bottled water. I measure the appropriate amount using a cup when boiling tea, and prefer the hot water function of a coffee machine to using a kettle.
• I reduce digital waste by regularly deleting unnecessary emails (especially those with large attachments), unsubscribing from irrelevant newsletters, emptying my spam folder, and clearing outdated files from my computer and server.
• When choosing lunch during the workday, I avoid disposable tableware and plastic packaging while opting for local and plant-based options.

Sustainable Event Organiser’s Reminder

• We provide high-quality, educational, and experience-rich events for a variety of target groups, optimally utilising all resources—just as much as needed, but as little as possible.
• Whenever we can, we choose environment-friendly, durable and high-quality or compostable materials instead of disposable plastic products for items such as inventory, name tags, gifts, and publications. We prefer to share information and content electronically rather than on paper.
• We minimise waste generation and manage the waste produced at events according to its type and disposal options.
• When feasible, we organise online events or offer participation via a video bridge. We facilitate online registration and feedback collection from participants.
• We inform participants about environment-friendly ways to attend our events (by public transport or bicycle).
• We offer responsible catering by prioritising Estonian food and beverages. Our menu includes options suitable for vegetarians and vegans. We provide tap water instead of bottled water, and if disposable tableware is necessary, we use compostable options.
• We aim to reduce food waste by ordering reasonable quantities and storing leftovers in the refrigerator instead of disposing of them.

Sustainable Exhibitions Reminder

Planning

• We plan exhibitions systematically based on the 5R principle, engaging the entire team. We optimise material input and costs. We keep in view both concurrent and upcoming exhibitions, aiming to link them in a way that would avoid the waste of resources (e.g., combining transportation). 
• We prioritise using existing materials and solutions and aim to implement the circular economy model in our exhibition activities. 
• When purchasing new materials, we prefer products with eco and FSP labels.
• For rented or purchased equipment, we choose items with Energy Star labels and/or class A energy ratings.

Implementation

• We store materials (e.g., fabric partitions) properly to ensure they are easy to use for future exhibitions. 
• We maintain tools to extend their lifespan. 
• We utilise materials fully, also seeking to reuse and recycle them. 
• We avoid disposable materials, and when they are unavoidable, we use only the least necessary amount. 
• We also aim to reduce excessive electricity consumption (e.g., turning off battery chargers at night and not leaving fully charged batteries in the charger).
• We sort waste, also during exhibition installation.

Good Work Practices

• Measure nine times, then cut once.
• Ensure that power tools are in good working condition.
• Use the appropriate tool for each job.
• Avoid using small tools for heavy-duty tasks.