Christie’s, the internationally renowned auction house with operations across Europe, the Americas and Asia, launched its sustainability programme in 2020 with a clear goal: to take responsibility for its environmental impact and lead by example within the art market. As a major industry player, Christie’s recognised both a moral imperative and a growing regulatory shift, prompting early action and a commitment to data-backed targets. Their current climate strategy centres around halving in-scope emissions by 2030 and a 90% reduction by 2050, against a 2019 baseline.

A Structured Approach to Emissions Reductions

Christie’s sustainability framework is built around six key pillars: Buildings, Travel, Logistics, Publishing and IT with Procurement as a new category introduced this year to align our reporting with new requirements from SBTi.  This structure, developed with the support of sustainability consultancy Avieco (now part of Accenture), has enabled the team to segment their operations, identify emission hotspots and prioritise impactful interventions.

Early wins included transitioning to renewable energy across their estate, reducing catalogue printing, and updating travel policies. These initiatives, alongside pandemic-related business changes, contributed to a dramatic drop in emissions— so much so that Christie’s actually reached its 2030 target in 2022.

“We have made great progress since we launched our programme in 2020. We’re working hard across the whole of our business to make decreases where we can, and hold the line where we can,” says David Findlay. “We recognise that these efforts are ongoing and that there is a long road ahead. We will keep chipping away.”

Tackling IT Emissions and Data Transparency

As progress in other areas has accelerated, IT emissions have emerged as a growing challenge. Christie’s now reports IT separately, recognising its increasing share of the organisation’s footprint— particularly as travel reductions have led to heavier reliance on cloud services, digital platforms and outsourced development.

“Our IT emissions include data centres, cloud migration and e-waste, but the vast majority comes from suppliers,” Findlay explains. “We’re investing more in IT infrastructure, and these emissions have to be recorded as they are related to our business.”

While some emissions are measurable, supplier data remains difficult to obtain, a challenge shared across the sector. Christie’s is advocating for greater transparency and encouraging partners to improve data quality and emissions reporting.

From Early Wins to Long-Term Commitment

After achieving the “easier” changes early on, Christie’s is now entering a more complex phase of carbon reduction. Increasing sea freight, improving waste management, engaging suppliers and investing in sustainable packaging are all ongoing priorities. The team has also adjusted policies to encourage low-carbon travel and increased transparency through more robust data systems.

Momentum is maintained through both regional Green Teams and dedicated pillar leads, ensuring staff engagement and localised action across all offices. Christie’s internal motto “Commit, Communicate, Collaborate” has helped anchor the organisation’s efforts and guide progress over time.

“Transparency is really important for us,” says Findlay. “Sometimes we’ll have to admit a project didn’t work or the data was wrong. We are learning all the time and also feel it is important to share when things have worked and when they haven’t….this way we can all benefit.”

Leadership, Collaboration and Systemic Change

Christie’s sees its role as more than just internal transformation. As a global business with influence, the company is committed to helping drive systemic change across the wider art market.

“We don’t see sustainability as a competitive advantage,” says Findlay. “If we lose, then we all lose. We’ve found our suppliers and peers surprisingly willing to collaborate, and we’ve benefited from sharing ideas and learning from others.”

His advice for others beginning their climate journey? “Put together a clear and achievable plan. Embrace the challenge. Keep attention on it. And use the GCC website!”