The Crowd Convert Digital Sustainability Group is a sector-leading initiative designed to embed digital sustainability across cultural and heritage organisations. Websites contribute to measurable CO₂ emissions through data transfer, page load, and server usage. To address this, Crowd Convert created a structured program providing organisations with the tools and support needed to actively reduce their digital carbon footprint.
Delivered over five interactive sessions, the program combined education, practical guidance, and mentorship. Participants learned why digital sustainability matters, how it can be measured, and practical steps they could take to reduce emissions.
A measurement-first approach was central to the program. Each website was evaluated using Website Carbon and Ecograder, capturing metrics such as page emissions in grams of CO₂ and page weight in megabytes. Initial assessments revealed that most websites scored an F, reflecting high carbon output and inefficient digital practices.
Crowd Convert provided hands-on guidance from the CEO and Senior Developers, translating technical recommendations into actionable steps. Organisations implemented a mix of quick wins and longer-term strategies, including optimising images, replacing videos with lighter formats where possible, implementing lazy loading, restructuring code to reduce render-blocking resources, removing unused scripts, increasing cache lengths, and moving to green hosting providers powered by renewable energy.
The program fostered collaboration across the sector, allowing participants to share insights, challenges, and solutions. The group now includes a diverse range of cultural institutions, such as Oxford Glam, Ashmolean Museum & Galleries, Bodleian Library, Museum of Natural History, Museum Wales, Crystal Palace Park, Oxford Botanic Gardens, Roman Baths, Pitt Rivers Museum, The Records Office, Natural History Museum, Glasgow Science Centre, Bath Historic Venues, Victoria Art Gallery, The World Heritage Centre, Hunterian Museum & Art Gallery, Fashion Museum Bath, Irish Heritage Trust, and the History of Science Museum.
By the end of the program, participating websites had improved their sustainability scores from F to C, demonstrating a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions per page view. Beyond these measurable outcomes, organisations gained practical skills, knowledge, and a framework to continue improving digital sustainability independently.
The initiative provides a replicable model for other organisations, with plans underway to expand membership and publish learnings, creating a sector-wide roadmap for improving digital sustainability and embedding responsible digital practices across cultural and heritage institutions.
Partners
Glasgow Science Centre
